NSMC News

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Stacy Davis has been busy wrapping presents this week to be delivered to all patients at North Sunflower Medical Center. Usually, presents are delivered by Santa and Mrs. Claus, but the delivery will be a little different this year. Even Jolly Ole St. Nick is subject to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions when it comes to visiting healthcare facilities.  This year, NSMC’s nursing staff are stepping in to deliver presents and keep up the tradition, making sure everyone is touched by generosity. ``Many patients are miles away from their families and are unable to have visitors. When a patient spends Christmas with us, we want them to feel part of our North Sunflower family,’’ Stacy says.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="5258" img_size="full" alignment="center"][vc_gallery type="image_grid" images="5259,5260" img_size="medium" el_class="center"][vc_column_text]Stacy is the Associate Executive Director of the North Sunflower Medical Foundation. She brings joy to patients and staff year-round, in big and small ways. Like all jobs, hers has been different this year. "The pandemic had an impact on some of our fundraising efforts; however, we worked hard to make sure hospital employees know how much their work is appreciated. We began with a small gesture of delivering cupcakes to all departments. Later the foundation gave $20 Visa gift cards to all employees and just recently gave $50 in gift cards to be used at local businesses to the employees that are currently giving to the foundation. We try to keep giving back,” she says. Despite the obstacles, once again this year, the foundation was able to donate $10,000 for needed equipment and $10,000 for educational purposes to North Sunflower Medical Center. These grants help address the needs within the hospital.[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type="image_grid" images="5262,5261" img_size="full"][vc_column_text]Two other projects include the completion of the new ambulance building located across the street from the hospital and the renovation of facilities for the NSMC Maintenance Department. “Now, more than ever, we are all reminded of the importance of having our local hospital filled with excellent physicians and staff who are meeting the demands required of them during this unprecedented pandemic.  As a donor of North Sunflower Medical Foundation, gifts small or large make an impact on our hospital, in the lives of our patients and our community,’’ Stacy says.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Over the past several years, North Sunflower Medical Center has provided wound care to patients with diabetes throughout the Delta. For most of us, a small cut on the foot is a minor issue, but for many patients with diabetes, this can become a life-threatening situation without proper wound care.  We partner with RestorixHealth so that we can provide some of the best wound care in the nation, right here in Ruleville. Karen Bell with RestorixHealth has been a good friend to our entire NSMC family.  We wanted to talk with her about how diabetic wounds can become a real problem for our patients, and how we work with our patients to help them avoid small foot ulcers from becoming a big problem.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="5238" img_size="large" alignment="center"][vc_column_text]What is a diabetic foot ulcer?  A diabetic foot ulcer is an open sore on your foot that fails to heal. They often occur on the bottom of your feet but can occur anywhere skin or tissue breaks down or is cut open. Why do diabetic foot ulcers occur?  Normally, if you injure your foot, you feel pain that alerts you to the injury. You then take steps to treat it: clean the wound, apply a bandage and perhaps ointment, and replace poor fitting shoes if that is the underlying problem. Your body continues the healing process and your foot heals well. But when you have diabetes, your natural healing process and pain reflexes can be disrupted. If you develop poor circulation in your legs and feet (peripheral arterial disease or PAD), have high blood sugar, or both, healing slows down. If you have nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), your feet may feel numb. Or you may have no feeling at all. In either case, the injury may be painless. When that happens, blisters, cuts, and sores can go unnoticed. That’s when serious problems can begin.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="5239" img_size="large" alignment="center"][vc_column_text]Why are diabetic foot ulcers so harmful to me?  Diabetic foot ulcers can be downright dangerous. They are the leading cause of amputation and hospitalization when you have diabetes. If infection spreads throughout your body, or severe ligament, muscle, and bone damage occurs, amputation may be necessary. In less severe cases, you may need surgery to remove tissue that has died. In the best circumstances, it takes weeks to several months for a diabetic foot ulcer to heal. Having diabetes puts you a much greater risk for a foot ulcer. Once you have had one, you are more likely to develop another. What can I do to prevent them?  Although preventing a diabetic foot ulcer is not always possible, you can take steps to reduce your risk. Here are my 6 basic rules to help prevent diabetic foot ulcers:

• Keep your blood sugar at your target level throughout the day.
• Practice daily foot care. Wash, thoroughly dry, moisturize (except between toes), and carefully inspect your feet every day. Use a mirror or helper if needed.
• Eat a healthy diet as advised by your doctor and dietician.
• Keep your toenails trimmed, cutting straight across.
• Have a podiatrist remove corns and calluses.

