This year, May 16-22 has been designated National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week. Many of us take for granted the work of thousands of emergency personnel who provide critical services to our community – from paramedics and emergency medical technicians to first responders to fire fighters and police officers, and so many others who perform life-saving duties on a daily basis. National EMS Week gives all of us a chance to not only remind ourselves of the importance of keeping safety a top priority but also provides us an opportunity to honor those hard-working emergency personnel who look after us all in their own unique way.

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) leads many of the national activities in communities across the country, educating citizens about the services provided by various EMS personnel and leading local activities to encourage families to focus on safety and injury prevention. This year’s National EMS Week theme is “Your Life Is Our Mission.”

Here at Brandon Regional Hospital, our team of physicians, nurses and support staff rely heavily on the EMS personnel who come into contact with our patients as they are being checked into the hospital and throughout the care process. It is because of this collaborative, systematic approach in place that our emergency team is notified before a potential stroke victim is being brought into the ER so the hospital can have all necessary equipment and steps ready to go and in place to evaluate the patient for possible stroke in as timely a manner as possible– all due to steady communication between paramedics on the way and the hospital’s emergency staff on-call. Having protocols in place for emergency scenarios such as this can ensure the patient receives timely and appropriate care, and in many cases, save lives or at least in this situation, could potentially reduce potential brain or bodily damage suffered by the patient.

There are few things in life that many of us can count on without any doubt (one old joke says death and taxes are two of the more reliable things). But we insist there is at least one more – EMS. If we dial 9-1-1, is there any doubt that someone on the other line will pick up and be out to help us as quickly as they can get there? It’s a source of help that most of us would probably say that we’ve come to expect. What attracts people to what can be such a high-pressure and high-stress job? If you ask an emergency service professional why he or she is in that line of work, you’ll likely hear a reference to wanting to be part of any effort to help someone in need. It is this great concern and compassion for others that enables EMS personnel to serve such an important role in our society.

It is with great appreciation that we honor you this month, EMS personnel throughout the Greater Brandon and Tampa Bay areas. You are a valuable part of our team, one that we do not take for granted, and we thank you for your dedication.

Did you know that we are currently celebrating National Nurses Week? This week-long declaration to recognize the work of nurses officially started last Thursday, May 6 (National Nurses Day) and runs through this Wednesday, May 12, which marks the birthdate of Florence Nightingale, regarded as the matriarch of modern nursing.

The American Nurses Association, the largest nursing organization in the country, describes the profession as one that “embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and passions,” and we couldn’t agree more. Whether it’s a nurse in a hospital, private practice, the school clinic, the military or a community shelter, nurses can bring to the job a variety of educational backgrounds, skill sets and work-based experience but the one thing all nurses have in common is serving a critical role in the care process, one that requires diverse skills, swift responsiveness, compassion and concern for the well-being of others.

Here at Brandon Regional Hospital, we’d like to take the time to recognize the excellence and dedication of our skilled nursing staff, led by Chief Nursing Officer Susan Laber, RN, BSN, MHA, CHCQM and Assistant Chief Nursing Officer Sonya Quintana, RN, BSN, MHA, CCRN. With a deeply rooted commitment to patient safety and continual learning, the Brandon nursing team is focused on providing the best possible care to patients and building a positive, encouraging environment for team members to meet challenges and stay inspired. It’s important that our nurses and the rest of the staff feel proud of the work they do. We certainly are proud of them.

But being a nurse has grown to encapsulate so much more than carrying out the patient care process in recent years. Nurses are frequently asked to collaborate with other medical professionals to address important community needs such as vaccination in response to global pandemics such as the H1N1 virus. Nurses also have been an integral part of the ongoing conversation about healthcare reform, patient safety, nation-wide staffing shortages, as well as certification and other quality measures.

So to all of our registered nurses, nurse administrators and other nursing personnel at Brandon Regional Hospital, we appreciate your hard work, the many hours and your commitment to your patients. Thank you for all you do!

Every year, nearly 780,000 people will experience a stroke with one out of five people dying from the condition. Yet according to the National Stroke Association, 80% of all strokes are preventable. In honor of this month being National Stroke Awareness Month, we thought we’d take a few moments to share with you what our own Primary Stroke Care Center is all about. Here at Brandon Regional Hospital, we’ve put together a knowledgeable team to fully meet the needs of the stroke patients who arrive at our hospital. From emergency physicians, nurses and surgeons to neurologists, radiologists and laboratory and pharmacy staff, Brandon’s stroke care team members work together to provide a timely, accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment for our stroke patients in order to support a smooth recovery.

