Michelle Thomas has returned as the Director of Pharmacy on August 30. Michelle holds a doctor of pharmacy from Purdue University College of Pharmacy.

She previously worked for ASNA from 2013-2017. During her short time away, she was the pharmacy manager at a hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

When not at work, she enjoys snowboarding, traveling and hiking with her two dogs. Michelle is thrilled to once again be part of the ASNA team.

 

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Caitlin Montague, PhD, has been hired as the new Director of Quality. She comes to us from the North Slope Borough School District where she spent the last 7 years doing work on the curriculum alignment project integrating the Alaska State Standards with existing curricular materials, and the Iñupiaq Learning Framework.

When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family, trying new recipes in the kitchen, sewing, and traveling. Caitlin is very excited to come on board the ASNA team.

 

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Marie Adema is this quarters nominee for the Sunshine Award.  The SUNSHINE Award recognizes the care team that supports nursing staff and works closely with them to provide patients with the compassion and care they need.

The Samuel Simmonds Sunshine Award is dedicated to non-nursing caregivers, including patient care technicians and other vital team members. Marie’s patient nomination stated,

“She was very patient in the care she gave me. She welcomed me into the medical office with her warm smile and bright attitude. I look forward to my doctor visits because Marie is there to help.”

Stacy Lucas, RN was this quarters nominee for th Daisy Foundation.

The DAISY Award is a nation-wide program that recognizes nursing excellence and the compassionate care given by nurses every day.

Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital is proud to be a DAISY Award hospital to honor the extraordinary work nurses do for patients and their families. Stacey’s nomination from a patient included,

“Her lovely voice was very calming. She was very gentle with me. Because of her, I am not afraid to be admitted anymore.”

 

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Everyone is at risk of falling, and as we grow older, the risk increases. A few medical conditions that may occur with aging include arthritis, cataracts, or hip surgery. Here are some fall prevention and home safety tips:

 

          • Eat foods rich in Calcium and Vitamin D.

          • Be active. Walk often and participate in subsistence activities.

          • Have your vision checked by an eye doctor once a year.

          • Always have a clear path in each room and hallway.

          • Be sure to keep cords or wires tight along the walls.

          • Make sure handrails are on both sides of the stairs.

          • Put a non-skid mat in the bathtub.

          • Use a sturdy step stool.

           • Wear ice grippers or ice cleats on the ice.

 

Please stay safe and make a checklist for home safety. .

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Do Not Travel or Play on lagoons, lakes and rivers as the Ice Is Too Thin. It is important to make clear decisions that are not impaired by alcohol or drugs. Help children understand the dangers of playing near lagoons! We want everyone to be safe this winter.

 

Always be aware of Polar Bears in our NSB communities. We love to be active and enjoy the outdoors, but we must be alert to the possibilities of wildlife. Please contact the NSB Police Dept. at (907) 852-6111 or the NSB Wildlife Dept. at (907) 852-0350.

 

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In recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, not only was the lights under the hospital building illuminating a pink glow, but SSMH Medical Imaging and ASNA Screening for Life hosted the 'Girls Night Out' event to engage and involve the community in the fight against breast and cervical cancer. We want to commend Screening For Life for a spectacular event!

 

There were 31 mammograms and 21 pap smears done the during the event.  An additional 14 mammograms were done before October 31, giving us a total of 45 screening mammograms.  There were 11 flu shots given by Employee Health, and overall, the event brought in more than 100 people.  We partnered with North Slope Borough Prevention to provide education on tobacco cessation and Arctic Chiropractic to provide 15 minute chair massages at no cost. Additional information tables were set up by SSMH Physical Therapy, Specialty Clinic, Radiology, and Employee Health.

 

Here is a direct quote from an attendee after the event:

 

"Hi. I just wanted thank you and the other coordinators for the Girls Night Out event.  It was a great set up and the bonus gifts (slippers, etc.) was great a incentive to get patients in to take care of their women's wellness.  I can admit that I've been putting off my exams. I'll think about it, but then not schedule an appointment.  And I bet a lot of women treat women's wellness as an afterthought and put it on the back burner.  But having an event that was well advertised helped bring us all out and get those exams done.  All of the staff that contributed were great, and made it a nice get together.  I'm looking forward to the next one."

 

To schedule your preventative cancer screening, call ASNA Screening for Life at (907) 852-9120 or (907) 852-9156.

 

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On October 24th SSMH Staff demonstrated support to end Domestic Violence by wearing purple.

On October 25th the staff of SSMH displayed their support for surviovrs, and fighters of Breast Cancer by wearing pink.

 

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The staff of SSMH are encouraged to bring awareness to Lung Cancer and Lung Disease. The Lung Cancer Awareness Ribbon is White or Pearl. SSMH Medical Imaging will set up in the lobby of the hospital to share prevention and screening information on Wednesday, November 13 at 11am until 2pm.