To make an appointment with our amazing diabetic wound care team, call 877-295-2273 and visit www.northsunflower.com for more information. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Back in October of 2019, we talked with Alice Pyles, Director of Radiology here at the Sunflower Medical Center.  It was Breast Cancer Awareness month and we wanted to learn more about the 3D mammography’s her team provides. NSMC is still the only hospital in the Delta that provides this groundbreaking technology so it was a pretty big deal for us. Well, November 9^th- 13^th  was National Radiologic Technology Week, so we decided to check back in with her to see how things are going. Not surprisingly, her team is fighting to get through 2020 just like the rest of us. “People think about radiology as being back in the department, away from all the action,” Alice told us. “When we are working with a patient with COVID, we are central to the care that patient receives.  In many cases putting our own health and safety on the line, working closely with the infected patient, to help identify what respiratory issues they are experiencing by taking images to confirm the diagnosis.”[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="5221" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="link_image"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Radiologic technologists are an important part of your wellness team when you come to North Sunflower Medical Center. The work of technologists, including imaging scans, leads to a longer life expectancy and improved medical outcomes. Scans are an important diagnostic tool that can save patients money and provide a diagnosis to the referring provider. Working with referring physicians, technologists are experts in doing proper imaging while providing excellent care to the patients.[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type="image_grid" images="5219,5220" img_size="medium" css=".vc_custom_1605648829682{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“It’s a lot more than taking pictures and producing images,” Alice said. “In a lot of cases, we know what the patient is dealing with before their physician does.  When we see they have an infectious disease, our job is to confidently treat them with the level of care we would want for our own families – even when that puts our own people at risk.” Dr. Jason Morris, staff Radiologist, provides our radiologic technologist with guidance to help our patients get the best diagnosis. This, in turn, provides our providers with a diagnosis to treat the patient. Alice says that NSMC has an amazing team of radiology techs who lovingly care for their patients. “You get to know people a little bit more with each visit. We remember them when they come back and you develop a real relationship over time. All of us come to love each of our patients, and that makes me proud to be part of this remarkable team.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Last week we told you about our Bling a Bra for Breast Cancer awareness.  Since 2020 is bringing us something called 'voting season,' we are giving you one last chance to get your vote in for the best Blinged Bra. Winners will be announced on Friday, October 30. Scroll to the bottom and click on the link to vote for your favorite.[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type="image_grid" images="5159,5164,5162,5158,5161,5160,5166,5163,5157,5165" img_size="medium"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Show your support for your favorite Blinged-Out Bra. Click on the link below for your favorite: #1 Save the Hooters #2 Pearly Whites #3 Cancer Sucks #4 Red Ribbon #5 Zip Away Cancer #6 Double Ribbon #7 Boobie Beads #8 Cure & Hope #9 Pink-tober #10 Stars & Stripes Forever Winners will be announced on October 30th.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="5168" img_size="large" alignment="center" onclick="link_image"][vc_column_text]Sunflower Diagnostic Center of North Sunflower Medical Center is proud to offer 3D Mammography! Clinically proven to deliver a more comfortable mammogram and proven to detect 20-65% more invasive breast cancer than 2D alone. It’s the only mammogram FDA approved as superior for women with dense breast tissue compared to 2D mammography. During the month of October, 3D mammograms will be offered for $125. Call (662) 756-4000 to find out more. Open Monday – Friday 8 am – 5 pm with extended hours Tuesday until 6 pm. We are located in the beautiful downtown area of Ruleville – 101 E. Floyce Street.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We are trying something a little different for this Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We asked people to show off their design skills and decorate a bra for prizes.  We had 10 submissions for our Bling-a-Bra contest. And the results went well beyond our high expectations.  Y’all are a brilliant bunch of bra blingers. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type="image_grid" images="5159,5164,5162,5158" img_size="medium"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]According to the World Health Organization, there are about 1.38 million new cases and 458,000 deaths from breast cancer each year. Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide. Here at Sunflower Diagnostic Center, bringing awareness to breast cancer is serious fun.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type="image_grid" images="5161,5160,5166,5163" img_size="medium"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]There are more than 3.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., including patients who are undergoing treatment and those who have completed it. This month we celebrate with survivors and honor those we have lost to this disease. Sunflower Diagnostic Center of North Sunflower Medical Center is proud to offer 3D Mammography! Clinically proven to deliver a more comfortable mammogram and proven to detect 20-65% more invasive breast cancer than 2D alone. It’s the only mammogram FDA approved as superior for women with dense breasts compared to 2D mammography. During the month of October, 3D mammograms will be offered for $125. Call (662) 756-4000 to find out more. Open Monday – Friday 8 am – 5 pm with extended hours Tuesday until 6 pm. We are located in the beautiful downtown area of Ruleville – 101 E. Floyce Street.[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type="image_grid" images="5157,5165" img_size="medium"][vc_column_text]Show your support for your favorite Blinged-Out Bra. Click on the link below for your favorite. #1 Save the Hooters #2 Pearly Whites #3 Cancer Sucks #4 Red Ribbon #5 Zip Away Cancer #6 Double Ribbon #7 Boobie Beads #8 Cure & Hope #9 Pink-tober #10 Stars & Stripes Forever Winners will be announced on October 30th.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="5168" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Nurse Tawanna Wright is always cheering up the people around her at North Sunflower Medical Center. But she almost didn’t become a nurse. "In high school, I would tell you I never would have been a nurse,’’ Tawanna tells us. "Now I can’t think I would ever want to do anything different.’’ Over the past few weeks we’ve been sharing stories of our talented nurses and showing the many paths that lead to the important field. Someone reading this may recognize themselves and consider trying out a medical career. We hope so. Tawanna is a wife and mother of two daughters. She also brings joy every day to NSMC patients. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1150"] Our social media post about Tawanna Wright being selected as the August Clinical Hero of the Month reached over 18,000 people![/caption] "I’m always the peppy, happy-go-lucky singing one at work,’’ says Tawanna, who has been a registered nurse for two years. Like many of our employees, Tawanna’s first job was a steppingstone – although she did not realize it at the time. "I was a pharmacy tech, and the pharmacist encouraged me to do more,’’ Tawanna says. "Angela Lang said 'I just want you to go back to school.’ It took some convincing.’’ Tawanna continued her tech job while going to school. She started as an LPN, or Licensed Practical Nurse. And then she took on a bigger challenge and became an RN, or Registered Nurse. As a Registered Nurse, she is more involved in decision making. North Sunflower Medical Center is a workplace that encourages employees to follow their dreams. Tawanna said she watched one of her mentors continue their education. So she was determined to do the same. "The great people that I work with made me want to be an RN,’’ she said. "Seeing people do what you think you can encourages you to do more.’’ Tawanna says her background in Belzoni, with a mom who was also doing for other people, taught her to love people. With her nursing career, she can help people every day. Tawanna still drives 45 minutes from Belzoni to Ruleville and back every day.  She said she loves to be with her family in Belzoni, but she couldn’t imagine working anywhere else. "From the minute I got in it, I fell in love with medicine,’’ she says. She’s also passionate about training new nurses. "I enjoy every second of teaching a nurse a new skill.  It makes me feel so accomplished,’’ she said. "I started North Sunflower the day I graduated.  I had always heard great things about NSMC and I want to be part of something great. Everybody is part of an awesome family.  You get so close to so many people it always feels like you are at home,’’ she says. "It’s the truth, I promise you.’’