In fact, Brandon Hospital has been recognized as a Primary Stroke Center, as certified by the Joint Commission. Facilities with this distinction have demonstrated adherence to the stroke care recommendations established by the Joint Commission and take the diagnosis and treatment of stroke very seriously.

When a patient suspected of suffering a stroke arrives at Brandon Regional Hospital, the following steps will take place to accurately identify a diagnosis and treat the patient:

• An extensive, uniform set of guidelines are followed by the entire team to evaluate and treat the patient for both emergency care and ongoing treatment.
  
• A head CT scan or brain MRI scan is performed. A CT can indicate the cause of the stroke and the location and extent of brain injury. A brain MRI is sharper and more detailed than a CT and can point out even smaller injuries.
  
• Our laboratory, open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, can then interpret and turn around results to the medical team within 45 minutes of admission, enabling proper treatment to be initiated as soon as possible.

Please remember: if you recognize even just one of the warning signs of stroke for yourself or someone you know, call 9-1-1 immediately and be sure to tell them when you call that you think it might be a stroke.

Those warning signs are:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, a limb or one side of the body
• Sudden difficulty speaking, understanding or overall confusion
• Sudden trouble with vision in one or both eyes
• Sudden difficulty with coordination, balance, movement or dizziness
• Sudden severe headache with no apparent cause

For additional information about our Primary Stroke Center or to speak to someone at our physician referral service Consult-A-Nurse®, call 1-877-442-2362.

Saturday, May 8 marks a special day for our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). It will be hosting its 10th Annual NICU reunion, and all families who’ve come through our doors and been helped by this hard-working, dedicated team of physicians, nurses and other staff are invited to join us.

The event, which is free, will be held that Saturday, May 8 from 9-11 a.m. at 260 S. Moon Ave. (Classroom B) and promises to offer a fun morning of family activities.

Elizabeth M. Persaud, the hospital’s Director of NICU and Nursery, is overseeing this year’s event and looks forward to the opportunity for she and the team to meet up again with families, many with whom staff members have developed a strong bond. “We as a unit place a strong focus on family-centered care, and the family is very much a part of everyday decisions in the health plan for our patients,” she says. “It is such a privilege to care for someone’s child that what we do is never thought of as a job but rather as a gift. We look at ourselves as a NICU family, and with any family there should be organized times to share what is new and celebrate life.”

Each year’s reunion varies from the last but this year’s event offers plenty of fun opportunities for kids to take part in games and activities, such as Mother’s Day card-making, face painting, jewelry-making, bean bag toss, bowling and much more. Children in attendance will go home with a photograph taken with their family. The morning also includes raffles, story corner and healthy snacks.

Persaud says there’s real joy in seeing the children grow up and return for the reunion events and that these younger reunion attendees can range in age from newborn to 17-years-old. “This time is truly a celebration of family, growth in an environment where similar stories are shared. It creates an opportunity for sharing resources, developing play groups and so much more,” she says. “It really is fantastic to experience.”

Those who wish to attend this year’s Brandon Regional Hospital NICU Reunion are asked to RSVP by calling (813) 653-1065 and specifying how many adults and children will be coming.

To Persaud, serving as a NICU nurse has become one of the most humbling experiences she’s known. “The patients we care for are the smallest and most dependent patients in anyone’s care. Daily, we understand that we hold our teachers in the palms of our hands,” she says. “We learn, we experience and we grow from each of these little human beings. The strength they show and the attestation for happiness and life is written on each little face. The look of love and pride in a parent’s eye is a unique and honest reward for our chosen career.”

Did you know that April 19-25 marks “National Volunteer Week,” a week-long acknowledgement of the many men and women who invest their time and energy across a variety of organizations and efforts to help others. Here at Brandon Regional Hospital, we owe a debt of gratitude to our own dedicated team of nearly 500 volunteers who help us throughout the care process throughout the year.

