March 2023

Froedtert Bluemound Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital 

Olivia Park, MD, Medical Director, Froedtert Bluemound Rehabilitation Hospital

The Froedtert Bluemound Inpatient team has some new and exciting developments. The functional capacity has increased to 35. The team is also collaborating with Dr. Del Toro's consult team and Internal Medicine to ensure smooth transition of care and more robust medical support for medically complex IPR patients. The CMI continues to trend upwards and is the highest it has ever been!

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Nelson Joins the World Rehabilitation Alliance

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Nelson, through her global health initiatives, was appointed to a new workgroup through the World Health Organization, called the World Rehabilitation Alliance.  The alliance is a global network of stakeholders whose mission is to support the implementation of the Rehabilitation 2030 Initiative through advocacy activities. It focuses on promoting rehabilitation as an essential health service that is integral to Universal Health Coverage and to the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.  There are five workstreams within the alliance and Dr. Nelson was nominated for and accepted a role on the research workgroup which is headed by Drs. Walter Frontera and Abdul Chaffar. 

Additionally, Dr. Nelson also was appointed to an organization promoting rehabilitation research in Cameroon as a scientific advisory board member appointed to the Management Committee: The Center for Promotion of Rehabilitation Medicine and Disability Research (CEPREMDIR). This is Cameroon's first rehabilitation-based organization and is working with various rehabilitation professional to improve rehabilitation in health systems in Cameroon and Africa via scientific means. 

NSF-DARE Conference | Accepted Podium

The NIH-funded project that Dr. John McGuire is co-directing with Dr. Bob Scheidt (Marquette) was accepted for podium presentation at the National Science Foundation - Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering (DARE) Conference on Computational Modeling for Neurorehabilitation at the University of Southern California.  The title of the talk is “Souvenir – a case study of challenges and opportunities in the integration of computational intelligence with wearable rehabilitation technology in acute care and at-home settings”.

Annual 2023 Association of Academic Physiatrists Meeting 

This year's AAP meeting (Association of Academic Physiatrists) took place in Anaheim, CA from February 21-24. The meeting fostered lively discussions, collaborations, new ideas and unprecedented career growth with rehabilitation professionals and peers from all over the country. This year a few of our department residents and faculty members had the opportunity to attend and present. 

Dr. Carley Sauter participated as a faculty in a session “A Student Asked Me for Advice, Now What? Medical Student Advising for those matching PM&R”.

Dr. Diane Braza participated as a faculty in the AAP Program for Academic Leadership “PAL” session titled “Chair Panel: Building an Educational Culture in PM&R”.

Drs. John McGuire and Nick Ketchum participated as faculty in spasticity educational workshops.

AAP Luncheon

Drs. Nanjappareddy Reddy, John Melvin, Diane Braza, Trenton VandeWater, Ragav Sharma, Carly Sauter, Karin Goodfriend, Dale Colorado and Erin McGonigle enjoy an alumni networking lunch at Puesto Anaheim during the AAP Meeting.

Dr. Diane Braza recently co-authored an article published in Pain Medicine February 2023 Journal titled "Pain Medicine Milestones 2.0: A Step into the Future". Please be sure to congratulate her on this great achievement! 

Milwaukee Vigil Honors Lives Lost Since Russia Invaded Ukraine

On Sunday afternoon, February 26th, the community of Milwaukee came together at O'Donnell Park along downtown's Lakefront to remember the lives taken since Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson attended the vigil to show his support. While it was an emotional vigil, the strength and hope shined bright through songs and prayer hopeful of a better future. Photos were taken by our very own Dr. Oksana Sayko who attended the event to show her ongoing support for Ukraine. Find out different ways you can take action to help and support the citizens of Ukraine from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel here. 

Congratulations Dr. Philip Nelson

Dr. Philip Nelson has been asked to serve as an F&MCW Provider Informaticist effective since January 01, 2023. The Provider Informaticist is an important provider leader who works collaboratively with clinical, operational, and IT leadership to improve the quality of patient care, as well as patient and provider experience by improving the efficiency and functionality of our Epic EHR and related clinical information technologies. Please be sure to congratulate Dr. Philip Nelson when you see him on his recent accomplishment! 

Department Mascot's Outfit for the Month of March

For the month of March, our department mascot "Randy the Rhino" is rocking his Saint Patrick's Day wear in Ireland. Although his front leg is still healing from an injury, he is looking forward to celebrating his Irish heritage. 

The answer to this riddle below will be provided in next month's newsletter. The riddle is courtesy of Alan Young, Clinical Research Coordinator:

"I can be cracked, I can be played, I can be told, I can be made. What am I?"