Joyce Perez was once told she couldn’t make it through nursing school. The single mother of four proved the college administrator wrong. The odds were stacked against her: she was 36 and older than many of the students. No one in her family had graduated from college. And she was working to support her children while driving to another state for nursing classes. She said one of the administrators singled her and another new student out: "He said some of you may as well quit now because you’re not going to make it. That was my driving force to succeed," says Joyce. "I tell young people no matter the odds against you, if you stay dedicated and put God first you will succeed." Joyce is one of the talented members of the North Sunflower Medical Center nursing team. We are featuring their stories to encourage others to pursue the medical field – and to give you a glimpse into the special people who passionately care for patients each day at NSMC. Joyce’s experience shows the varied backgrounds and experiences of our team. Joyce has worked in multiple places, but she tells us this is home. "It is a fantastic place to work. North Sunflower is for the employees and patients," she says. "They are all about family." Joyce had loved tending to injured things since she was an 11-year-old growing up in a rural community near Belzoni. Neighbors brought her cats and other ill animals. "I decided I want to take care of people. It just never ever went away," says Joyce, a self-described country girl. Joyce started her journey as a CNA, or certified nursing assistant. She said that is one way for someone to get a feel for the field. She spent 12 years as a CNA.  Nurse assistants help patients with healthcare needs under the supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse. "It will help you with your skills. It’s a good place to start," Joyce tells us. She said the step to a nursing degree was intimidating at first. She decided to become an RN and ended up relocating her family to Arkansas for her studies. "You can’t just look at the prestige of it. You have to have a heart for it," she says. At NSMC, Joyce is a supervisor. She said she is constantly learning from the staff, while also helping them build their skills. She says she never gives up on her patients. "We are a team. My biggest job is learning and teaching," she says. "It’s really rewarding. You help others. You take care of the whole person. You take care of their family. You give to them and they give back to you.’’ We hope Joyce’s story will inspire others to look into our jobs at https://northsunflower.com/careers and to not be discouraged by obstacles. We want you in our family. "Nursing is one of the most rewarding careers,’’ Joyce says, adding, "North Sunflower Medical Center is the best place to be!’’

