Progress Notes — December 10, 1983
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May all that Christmas means… joy, hope, peace, and love be yours.
Joan Straatmann, Editor
Administrator's Column
By Jerry Marquette
We are older, hopefully wiser and, most importantly, still together. Yet, we face a New Year — 1984.
What will 1984 bring? First of all we need to all go back and think about how it is when you must work. I think we forgot about hard times when we used to roll up our sleeves and work for 8-12 hours and not complain. We also forgot that we get paid for what we do, not for what we get out of doing. The term used today is "fat and sassy." This is what we have become; interested in calling off things, getting out of things and what I term as "goldbricking." If the shoe fits you will have to wear it. If you are ready to meet a challenge, then you will survive in 1984 at Pointe Coupee General Hospital.
Our challenge along with DRGs, PSROs, JCAH, etc., is most importantly to be "efficient." This simply means getting the job done in a low-cost effective way. This means being productive. We as employees will be assigned new tasks to keep us busy for an 8-12 hour shift. We will learn new jobs and become more effective in the ones we are currently holding. We will strive to become one unit and one family with an overall objective to become a good hospital, self-supporting, offering the best possible health care to the people of Pointe Coupee. 1984 will epitomize Charles Darwan's theory, "Survival of the Fit." If we can meet the challenge we will survive. If we can't, we will seek new horizons.
In closing let me tell you what the word "Luck" means in order that you might get a prospective about what I have just written.
L = Means Love. Love what you are doing or leave it.
U = Means Unite together. Don't sit around waiting for someone to do your work.
C = Means Caring. Caring for others, especially as you want to be cared for.
K = Means Knowing. Knowing what you want, how to get it and knowing it means something when you receive it.
Therefore, Good Luck To Us! Persevere!!
I would like to wish you and your family a Happy and Joyous Holiday Season!
Celebrate
A Retirement Party was held for two of our faithful employees, Florence Pourciau and Helta Bueche. Mrs. Pourciau has worked for PCGH for the past 14 years and Mrs. Bueche for the past 33.
We can't seem to get rid of them though, as they still work part time when we need them. It's always a pleasure to see dedicated people at our Hospital!
Florence Pourciau (left) and Helta Bueche.
Happiness is a by-product of an effort to make someone else happy.
Speaking of Parties
An Awards party was held in November to award 5 and 10 year pins, to celebrate PCGH's 14th birthday and to announce our Employee of the Year, Rose Miller, R.N.
Rose, Nursing's Day Supervisor, has been at PCGH for the past 10 years. When presented with the prize money, she generously handed it back to be used for Cancer Research. Thank you Rose Miller.
Reminder!
There will be a Blood Drive on December 23rd, held in the classroom of the Hospital. Please try to take the time to donate and encourage everyone you know to do the same. Holiday Season is the time when blood is needed the most. For further information contact Kay Langlois at the Hospital.
Christmas Wishes
Mr. Marquette — A raised census.
Mary — An extra set of hands.
Jean — She already got what she wants (Asst. Director).
Bruce — Suspenders (especially when Gerald is around).
Connie — Have her phone surgically removed.
Charlie — Organizational Chart to see who the boss is.
Gerald — Something to really fill his Christmas stocking!
Gary — Video game software.
On September 3rd, we sponsored along with the Jaycees, our 2nd Annual Talent Show to support muscular dystrophy research and to help Jerry's kids.
We were pleased to have as our guest the state poster child, Chris Williams and his family. Allen McCarty was again the MC, and again did an excellent job. 20 entrants and 3 guest appearances were the local talent displayed. Thanks to everyone's zealous enthusiasm, we were able to double the amount made last year. A check for $2,100.00 was presented to Allen McCarty on Channel 33 on Labor Day.
We are already looking forward to next year's Talent Show. We have several promising entrants who as yet won't divulge just what talent they are showing, but it should be interesting.
All-Occasion Excuses
That's the way we've always done it.
You didn't tell me you were in a hurry for it!
That's not my department.
No one told me to go ahead.
I'm waiting for an OK.
How did I know this was different?
That's his job, not mine.
Wait til the boss comes back and ask him.
We don't make many mistakes.
I'm so busy, I just can't get to it.
I thought I told you.
Congratulations!!!
To the following LPs who recently passed their Louisiana State Board Exams:
Karen Fielder
Rosemary Hollins
Melissa Scallan
Myra Clifton
Mary Anderson
Orelia Northern
Donna Kimble
Also, congratulations to the Teachers and Students at our local Nursing Vocational School. The entire class passed state boards!
