Trustees informed 15 area students receive $10,000 in scholarships from BBGH and BBHF

The rewarding of $10,000 in scholarships to area students, both graduating high school seniors and college students working toward a healthcare related field, is a pleasure for both Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) and Box Butte Health Foundation (BBHF). $5,000 was pledged from each entity. BBGH Chief Nursing Officer Carolyn Jones announced the recipients Monday night to the BBGH Board of Trustees.

There were 19 applications received, up significantly from last year. The applications were sent to Nemaha County Hospital, where their executive team reviewed and scored the applications.

BBGH awarded ten $500 scholarships to high school graduates. They are: Margaret Otto, Alliance High School (AHS), UNK in pre-Pharmacy; Klayton Nordeen, AHS, Morningside College for Physical Therapy; Jada Jensen, Hyannis High School, Tarleton State University, then University of Wyoming, for Pharmacist; Ashley Fattig, AHS, CSC for Clinical Lab Technologist; Karlie Farritor, AHS, Hastings College for Dental Hygienist; Connor Blumenthal, AHS, CSC for pre-Physical Therapist; Jacob Horstman, Hemingford High School (HHS), Doane College, then UNMC Omaha for Physician in sports medicine; Madison Reiber, AHS, UNK for Athletic Trainer; Rebecca Stone, HHS, pre-Nursing at CSC, Neonatal Nurse or APRN; Kaitlen Evans, Hyannis High School; WNCC Nursing program.

BBHF awarded five $1,000 scholarships to college students.  They are: Mikenzie Nordeen, SD School of Mines for Medical Research Scientist in Neurology; Regg Strotheide, CSC, pre-Physical Therapy; Rylee Schnell, UNMC College of Nursing for Labor and Delivery Nurse; Kailee Kelly, Western Governors University for Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Ashley Woodward, UNMC College of Nursing for OB Nurse.

The Trustees also conducted the following business.

They congratulated Rickey Mathewson, CNA in the Patient Care Unit, for being named the May Employee of the Month. They also congratulated Kailee Kelly, RN, for becoming a Certified Dialysis Nurse and Lexi Luger for becoming a Certified Hemodialysis Technician. The Trustees then welcomed new employees Timothy Richey, CRNA; Kaylea Faber, Admissions Clerk; Karen Lockwood, Specialty Clinic Registration Clerk; and Summer Coker, Cook.

After unanimously approving the consent calendar, Chief Quality Officer Mary Mockerman presented her monthly Quality Management & Safety report. The event focus from the Nebraska Coalition for Patient Safety was on a patient at another facility undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer.  A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) was placed for chemotherapy, which eventually became infected due to lack of specific protocol for outpatient PICC line care and lack of follow-up from the infusion center. Ms. Mockerman provided details on protocols used and being developed at BBGH to mitigate chances of such an occurrence here, using The Joint Commission (TJC) Standards. She then went over Readmission and Medicare Readmission rates for the first quarter. Readmissions were 3.40 percent and Medicare Readmissions were 4.4 percent, both much below national averages ranging from 18 to 20 percent. The first quarter Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections rate was 17.8/1000 device days, 56 device days, again a low rate. She attributed that to surgeons having catheters removed as soon as possible, since the longer they are in place the higher the risk for infection. Early Elective Delivers at BBGH was 0 percent for the quarter. Her Safety Corner report included the fact that CMS has adapted the 2012 Life Safety Code, with Safety Officer James Koeteman providing education on the changes to Beckenhauer Construction. She reported that a recent TJC survey identified firewall penetrations that need to be repaired with UL listed materials. While the State Fire Marshal’s Office accepts hot patches as an appropriate means for covering a penetration, TJC and CMS do not. She also reported that Nebraska Medicine conducted a review of the hospital Infection Control Plan on April 12.

CEO Dan Griess suggested during his Governance/Strategy Focus that the Trustees hold a strategic planning event offsite, such as in Denver over a weekend. After discussion, the Trustees set July 22-23 for the offsite event.

CFO Bridget Miller was present to ask what date would be convenient for the Trustees to hold their budget workshop. After discussion, the budget workshop was set for Monday, June 20, at 12 noon.

Mr. Griess requested that the board re-appoint David and Gina Briggs; Callan and Gina Ackerman; and Rich and Aimee Otto to three years terms on the BBHF board. After a brief discussion on conflict of interest if holding seats on both the BBGH and BBHF boards (with BBGH attorney Terry Curtiss saying there shouldn’t be any) the Trustees unanimously re-appointed the couples. The BBHF board has a total of 18 members: six couples and six individuals.

After unanimously approving all credentialing requests, the board set the next regular meeting for Monday, June 27 at 7:00pm in the Sandhills Room. As always the public is invited to attend. The meeting was adjourned at 7:38pm.

Box Butte General Hospital is an equal opportunity provider and employer.