Newsletter for the Allentown and Sacred Heart Hospital Center

Vol. 2 No. 16

OPERATIONARGUS TODAY

"Oh where oh where has my littledog gone?" the lines from an oldsong can easily have been askedwhen referring to Argus - thehospital's cost containmentprogram's symbolic watchdog whohas been dormant for several monthsnow.

Well, Argus is back - he is aliveand well and announcing 2 newaward winners in the hospital'seffort to commend employees comingup with a suggestion to cut the cost

I'f providing care.Since the first award was given to

Bill Hoffert, Pulmonary Function,Polly Preston, R.N., and BeckyFinley, R.N., in November, 1978, thecommittee has been examining manydifferent ideas submitted by varioushospital departments. Administra-tive and procedural problems causeda slowdown in reporting on thesta tus of these ideas and theawarding of checks, but thecommittee has reorganized itsoperating procedures and is back ontrack making awards and ready toreceive new suggestions - they'retaking on all comers!

The 2 awards being announcedand pictured here demonstratesavings in numbers ... witness thechecks in the names of Ray Smithand Jim Hofst~tter on your right.

Samples of other ideas which havebeen suggested, some of which arebeing further researched, include:bulk purchasing, windmills, stampsinstead of labels, 4-day work .weeksr reduce overtime and sick time,netal detectors to check linen,finding those lost charge slips,reselling and reusing batteries, andsecurity patrols.

Your idea is probably a good one- submit it to the Operation Argus

August 3, 1979

CELEBRATE .CELEBRATE .DANCE TO THE. MUSIC!

There's going to be a party! Maybe the biggest bash you've ever been at! Andit's all in celebration of the Hospital Center's 5th Birthday. Mark Saturday,September 8, on your calendar now. The place is Agricultural Hall in theFairgrounds, from 8:00P.M. to 2:00 A.M. Lots of fun, food, drink, and musicwill be on hand.

All Hospital Center employees, Medical Staff. Volunteers, Auxilians, andinvolved community members will be invited to partake in the festivities anddance to the music of three great bands: "Steppin Out," providing country rockand some "down home" good times; "The Matt Gillespie Orchestra" with thatgreat big band sound and disco; and a soon to be announced rock n' roll bandthat'll be sure to have you off your feet all night long!

There'll be plenty to eat and drink, with a ticket price to fit your Saturday~~b~& .

Invitations to this grand event will be sent out soon, so watch for it in yourmail. If you have any questions or would like to help plan and work on the bigevent, lease call Public Relations at 82.1-3084.--------------~------~

TheCente~Welcomes

To AdmittingChristine Vaneck

To Business OfficeElizabeth Knauss

To DietarySteve ShillGerald Stoudt

To HousekeepingRuth Guadalupe

To LaboratoryVivian RodriguezCarol Serfass

To NursingMadeline HorneCarol Sterk

To RadiologyLinda PuchalskiHarriet TaylorMargaret Townsend

ReminderAuxiliary Dues

The Auxiliary year book is readyto go to the printer. If you haven'tpaid your dues as yet, please sendthem immediately to Norma Scanlon,Treasurer, 366 Spruce Street,Emmaus, PA 18049.

L~IGale Schmidt - EditorJim Higgins - Associate EditorJanet Laudenslager - Staff AssistantJack Dittbrenner - PhotographyDarIa Molnar - Photography

CHANGES INNursing

• • •

Kathryn Knauss, R.N., has been appointed Head Nurse on 5A. Kay, who hasbeen on 5A since August, 1977, graduated Magna Cum Laude from TrentonState College with a B.S. in Nursing.

Jennifer Rittler, R.N., SCU, will replace Fran Worman, R.N., as Unit Instructoron the 5th floor. Jennifer holds a B.S. in Nursing from East Stroudsburg State 'College, and has been at the Center since January, 1977, working on 3B and 4Cprior to joining the SCU staff in January.

Fran will be taking a year'spersonal leave of absence to becomea volunteer in the Associate-In-Diaconal Service program sponsoredby the Deaconess Community of theLutheran Church in America. Franbegan at the Center as a Burn Unitstaff nurse in October, 1974, andwas promoted to Unit Instructor inAugust, 1976. She is a graduate ofThe Allentown Hospital School ofNursing and has a B.S. in Education(Major in Public School Nursing)from East Stroudsburg State College.

Tish Isack, Assistant Director ofUR/DP, has resigned to accept theposition of Executive Director of theClinical Oncology Program atAllentown Hospital and A&SHHC.

Tish graduated from theUniversity of Pittsburgh with a B.A.in Sociology and became a MedicalSocial Worker at the Center in June,1976.

Gail Hoke, Medical Social Worker,will also be leaving the Center to Tish Isackrelocate in the Mechanicsburg area.Gail started at the Center inJanuary, 1977.

Marla Jolly has joined the staff as a full-time Medical Social Worker. She hadbeen temporarily assigned to the department during Department DirectorMaryK Samios' maternity leave. Marla is a graduate of Ohio State Universitywith a B.S. in Social Work, and holds a Masters Degree in Social Work fromCatholic University, Washington, D.C.

SPDA very familiar face to many of us

since the Hospital Center openedalmost five years ago won't be seenin SPD anymore.

