Infection Prevention

April 23, 2021

The COVID-19 Vaccine: Your Questions Answered and Why It’s Critical to Roll Up Your Sleeve

By Michele Pilon, MS, BSN, RN, NE-BC There have been many low points that our country has faced since COVID-19 arrived in the United States last year, from the early days of the pandemic when we didn’t understand much about the virus, how it was spread, or its effects, to the tragedy of more than […]

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March 26, 2021

Transylvania Regional Hospital Rolls Out Innovative “Beyond the Mask” Program to Enhance Caregivers’ Connections with Patients during COVID-19

By Michele Pilon, MS, BSN, RN, NE-BC It’s hard to come up with an area of our lives that COVID-19 hasn’t touched. Gathering with friends and family in our homes and in public places became a thing of the past, as did going to the movies, attending sporting events and even browsing around your favorite […]

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March 26, 2021

Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Team Members Work to Build a Culture of Safety through Clinical Protocols and Human Connection

By Tom Neal, RN, MBA, MHA Patient safety is a term you hear constantly in the healthcare industry, and though the two words are simple and easy to understand, the efforts to ensure that patients are kept safe are complex and all-encompassing. At Highlands-Cashiers Hospital (HCH) and the Eckerd Living Center (ELC), we look at […]

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March 26, 2021

Don’t Postpone Seeking Care at Angel Medical Center during the Pandemic, It Could Mean the Difference between a Manageable and a Serious Condition, and Even Life or Death

By Timothy Layman, DNP As the Administrator of Clinical Operations at Angel Medical Center (AMC), I wanted to create a special message for March. This month we can see the promise of spring just a bit more clearly on the horizon, after enduring the cold and spending months inside. This year, however, our impatience for […]

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March 1, 2021

On the Path of Recovery from COVID-19 and Other Illnesses

Did you know that COVID-19 symptoms can sometimes persist for months? “The virus can affect the function of the lungs, heart and brain, which increases risk of long-term health problems,” said Mike Heilig, Physical Therapist and Program Director of CarePartners Outpatient Services. “Muscle weakness and fatigue are among the most common long-term symptoms. Swallowing or […]

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February 17, 2021

Dangerous Flu Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

Most cases of the flu are a nuisance — you’ll be on your back for a few days or weeks, and then you can return to your normal routine. But certain flu symptoms, like sudden dizziness, may signal a more serious medical problem, like sepsis or pneumonia. Make sure you know how to differentiate normal […]

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January 27, 2021

The Patient Experience at Mission Hospital McDowell: How Listening to Patients Informs the Care We Provide and Guides Us toward Continued Excellence

By Carol Wolfenbarger, MSN, RN, FACHE As I say often, our Mission Hospital McDowell (MHM) patients are what our work lives revolve around, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Everyone I know who dedicates themselves to working in healthcare does so out of a deep sense of commitment to patients and their families. […]

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January 27, 2021

Ring in 2021 with a “Safety First” Attitude: Remain Vigilant in Slowing the Spread of COVID-19 Using Tried-and-True Strategies

By Tonia W. Hale, DNP, MAOM, BSN, RN As we enthusiastically enter into the New Year 2021, most of us are likely very weary of COVID-19. It has been nearly a year of learning new and sometimes disturbing things about this virus, and altering our lives radically in many ways to stay safe. Back on […]

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January 27, 2021

We Shouldn’t Let Up on Doing All We Can to Stop the Spread of COVID-19, Especially Now

By Karen S. Gorby, RN, MSN, MBA, CENP, FACHE North Carolina is now seeing most counties across the state, including western North Carolina’s, in the “red zone,” meaning we’re experiencing extensive viral spread of COVID-19. We also know that “pandemic fatigue” is very real, and that we as human beings have a tendency to shut […]

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January 27, 2021

Brush Up on Your Knowledge of Radon’s Risks and Highlands-Cashiers Hospital’s Capability to Provide Advanced Lung Cancer Screening

By Tom Neal, RN, MBA, MHA Most people think of tobacco use when they think of lung cancer, but did you know that there’s another, lesser known culprit that’s responsible for 22,000 lung cancer deaths across the country each year? It’s the naturally occurring gas radon, which is created when uranium in rocks and soil […]

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