Answer to last month's riddle:  "a feather"

Monthly Wellness Feature: 6 Causes of Burnout, and How to Avoid Them

Burnout is a word that is used often and talked about frequently among busy professionals. The World Health Organization recently recognized burnout as an official medical diagnosis. However, a busy schedule alone isn’t enough to trigger burnout.

Christine Maslach, creator of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the author of the Truth About Burnout, has identified six “mismatches” that make a person more likely to burn out – and only one of these factors is work overload. Overload is often a synonym for stress. Feeling over worked isn’t always the most critical issue when things in other areas are going well.

Let’s look at the six areas of mismatches that can lead to burnout and what you can do to avoid burnout.

1. Lack of Control. Feeling like you don’t have the appropriate level of authority or the tools and resources to do your job can impact your well-being. If you find yourself feeling this way, step back and ask yourself what is causing you to feel this way.

What to do about it. Consider asking your boss for more authority. If you’re feeling undertrained, take steps to learn the necessary skills you need. Be proactive and talk to your leader and clarify exactly what is expected of you.

2. Insufficient Reward. Workplace rewards can be monetary, social and intrinsic. While financial rewards are important, feeling that you’re doing a good job (intrinsic) and social rewards (recognition from those around you) can be equally as important. If you’re lacking in any of these areas, you can be more susceptible to burnout.

What to do about it. Ask yourself exactly what you would need to feel appropriately appreciated. You may need more face time or positive feedback from your leader. Or, maybe you need more recognition from your peers. You may also need to adjust your expectations. Some of the positive feedback can and should come from within.

3. Lack of Community. People thrive in a healthy community of teamwork, positive social interactions and low levels of conflict. This kind of social support reaffirms a person’s membership in a work group and that they have shared values. A healthy work community also helps to mediate stress.

What to do about it. Don’t participate in office politics. You can also try to increase the positive social interactions with your colleagues. Try something as simple as asking how their day is going – and really listen. Or sending an email to let them know they did a great job on their presentation. Burnout can be contagious, so try to shift the morale of your work group.

4. Absence of Fairness. Think about whether you believe you receive fair and equal treatment. If you feel a lack of respect this can lead to feeling powerless. We all want to feel our leadership are doing their best to be fair and recognize everyone’s contributions.

What to do about it. If you feel a lack of fairness, speak up and talk to your leader about it. Sometimes they aren’t aware of their biases. Be prepared to provide strategies such as using standardized measures for everyone. Keep the conversation on factual examples of the inequities and not just general complaints.

5. Conflict in Values. If you value something your work institution does not, your motivation to work hard can significantly drop. Your personal goals have value and meaning. When they don’t align it causes internal conflict.

What to do about it. Maslach suggest two options when dealing with a conflict in values: make an effort to bring your values in line with your organization or look for a more meaningful position.

6. Work Load. This is the most common factor associated with burnout. When you chronically feel overloaded you don’t have the opportunity to find time for professional growth, rest or recovery. The work may exceed the time limits, your skills set or abilities, or the current resources.

What to do about it. Assess how well you’re doing in prioritizing and planning your work, delegating, saying no, and letting go of perfectionism. Set non-negotiable times to do the work you need to get done. Also make an appointment with yourself for rest and recovery.

Professional burnout isn’t simply about working long hours or being tired. The mismatches in resources, values and expectations play an important role, but with appropriate precautionary steps, burnout can often be avoided.

Sources:
Harvard Business Review
World Health Organization

March is Women's History Month! 

Historian Dr. Gerda Lerner championed the original "Women's History Day" in Sonoma County, CA in 1978. The event grew and eventually President Jimmy Carter declared a month-long celebration in 1987. Women's History Month celebrates the often-overlooked contributions of women to the culture and growth of the United States. Dr. Lerner, who created the first college course on women's history in 1963 noted, "Women's History is Women's Right". For more information, visit the following websites:

https://www.womenshistory.org/womens-history/womens-history-month

https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/womens-history-month/womens-history-month-history/

https://www.gerdalerner.com/biography/

Other March Celebrations:

• Makha Bucha Day (March 6th)
• Holi (March 8th)
• St. Patrick's Day (March 17th)
• International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (March 21st)
• The start of Ramadan (March 22nd)
• International Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31st)

COVID-19 Updates

• Mask Wearing – Updated to Recommend for Unvaccinated Individuals
  With Wisconsin’s decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, and when considering preferences shared by many MCW employees and learners. Mask wearing for unvaccinated individuals will no longer be required within MCW owned or leased non-healthcare facilities.  MCW continues to recommend wearing masks indoors. All other mitigation strategies will continue to be relaxed as planned according to the COVID-19 Policies and Directives Matrix.  Thank you for your ongoing efforts to keep your MCW community safe.

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