Gerri Butterfield, R.N., SPDSupervisor since June, 1974, will beheading to New Orleans, Louisiana,to take over as Manager of CentralMedical Services at the 550-bedTouro Infirmary.

Prior to her position at the Center,Gerri was Director of CentralServices at Hahnemann MedicalCollege and Hospital in Philadelphia.

Utilization Review/Discharge Planning

Jennifer Rittler; Kay Knauss

Gerri Butterfield

ARGUS AWARDS ANNOUNCED

An Operation Argus Award of$198.34 for Respiratory Therapy'sRay Smith represents a 10% 1st yearsavings on a solution to a logisticproblem within the department.

According to Ray, "We wereordering individual parts toassemble ventilation monitoradapter circuits, which measure ourpatients' exhaled lung volumes. Apre-assembled version of thesecircuits became available at asignificantly cheaper cost. Now weare saving money and time, as we nolonger assemble these units."

For the Hospital Center, anothercost cutting idea. For Ray, an ideathat really pays off. Congratulations.

Coming up with an idea on pro-longing the life of over 250 chairsused within the Hospital Center wasa problem Jim Hofstetter ofEngineering spent some timeworking on.

lt seems that the backrest of thechairs were wearing out in 6 monthsfrom repeated contact with desksand the nurses' stations. Repairingthe backrest cost $31.50. Jim solvedthe problem by developing a "doublelip" to surround the edge of thebackrest, at only a cost of $4.17 perchair. Jim's persistence paid off forhim handsomely though. An awardfrom the Argus Committee wasmade in the amount of $434.00 (10%of 1st year savings). Congratula-tions.

LPN COURSE, MATH EXAMLehigh County Community College will be offering a Basic Mathematics Class

for nurses and a Pharmacology Course for Licensed Practical Nurses. To enrollin the Pharmacology for LPN course, students must first achieve a score of 70%or above on a Pre-Pharmacology Mathematics exam, to be given on August 14,at 7:00 P.M., at LCCC, Room ST 204. The cost of the exam is $3.00 payable toLCCC either before or on the night of the exam.

For those who do not achieve 70% or better and wish to retake the test, aspecial mathematics course will be offered. This brush-up course will be givenat LCCC on the last night of the Basic Math course, November 7. Those who arenot enrolled in the course are eligible for either test. For more information,contact LCCC at 799-1147.

POISON CENTER NEWS

Summertime,Gas Crisis createhazard!

Dr. Robert Fenstermacher, MedicalDirector of the Lehigh Valley PoisonCenter, offers some excellent adviceon two summertime danges as wellas an additional danger brought onby the seesawing availability ofgasoline.

On mushroom hunting ..."There are old mushroom hunters,

and there are foolish mushroomhunters, but there are no old, foolishmushroom hunters," says Dr.Fenstermacher concerning theproblem of determining whether ornot a wild mushroom is poisonous.Many are, and even small amountsof some can be deadly. Patientstreated by the Lehigh Valley PoisonCenter for wild mushroom poisoningrange in age from 1 year throughadulthood. Symptoms includestomach pain, severe nausea,vomiting, dizziness, muscleweakness in arms and legs, mentalconfusion, and/or hallucinations.

On cookouts ...Since summertime cookouts are

commonplace, care must be taken toinsure that charcoal or other outdoorgrills are used outdoors only. Usedindoors, th grills are deadly.

CAR POOL UPDATEIn a move to encourage car pooling by Hospital Center employees, a

"preferred" parking area will soon be established.According to Richard C. Cipoletti, Assistant Administrator for Human

Services, all employees who are car pooling should inform Personnel in order toplan for the amount of preferred parking needed. To do this, simply fill out theform below-with the required information and return it to Personnel.1. Names, departments and shifts of employees in car pool:

2. Where car pool originates?

3. How long in use?

4. Special comments.

According to Dr. Fenstermacher,"families can die from the unscentedfumes of carbon monoxide whichaccumulate quickly in an enclosedspace." Be sure to always have morethan adequate ventilation.

On gas siphoning ...The Poison Center, along with

other poison centers across thecountry, has seen a dramatic jump inthe number of poisonings fromgasoline.

During the acute shortage in ourarea, as many as five poisonings a

Allentown and Sacred Heart Hospital Center1200 S. Cedar Crest Blvd.Allentown, Pa 18105

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Richard FlemingPresident

James E. McCambridge, Jr.Vice-President

James c. Lanshe, Esq.Secretary

J. Walton St. Clair, Jr.Treasurer

Frank B. AndrewsW. Richard Covert, D.D.S.Henry H. DentMichael J. EganJohn J. McCartneyOrlando R. PozzuoliMsgr. Dennis A. RigneyHon. Henry V. ScheirerAlan H. Schragger, M.D.Morton I. Silverman, M.D.Earl K. Sipes, M.D.Michael P. Zarella

Ellwyn D. SpikerAdministrator

day are reported from gas siphoning.When sucking back the gasoline,"the passage to your lungs is open. Ifyou choke or gag and the liquidenters your lungs, pneumonia candevelop," according to Dr.Fenstermacher. Only a teaspoon ofgasoline in the lungs is all that isnecessary to cause chemicalpneumonia.

For more information on any ofthese hazards or for aid, call theLehigh Valley Poison Center, 821-2368.

Non ProfitU.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 1922'

Allentown. Pa.18105