A large portion of our volunteers hails from the local service organization the Brandon Women’s Service League. In 1977, the League founded the Brandon Regional Hospital Auxiliary to support the hospital’s growing role in the community. More than 30 years later, the Auxillary’s 200+ volunteers provide a vast array of services for patients, guests and staff at the hospital in such places as admitting, dispatch, gift shops, information desk, maternity and more.

One highly successful program that the Hospital Auxiliary oversees is its youth volunteer program.. Under the guidance of hospital volunteers, local students are given an opportunity to volunteer in various departments of the hospital such as the nurse’s station, lab, maternity ward, and cafeteria with job responsibilities ranging from clerical work to assisting the nurses directly. To qualify, students must be between the ages of 14-17, able to commit to a minimum of two 3-hour shifts per week and have reliable transportation to and from the hospital.

In addition to the wonderful people who join us each year as part of our core volunteer team, we’d like to take this time also to thank our employees for the many hours of volunteering they do in the Tampa Bay community. From providing medical support at the Brandon Outreach Clinic to participating through such service organizations as Brandon Foundation, Guardian Ad Litum and Rotary among others, our dedicated team of physicians and staff go above and beyond their own duties on a daily basis, and we simply wanted to take this time to say “thank you.”

To learn more about the Brandon Regional Hospital Auxiliary, call its office at (813) 681-5551, ext. 3587. Those wanting to become a volunteer must complete an application, interview, background check and orientation. Once approved, volunteers must provide a minimum of 75 hours of service during the year to remain an active member.

Thank you, volunteers – both our Brandon neighbors who join us in the halls and our dedicated employees – for all you do each and every day.

Many of us are finding ourselves back out in the sun, as the weather warms up and we resume our typical April activities of yardwork, sports and other outdoor events we may attend. This extra sun exposure can be dangerous, especially for the walkers, joggers, boaters and gardeners among us here in the sunny Bay area, particularly if we have not planned ahead for it. It’s important to safeguard yourself from potential risk of skin cancer as you venture outside this spring.

Here are six quick and easy steps you can take to help protect your skin from harmful sun exposure.

• Don a hat. Remember: the broader the brim, the more skin coverage.
  
  
• No skimping on the sunblock. Apply early, apply generously and reapply often! And in addition to making sure the sunscreen you choose blocks both UVA and UVB rays, choose an SPF of at least 15 but ideally 30 or higher. For those taking part in activities near surfaces where sun can reflect back at you (like waterskiing or surfing), go with an SPF of 45 or greater.
  
  
• Read your ingredients. Does the sunblock you chose contain titanium oxide? This ingredient is less likely to sting delicate skin or burn eyes if it runs. And stick with a sports formula, even if you’re not planning any athletic activity. It’s designed to hold up through bouts of major sweating.
  
  
• Beat the heat when you can. The worst time period to be under the sun’s rays is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so whenever possible, schedule outdoor activities or workouts before or after these times.
  
  
• Cover EVERYTHING. Many people neglect to protect parts of the face and body that protrude with sunblock such as the lips, ears, nose, cheeks and hands, yet these are often the locations where skin cancer most frequently turns up. When in doubt, smother on the sunscreen!
  
  
• Stay alert for signs of redness. If you do happen to notice that your skin is turning pink, remove yourself from sun exposure right away and take an aspirin or non-steroidal medication like ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen sodium (Aleve). If taken in the first few hours, you may be able to prevent sunburn or minimize resulting pain later.

Many of us are finding ourselves back out in the sun, as the weather warms up and we resume our typical April activities of yardwork, sports and other outdoor events we may attend. This extra sun exposure can be dangerous, especially for the walkers, joggers, boaters and gardeners among us here in the sunny Bay area, particularly if we have not planned ahead for it. It’s important to safeguard yourself from potential risk of skin cancer as you venture outside this spring. Here are six quick and easy steps you can take to help protect your skin from harmful sun exposure.

