Submitted by Tina Rockhold

Mercy Hospital Fort Scott Receives an “A” for Patient Safety

Mercy Hospital Fort Scott has earned The Leapfrog Group’s prestigious “A” rating for its commitment to reducing errors, infections and accidents that can harm patients.

According to the announcement from The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization committed to driving quality, safety and transparency in the U.S. health care system, Mercy Hospital Fort Scott earned top marks nationally with the “A” rating for Patient Safety in spring 2017. Hospital Safety Grades assigns A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide.

“This honor reflects our dedication and commitment to providing quality care to our patients in the safest way possible,” said Brenda Stokes, RN and Mercy Executive Director Quality Assurance/ Risk/ HIM. “Our ‘A’ rating affirms the emphasis we put on ensuring our community has access to the best healthcare possible. Our physicians, clinical staff and support staff strive to deliver safe, quality, evidence-based care to every patient, every time.”

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group explained, “Hospitals that earn top marks nationally in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, have achieved the highest safety standards in the country. That takes commitment from every member of the hospital staff, who all deserve thanks and congratulations when their hospitals achieve an ‘A’ Safety Grade.”

Developed under the guidance of an expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

To see Mercy Hospital Fort Scott’s full grade, and to access consumer-friendly patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org.

About The Leapfrog Group

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.

Drug Take-Back Program

On April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., local law enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications to the parking lot of Mercy Convenient Care at 1624 S. National for free, anonymous, “no questions asked” disposal.

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is made possible through the partnership of Bourbon County Sherriff’s Department, the Fort Scott Police Department and Mercy Hospital Pharmacy.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

March of Dimes Recognizes Mercy Hospital Fort Scott

Most moms-to-be are aware that the steps to having a healthy baby begin long before birth, but many may not understand the negative health impact of delivering a child prior to 39 weeks without medical reason.

“The last weeks of pregnancy are important,” said Paul E. Jarris, MD, MBA, March of Dimes Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. “Babies aren’t just putting on weight. They are undergoing important development of the brain, lungs and other vital organs.”

Even babies born just a few weeks early have higher rates of hospitalization and illness than full-term infants, the March of Dimes says. Although the overall threat is small, the risk of death more than doubles for infants born at 37 weeks of pregnancy when compared to babies born at 40 weeks, for all races and ethnicities. Babies who survive an early birth often face lifelong health challenges, such as breathing problems, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities.

As part of the March of Dimes campaign to reduce the number of early elective deliveries (EED), the agency is partnering with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Hospital Association (KHA) and the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative (KHC) to recognize Kansas birthing hospitals that pledge to eliminate early elective deliveries.

“We commend Mercy Hospital Fort Scott for reducing the number of elective inductions and cesarean deliveries performed before 39 weeks of pregnancy to less than five percent of all deliveries,” Jarris added.

“I’m extremely proud of the work to reduce the number of early elective deliveries at Mercy Hospital Fort Scott,” said Reta Baker, Mercy Hospital president. “This took great teamwork from our Mercy physicians, nurses and obstetric unit. It is a tremendous accomplishment that will give many more babies a healthy start in life.”

Dr. Larry Seals, Mercy OB/GYN, said, “Teamwork is the key. Collectively, we recognized the problem of unnecessary early deliveries and put in place policies to avoid scheduling c-sections or inductions before 39 weeks of pregnancy, except when medically necessary.”

In the past five years, Mercy Hospital has reduced the number of EEDs from 34 percent in 2011 to zero percent in 2016.

“The recognition by the March of Dimes helps us spread the message that ‘Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait,’” Seals added. “The March of Dimes campaign urges women to wait for labor to begin on its own if their pregnancy is healthy, rather than scheduling delivery before 39 weeks.”

Container Gardening Program Set for April 27

Submitted by Krista Harding

Do you have an interest in gardening, but just don’t have the space? Would you like to plant beautiful pots full of flowers, but aren’t sure what plants work together? Learn how at the “Grow It – Prepare It” series, Container Gardening, on Thursday, April 27, at 6 p.m. at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds.

This program will cover the advantages and disadvantages of container gardening, which varieties of plants are designed for containers, and how to best arrange plants. Demonstrations will be given on how to arrange both flowers and vegetables into containers for maximum results. For more information on this program and to register, please contact the Southwind Extension District at 620-223- 3720.