By Robyn Marlow

Susan Steen doesn’t see nursing as just a career.
 
It’s a passion, and she wants more people to join her in improving the lives of others through the medical field.
 
Susan is the director of nursing at the Walter B. Crook Nursing Facility.
When she was a student working on her nursing degree at Holmes Community College in Grenada, she may not have realized the impact of her vocation choice.
 
"Nurses experience more emotion in a day’s work than some people experience in a lifetime ‘at the office," she says. "Nurses are there for the birth of children and for the end of life process, and for every moment in between these two dates.’’  

A Nice Place to Be

Nursing is one of the fastest-growing career fields in America. Here at North Sunflower Medical Center and the Walter B. Crook Nursing Facility we are looking for nurses to join our family. Susan says it’s a really nice place to be.
 
"The care provided by our employees makes me proud to be a part of this team. The atmosphere is welcoming, and our residents are happy. We pride ourselves in professionalism without being impersonal,’’ she says.
 
We appreciate that feedback because we care about all our team members and the personal connection that they make every day with patients and residents.
 
Susan hopes to see more people starting studies in nursing. Times of crisis like the world is experiencing now, reveal the importance of dedicated health professionals, she says.

One of the things Susan enjoys is getting to connect with family members, as well as residents. The work of a nurse is complex.
 
Nurses, she says, "are loyal to the provision of care, teaching and explaining, communicating and advocating, defending and supporting, and understanding all aspects of all needs of their patients and their patients’ families.’’ 
 
She says people who want to serve the community should look into nurse training options. Traits that serve a nurse well, she says, include compassion, understanding, kindness, neutrality, and tolerance.
 
"There are so many blessings and struggles which belong to the heart and mind of a nurse, and a true nursing heart is grateful for both,’’ she says.
 
If you are interested in learning more about our job opportunities, go to our Careers page.

By Evelyn Rios

Brooks Rizzo’s dad, Billy Marlow, encouraged her to apply for a hospital job when she was just 14. Now she’s a Family Nurse Practitioner and hopes to see more people find joy in nursing careers.
 
We’re sharing her story – and those of some of our other fantastic team members – as we continue to showcase the nursing profession. Here at North Sunflower Medical Center, we have a habit of promoting good nurses on to career-building opportunities.  

That’s why we are always on the lookout for more nurses who want to join the NSMC family and become #healthcareheroes. Just like Brooks.

Working Her Way Up

For Brooks, it all started with a part time job at then-North Sunflower County Hospital. “My dad, Billy Marlow, thought medicine was a good profession that was stable,” Brooks tells us.
 
So, as a teen she began a series of jobs at the hospital, first handling paperwork as a clerk and then as an assistant getting to know all the positions. “I learned how to take blood pressure in the ER. I remember it to the day,” she says. “A part time job in medicine can give you so much experience. It’s very rewarding.”
 
“At the time, there was a one-room rural clinic,” she says. “Now we have 96 employees.”
 
Not only is Brooks a Family Nurse Practitioner, she is also the provider coordinator and clinic director at the Sunflower Rural Health Clinic.
 
Brooks said one of the many positives of nursing is the ability to continue training for more specialized jobs, as well as the option to switch to different types of positions in various departments – from the emergency room to obstetrics to geriatrics.
 
Nursing is a growing field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists nursing as one of the top occupations in growth, with the RN workforce expected to increase from 2.9 million in 2016 to 3.4 million in 2026. An additional 203,700 new RNs are needed each year through 2026 to fill newly created positions and to replace retiring nurses, according to the bureau.

Saving Lives, Helping People, Making Connections, Bringing Joy

Brooks said her grandmother, Lillian Carpenter of Drew, was a nurse. Today’s technology has dramatically changed nursing, like phone apps that provide instant helpful information and electronic charts.
 
Some things remain the same. Like the personal relationships nurses make.
 
“You are saving lives. You are helping people both physically and mentally. You make connections with families,” she said. “That brings joy.”
 
After getting her nursing degree, Brooks returned to school for a master’s. One of her tips for aspiring nurses: "It’s important to have a mentor on the job when you are new to learn from and keep you grounded in the fast-paced environment."
 
Brooks remembers her early years getting comfortable with the hospital routine. “I thought I can do that.”
 
She encourages anyone with an interest in helping others to consider a career at North Sunflower Medical Center.
 
“You will meet people who motivate and inspire you,” she said.
 
If you’re inspired by Brooks’ story, you can learn more about career opportunities by going to our Careers page.