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ASNA Social Services Family Preservation & Development continues to host weekly activities for parents and their toddlers, ages 0-4. The activities are themed play dates centered around child development.

Play dates are scheduled every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the old hospital large commons (entrance C). Each week, guest speakers will share information as it relates to healthy families and early child development. We look forward to seeing you and your baby at the next "Baby and Me" event.

 

For information or questions, please contact Dante’ Elkins at Telephone: (907) 852-9196 | E-mail: dante.elkins@arcticslope.org

 

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ASNA Social Services is sponsoring the Tribal Child Care program for children ages 13 and under whose parents are employed and/or actively taking classes. The child must be enrolled or eligible to enroll into a federally recognized tribe. Eligibility is also based on family size and income.

 

For information or questions, please contact Daphne Leavitt, family preservation and development program coordinator, at 907.852.9379 E-mail: stephaniegail.leavitt@arcticslope.org 

 

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In an effort to do more community outreach and education, ASNA hosts a weekly one-hour KBRW radio show. Join us from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday mornings.

 

Here is the programming schedule for October:

 

November 1 & 8 – Drive to Thrive 

November 15 – Lung Cancer Awareness 

November 22 – Diabetes Awareness

November 28 & 29 – Thanksgiving Holiday

 

This schedule is subject to change at any time due to changes with KBRW scheduling or any unforeseen medical emergencies.

 

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The Dental Clinic Visits for this upcoming Month of Novemeber:

• Atqasuk:  November 12-15  Dentist
• Wainwright:  November 18-22  Dentist

Dates are subject to change. To see the dentist, please call your village health clinic to ensure your name is on the "dental list" with your current phone number(s).

 

Specialty Clinic appointments are only for those who receive a referral from a Primary Care Provider.

 

• Endoscopy Clinic: November 1

• Podiatry Clinic: November 4-5

• Gynecology Clinic: November 5-6

• Nutritional Clinic: November 8

• Surgery Clinic: November 12-14

• Screening For Life: November 18-22

• Sleep Studies Clinic: November 25-27

 

For more information, please contact the Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital Specialty Clinic directly at Telephone: 907.852.9284 | Toll Free: 888.525.7764

 

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The Eye Clinic is open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the following days.

• November 4-9
• November 12-14

For more information, please contact the Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital Eye Clinic directly at Telephone: (907) 852-9291 | E-mail: eyeclinic@arcticslope.org.

 

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• Wainwright: November 4 - 8 (Provider Visit)
• Wainwright: November 7 – 9 (Podiatry)
• Kaktovik: November 18 - 22 (Provider Visit)

To schedule your appointment with SSMH Physician Assistant, please call your NSB village health clinic to ensure your name is on the list with your current phone number(s).

 

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NURSING

•Nurse Case Manager (2 Positions)

•Nurse Manager-Primary Care

•Patient Care Technician I (PCT) PRN

•Patient Care Technician I (PCT)

•Primary Care Nurse (2 Positions)

•Registered Nurse Case Manager

•Registered Nurse Emergency Room

•Registered Nurse Inpatient

•Registered Nurse – LDRP

•Registered Nurse Primary Care (2 Positions)

•Respiratory Therapist

•Respiratory Therapist (PRN) On-Call

 

PROFESSIONAL HEALTH - CARE

•CT Technologist X-Ray Technologist

•Mammographer X-Ray Technologist

•Pharmacist

•Pharmacist (Temporary)

•Staff Dentist

•TDY/On-Call General Dentist

 

SKILLED/SUPPORT SERVICES

•Accounting Specialist I

•Assistant Director of Human Resources

•Assistant Laboratory Manager

•Barista

•Clinical Training Coordinator

•Dental Assistant

•Elder Care Specialist On-Call

•Emergency Room Technician

•Family Preservation Coordinator

•Family Preservation & Development Program Manager

•Food Service Kitchen Helper (Temporary)

•Healthy Family Advocate (Nuiqsut)

•Healthy Family Advocate (Wainwright)

•Housing Housekeeper

•Housekeeper (Temporary)

•HR Generalist I

•Indian Child Welfare Act Advocate

•Lead Dental Assistant

•Maintenance Laborer

•Maintenance Specialist I

•Maintenance Specialist II

•Medical Technologist

•MTFA Coordinator I

•OJT Dental Assistant (2 Positions)

•Optometric Technician & Receptionist

•Patient Access Rep (On-Call)

•Pre-Maternal Residential Assistant On-Call (Night)

•Quality and Compliance Risk Analyst

•Scanning Specialist (Re-Post)

•Systems Administrator

•Travel Assistant (Temporary)

 

If you have any questions or would like to apply, please call Human Resources at (907) 852-9204. Download the application here. You can also e-mail your resume to hr@arcticslope.org.

 

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