Using Machinery

Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District, Director
Machinery represents an ever-present danger on the farm. While machines save valuable time and are essential to productivity, use of farm machinery is hazardous, making them the source of most injuries and deaths on American farms and ranches.
While manufacturers design and build safety features into their machines, hazards cannot be completely eliminated without interfering with function. Timely maintenance, responsible use, and comprehensive safety awareness training are ways farmers can protect themselves and others from injury or death when working with and around agricultural machinery.
The primary responsibility for machinery safety rests with the operator. Operators must be aware of potential hazards with the specific piece of machinery they are operating. Safe operators respect machines for the work they perform and the dangers they present. Use these eight simple steps to be a safe machinery operator.
1. Be aware. Recognize where and what the hazards are.
2. Be prepared. Replace worn parts promptly and do daily pre-operational checks. Include preseason checks. Take advantage of the off-season to do additional maintenance work. This gives you time to order any shields and other parts you may need. Anticipate problems.
3. Read the operator’s manual. The simple tips and precautions in this publication are no substitute for the operator’s manual for each piece of machinery. If the manual is missing, contact your dealer or check online to get another one.
4. Shield all moving parts. Make the machine as safe as possible.
5. Respect PTO and hydraulics. Remember that any machine that is powered by a power takeoff driveline (PTO) or has hydraulic systems is inherently dangerous.
6. Shut it off. Before servicing any machine, disengage the PTO, turn off the engine, remove the key, and wait for all parts to stop moving.
7. Watch yourself. Try to avoid particularly hazardous jobs if you’re physically ill or mentally distracted. Fatigue and stress cause many accidents.
8. Use a machine only for its intended purpose.
With more consistently warmer temperatures, farmers will be in the field and on the roads. Pay special attention to slow moving vehicles, as the machinery operator has limited visibility.
For more information about farm or machinery safety, please contact the Southwind Extension District, at southwind.ksu.edu.

Submitted by Fort Scott National Historic Site

Fort Scott National Historic Site commemorates the Civil War and how it shaped our country by presenting the 35th Annual Civil War Encampment on Saturday and Sunday, April 22 and 23.

Experience the sights, sounds and smells of the times—soldiers marching or on horseback, rifles firing, gunpowder hanging in the air. A variety of interpretive programs will illustrate the role Fort Scott played as a major supply base for federal troops during this pivotal conflict.

The public is invited to participate beginning Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and concluding with the last program at 3 p.m. on Sunday as park volunteers engage in various activities. Union Cavalry, Infantry and Artillery units will perform military training representing how troops were prepared for battle. Witness the Grice family as they make tallow and lye soap as it was made in rural areas in the 1860s. On Saturday at 1 p.m., Diane Eickhoff, independent historian and author, presents the program “Women Soldiers of the Civil War.” At 6:30 p.m., you are invited to participate in popular Civil War tunes presented by the Holmes Brigade Minstrels. On Sunday at 10 a.m., come join in a period Church Service. Learn about the logistics of feeding soldiers with “Rolling in the Dough” Bake-house Demonstration at 11 a.m. Cavalry, Infantry and Artillery Demonstrations will continue in the afternoon.

The Civil War Encampment is made possible through the generous support provided by volunteer members of the Holmes Brigade, 4th Missouri Cavalry, Western Bluecoats Field Hospital, 3rd Kansas Artillery Battery B, Friends of Fort Scott NHS, Inc., and a host of Fort Scott National Historic Site volunteers.

The schedule of activities is as follows:

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

9:00 a.m. – Raising the Colors

10:00 a.m. – Cavalry Drill

11:00 a.m. – Infantry Drill and Weapons Demonstration

12:00 p.m. – Soap Making Program

1:00 p.m. – “Women Soldiers of the Civil War”

2:00 p.m. – Infantry Drill and Weapons Demonstration

3:00 p.m. – Artillery Drill and Weapons Demonstration

4:00 p.m. – Flag Retreat

6:30 p.m. – Civil War Music with the Holmes Brigade Minstrels

SUNDAY, APRIL 23

9:00 a.m. – Raising the Colors

10:00 a.m. – Church Service

11:00 a.m. – “Rolling in the Dough” – Bake House Demonstration

12:00 p.m. – Artillery Drill and Weapons Demonstration

1:00 p.m. – Cavalry Drill

2:00 p.m. – Infantry Drill and Weapons Demonstration

3:00 p.m. – Artillery Drill and Weapons Demonstration

Presentation Explores Women Who Fought in Civil War

Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service in Kansas, will host “Women Soldiers of the Civil War,” a presentation and discussion by Diane Eickhoff, on April 22, at 1 p.m. in the Grand Hall. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. The program is made possible by the Kansas Humanities Council.

During the Civil War, hundreds of women cut their hair and donned men’s clothing to report for duty to Union and Confederate Army recruiters. Others served as scouts and spies or rode with their husbands and brothers in service. The presentation will explore how and why a fascinating group of women defied cultural norms to become soldiers, especially during a time when there was great emphasis on women’s and men’s separate roles in society.

Diane Eickhoff is an independent historian, writer and editor of education materials. Her most recent historical biography, Clarina Nichols: Frontier Crusader for Women’s Rights, is published by Quindaro Press.

“This program evolved out of a single slide that often brought an earlier Speakers Bureau talk of mine to a standstill,” said Eickhoff. “People are as fascinated as I was to learn how so many women were able to disguise themselves as men—and to learn about their different motives for entering the battlefield.”

“Women Soldiers of the Civil War” is part of the Kansas Humanities Council’s Kansas Stories Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and discussions that examine our shared human experience—our innovations, culture, heritage and conflicts.

The Kansas Humanities Council conducts and supports community-based programs, serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and encourages Kansans to engage in the civic and cultural life of their communities. For more information about KHC programs contact the Kansas Humanities Council at 785/357-0359 or visit online at www.kansashumanities.org.

For more information about “Women Soldiers of the Civil War” contact Fort Scott National Historic Site at 620-223- 0310 or visit www.nps.gov/fosc.