Nursing: Is it for you?

Nursing is a calling. It’s not something anyone can do. It takes a special person who is willing to be hands on and help those who are not able to help themselves.

“At the time when I was choosing a career, there weren’t many options available for women. I knew that I wanted to be hands-on … on the go and not sitting in an office,” said Karen Arnett, who is a trainer for the STNA program at Green Hills Community.

Fresh out of high school, Karen was hired at Green Hills Community as a nurses’ aide, before licensing was required.

“Green Hills hired me and trained me for the position. After a year, I decided that I liked it and wanted to do more,” she said and was enrolled in the first LPN class that was offered at the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center.

A career in nursing allowed her the flexibility to take time off, about 20 years, to raise a family. After the children graduated from college, she decided to go back to school to become a Registered Nurse.

She has spent a total of about 10 years in nursing, some years at Mary Rutan Hospital and the remainder back at Green Hills.

“Being an STNA is hard work. You have to be able to pay attention to those you are caring for and be able to handle the care of several people,” she explained adding, “You have to be willing to do what needs to be done for someone who can’t do it themselves,” she explained.

Do you think that you have what it takes to be a nurse? Are you flexible with your time? An STNA can’t cure someone but they can make a difference for those who can’t care for themselves.

"Of all my years in nursing, my true passion was being an aide. As Director of Staff Development, I get to pass that passion along to others," she explained.

The next STNA course is from Jan. 9 to 20. Classes are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Green Hills Community. At the conclusion of the course, students are eligible to sit for the state test for nursing assistants.

STNAs are permitted to work in long-term care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation care settings.

Is nursing for you? To find out more, ask about the course or to register call Karen at 465.5065. If she is busy with a resident, call Stacie Cingle, Director of Human Resources at 465.5065.

Karen Arnett, left, with Evie Hostetler, right, reviews a list of medications with those stored in the med cart.

Small towns are caring towns

There are some people who are not comfortable with the idea of moving to a small town. Their reasoning is that “everyone” will know their business.

I prefer to live in a small town - one where people know your name, greet you with kindness and ask about your family. They aren’t nosy – they are caring.

Several months ago, Scott Boyd, a West Liberty man, was involved in a machinery accident. During emergency surgery, he was given a total of 108 units of blood and a one percent chance of survival because of the extent of his injuries.

When the townspeople of West Liberty learned about the accident, they immediately asked, “What can I do to help?”

With that much blood missing from the blood banks, we all know that it is going to take a lot of people to replenish the supply for the next person who is in need.

To meet that need it was decided a blood drive was needed to replenish what was used during Scott's surgeries. In response, there were several blood drives in the area that were held in his honor. The response from the donors was tremendous and many people donated blood for the first time.

It shouldn't stop there. Blood donors are needed because we never know when there will be another crisis.

If you are a donor. Please make an appointment for a blood drive in your area. If you have never donated - please consider becoming a donor. Mary Rutan Hospital, the Discovery Center and Green Hills hosts blood drives on a regular basis.

If you live or work near West Liberty, call Rebecca at 937.650.7117 and she can register you for the next blood drive at Green Hills.

Give the gift of life - be a blood donor.

P.S. Scott has beaten the odds. He is at home where he continues to improve and recover from his injuries.

Click here to donate blood at Green Hills on Dec. 21

Laughter really is the best medicine

Adults don't laugh enough.  It is said that children laugh 300 times a day.  They giggle, they chuckle, they belly laugh and it all adds up to an average 300 times a day.  Adults on the other hand experience laughter less than 20 times a day. (on average)

Studies show that laughter is a great medicine for us. Several years ago there was an actual study where they invited people to watch a sitcom or a drama after work. They took blood work, blood pressure and measured heart rates both before and after the shows.  They learned that those that watched the sitcom lowered their blood pressure and blood sugar levels and went home happier and more relaxed than those that watched the drama.  This study also links laughter to relieving stress in our lives.  It's like a valve that releases the pent up emotions that often cause us stress.

Another study done in 2011 shows that laughing during a 15 minute comedy video increases our pain threshold by 10%.  The study shows that contracting your muscles during laughter releases the same endorphins as exercise, which help us fight pain.

We also burn calories when we laugh.  That's right, we burn up to 40 calories per 15 minutes laughed.  So if we can laugh for 60 minutes a day, that would be equivalent to rowing for 17 minutes.  Wouldn't you rather laugh!

So why don't adults laugh more often?  As we age we have more to worry about, grades and friends turn to work and family.  We have more responsibility, we may have less trust and we are always in a hurry.  We simply don't think we have time to laugh at the many funnies life has to offer.  But these studies show we really don't have time NOT to laugh.

Today is a good day to laugh a little more.  And if you are having trouble finding something to laugh about, find a child, they can help you without even thinking about it.