• Don a hat. Remember: the broader the brim, the more skin coverage.
• No skimping on the sunblock. Apply early, apply generously and reapply often! And in addition to making sure the sunscreen you choose blocks both UVA and UVB rays, choose an SPF of at least 15 but ideally 30 or higher. For those taking part in activities near surfaces where sun can reflect back at you (like waterskiing or surfing), go with an SPF of 45 or greater.
• Read your ingredients. Does the sunblock you chose contain titanium oxide? This ingredient is less likely to sting delicate skin or burn eyes if it runs. And stick with a sports formula, even if you’re not planning any athletic activity. It’s designed to hold up through bouts of major sweating.
• Beat the heat when you can. The worst time period to be under the sun’s rays is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so whenever possible, schedule outdoor activities or workouts before or after these times.
• Cover EVERYTHING. Many people neglect to protect parts of the face and body that protrude with sunblock such as the lips, ears, nose, cheeks and hands, yet these are often the locations where skin cancer most frequently turns up. When in doubt, smother on the sunscreen!
• Stay alert for signs of redness. If you do happen to notice that your skin is turning pink, remove yourself from sun exposure right away and take an aspirin or non-steroidal medication like ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen sodium (Aleve). If taken in the first few hours, you may be able to prevent sunburn or minimize resulting pain later.

The CyberKnife Cancer Center at Brandon Regional Hospitaloffers Tampa Bay area patients a non-invasive, pain-free alternative to surgery for the treatment of both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors located the prostate, lung, brain, spine, liver, pancreas and kidney. By delivering beams of high dose radiation to tumors with extreme precision, the CyberKnife System® provides a new source of hope for patients worldwide with inoperable or surgically complex tumors, or those who may be seeking a non-surgical solution.

Though its name may bring to mind images of cutting or surgery, the CyberKnife treatment involves no scalpels at all and is the world’s first and only robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors throughout the body non-invasively. Since its launch, the system has been used to treat over 80,000 patients with more than 190 systems installed in healthcare facilities worldwide.

What makes this system unique?

1. The CyberKnife System targets the tumor, while constantly tracting and correcting for movement during the patient’s procedure, which does not occur in traditional forms of treatment.
2. Patients are treated in two to five visits, much shorter than traditional radiation treatments.
   
   
3. Whereas some forms of radiosurgery require rigid head-frames fastened to the patient’s skull to restrict movement, the CyberKnife System does not require such drastic measures to keep patients in place, enabling patients to experience a much more comfortable, non-invasive treatment.
   
   
4. The CyberKnife System can be used to treat a broad range of tumors throughout various locations in the body and is not limited to treatment of the head region only as some treatments are.
   
   
5. Finally, the system’s ability to offer pin-point accuracy is unlike any other radiation therapy or radiosurgery system, enabling the surgeon to precisely hone in on the tumor itself without damaging healthy surrounding tissue.
6. At Brandon Regional Hospital, continuity of care is priority.  Work-ups to prep for treatment are all performed at Brandon Regional Hospital facilities.
7. We take a team approach.  The physician performing treatment will consult with your primary care physician and a nurse navigator will guide you through the entire process and is always available to answer your questions.

As with many other procedures here at Brandon Regional Hospital, use of the CyberKnife System is coordinated with a team approach to delivery of care, in this case involving your surgeon, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, medical specialists, physicist, nurses and radiation therapists. All work together to guide the patient through the procedure and ensure personal, compassionate care throughout this highly advanced system.

For additional information more about this exciting, non-invasive cancer treatment, visit www.CyberKnifeFlorida.com.

Did you know that today, March 30, marks National Doctors Day? Here at Brandon Regional Hospital, we like to celebrate our 554 physicians on staff every day but it’s nice to see that one day out of the year doctors around the country are recognized for the incredible work that they do on a daily basis to serve our country by caring for its citizens.

Here’s a little background about National Doctors Day that you may not know:

• National Doctors Day was first observed back in 1933, a concept established by a physician’s wife to set aside one day out of the year to honor the profession.
  
  
• The occasion was originally celebrated through greeting cards and the placement of flowers on the gravesites of deceased doctors as a tribute. For this reason, the red carnation has come to symbolize National Doctors Day.
  
  
• It did not become an official day through the U.S. legislature until much later. In March 1958, a resolution was adopted by the House, but it wasn’t until 1990 that both the House and Senate approved the establishment of a national day to honor physicians, signed into public law by then-President George H. W. Bush.
  
  
• National Doctors Day honors physicians for their many contributions: helping us grow our wealth of scientific knowledge, developing more sophisticated tools and processes in healthcare, aiding in the eradication of disease and improvement of treatments of illness, and alleviating suffering through the compassionate service of administering care to others.
  
  
• There’s even a National Doctors Day Organization now, whose primary missions are to promote the talents and perspectives of physicians and raise awareness about the growing costs of medical school and financial challenges that beset many new medical school graduates fresh out of college.
  
  
• People can recognize the special day with a greeting card or small gesture of thanks, whether they’re reaching out to honor personal physicians and specialists, or simply friends or family members in the profession. . Whatever you do, we encourage you to share how much their work means to you. To learn some other creative ways to honor the doctors in your life, you also can visit www.doctorsday.org.
  
  
• We extend a special thank you to the members of our Medical Executive Committee for the additional work they do to support our hospital and our mission of providing the highest quality patient care.

And to all of our doctors at Brandon Regional Hospital, thank YOU for all that you do to make a difference in the lives of others every day.

Every March, the American Dietetic Association launches National Nutrition Month, an annual educational campaign about the importance of making informed dietary decisions and establishing better eating and fitness habits. In honor of this month’s celebration of healthy choices, we offer a baker’s dozen of helpful pointers for bringing healthier fare to the dinner table and delicious nuggets of nutrition information to savor.

1. Think of your plate as a big pie (not literally, of course).
   Fill up half of the plate with vegetables, a fourth of the “pie” with a lean source of protein such as lean meats, poultry or fish, and the remaining fourth with a source of grains such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta.
   
   
2. Downsize from dinner to lunch.
   There’s one easy way to control portions: shrink the pie! Use a luncheon plate rather than a dinner plate and you immediately take control of portion size using the suggested ratio of meat to veggies to whole grains.
   
   
3. Plan ahead when dining out.
   If you anticipate a meal out with friends, eat a lighter breakfast and lunch. If available, check the menu online before you go so you can plan your meal in advance.
   
   
4. Add on extras for bonus nutrition.
   Getting a sandwich? Ask the server to add extra tomato, lettuce, peppers or other vegetables to raise its nutritional value and make it more filling. Eating a bowl of oatmeal? Add fruit or nuts for an extra healthy boost of vitamins, protein or anti-oxidants.
   
   
5. Indulge yourself in snacks of 200 calories or less.
   There are plenty of delicious options for snacking. The key is to keep calories at a minimum, but sacrificing taste is not required. Why not savor a spoon of reduced-fat peanut butter with an apple? Or a small baked potato topped with salsa and one ounce of low-fat cheese? Maybe you’re in the mood for something sweet. Dress up a waffle with a half-cup of blueberries and 2 TB of low-fat yogurt. All weigh in under 200!
   
   
6. Veg it up – wherever, whenever!
   Eating healthier doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite foods but it may require a bit more creativity and willingness to change it up. Vegetables can add real flavor, crunch and pizzazz to any pizza. Don’t be afraid to try toppings you haven’t typically seen on a pizza like cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant or zucchini.
   
   
7. Make tasty substitutions.
   Like chips and dip? Opt for crunchy vegetables with your favorite low-calorie salad dressing instead. A fan of pancakes and syrup? Who isn’t but you’d be surprised how delicious pureed peaches, pears or blueberries taste on those same pancakes.
   
   
8. Read the labels, faithfully and carefully!
   Always seek out foods low in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol, particularly if you’re older or may be at greater risk of heart disease.
   
   
9. Get the daily nutrients you specifically need.
   As people get older, they have special nutritional needs and may require additional calcium, Vitamin D, potassium, Vitamin B12 and fiber. For a helpful list of food items to help you add these specific nutrients to your diet, check out this nutrition guide for older adults.
   
   
10. Color your world and especially your plate of food.
    Include fruits regularly (2 cups recommended for a 2,000-calorie daily diet) as well as colorful veggies (especially orange and dark green), such as carrots and sweet potatoes or broccoli, romaine lettuce and green peppers.
    
    
11. Focus on seeing how low you can go.
    Keep your intake of salt, sugar and fats low, low, low! Have a range of calories recommended for your age group and activity level? Aim for the low-end. This helpful guide to better understanding food labels will make grocery shopping that much easier.
    
    
12. Ensure your daily fiber.
    Make sure that your eating plan includes an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains, all of which are high fiber sources. By getting an adequate amount of fiber, you’ll find yourself staying full for a longer period of time and decrease your potential risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
    
    
13. Know exactly what your body needs.
    Did you know that www.mypyramid.gov offers customized recommendations for what you should be eating and how much? Visit the website for a clearer picture and set out for nutritious eating.