We Would Like to Welcome to Our Family
Also new at Pointe Coupee General Hospital:
Judy Abernathy
Connie Alpough
Beverly Anderson
Janel Baise
Debbie Barnes
Sarah Bass
Judy Bass
Vivian Bowman
Merrilee Bryant
Richard Bryant
Bundell Butler
Roxie Cassman
Myra Clifton
Cherie Cottano
Rita Darensbourgh
Myra Dukes
Doris Etier
Kelly Forbes
Monica Gilbert
Jamie Harris
Rosemary Hollins
Janice Howard
Donna Kimble
Mary Lemoine
Veronica Poche
Gloria Robbins
Paulette Roberts
Melissa Scallan
Gail Simmons
Polly Stephens
Angeline Swift
Carolyn Witty
When speaking, use a grain of sugar. When listening, use a grain of salt.
Birthdays
January
1 - Donna Arnouville
3 - Deborah Jewell
3 - Patty Gauthier
4 - Carolyn Davis
7 - Dr. Christopher
9 - Rose Guerin
13 - Debbie Collins
14 - Margaret David
16 - Dorothy Beauvais
18 - Ricky Labatut
27 - Bettye Foreman
28 - Connie Donovan
February
4 - Richard Bryant
4 - Onora Demoulin
9 - Elizabeth Walker
11 - Joanie Lachney
12 - Bruce Pinsonat
12 - Merilee Bryant
16 - Mary Bernard
16 - Charlie Ratcliff
17 - Dr. O'Neal
23 - Sandra Sneed
24 - Helen Gustin
24 - Maggie Ratcliff
26 - Dr. Kellerman
28 - Dr. Beamon
March
6 - Frances Campbell
9 - Connie Alpough
18 - Dr. Helm
20 - Terilyn Nelson
20 - J. P. Leonard
23 - Jamie Harris
23 - Pat Boyd
27 - Dr. Montelaro
30 - Donna Kimble
Inventory time in the storeroom.
In a conversation, keep in mind that you're more interested in what you have to say than anyone else.
Growing old sounds rather agreeable when you consider the alternative.
Photo Finish
Russ crosses the finish line.
A race held each fall at Pointe Coupee's annual Fair & Festival was aided by personnel from PCGH. There were 135 participants for the three walk/races. The proceeds from the run were donated to the Arthritis Foundation.
Russ, a familiar face around PCGH, did not win first prize, but did get a special award for being the cutest!
Construction
Construction was started and has been going well on PCGH's Expansion Project. As we are well aware of by now, the contractor who was awarded the bid for our expansion is Percy J. Matherne, Inc. from Baton Rouge. The superintendent is Ted LeBlanc. We are happy to report the project is approximately 6% ahead of schedule and due date for opening is still November 30, 1984.
One scoop please!
Although there has been a lot of dust, a lot of noise, and a lot of change, we are looking forward to getting into our new emergency room; expanded nuclear medicine and ultra-sound department, radiology, 2nd floor nurses station, general stores and central sterile supply; new doctors lounges on both 1st and 2nd floors, anesthesia room, operating room supervisor's office, lots of waiting areas, snack bar, 8-bed intensive care unit, nurses' lounge, scrub areas, training bath and examining room, and the most exciting part, a new spiral stairway.
Also, hopefully by the time this paper is published, we might be using our new parking lot in front of the Hospital. This parking lot will be open for everyone's use until the Expansion Project is completed.
Want Some Good Advice? Don't Give Any.
Disaster!
On October 29th a mock Disaster Drill was held to see how well personnel involved functioned. The disaster staged was an airplane crash at our local airport consisting of 26 victims. Overall, everyone was very pleased with the reactions of the agencies and personnel involved. These included False River Airport, New Roads Mothers Club, the National Guard, New Roads Police Department, Pointe Coupee Sheriff's Office, both volunteer Fire Stations, #1 and #2, Pointe Coupee Civil Defense, Acadian Ambulance, Joe Loupe, Banner editor, our Doctors, and of course our Hospital personnel. We feel we have learned a great deal to help us improve our services and to be ready for the real thing.
PCGH has recently installed a Microdata-Reality computer system to replace the old data processing system previously used.
This is an in-house computer system which will do all our patient billing, accounts payable, payroll and general ledger. It will also be used for inventory control for the entire hospital, including the pharmacy, and clinical data in the Medical Records Department. It will prove to be a great help in streamlining the billing process.
The purpose of converting to this new computer system is to enable administration to obtain management reports when needed instead of delays caused by the previous system. So for less money and better control and access to data, this is a definite improvement at PCGH!
In the early days of Louisiana's history, drug treatments included such remedies as sweet gum for wounds, ulcers, lung disease, internal illness and to "gladden the heart" persimmon bread for dysentery; acacia to relieve tooth-aches; and elderberry to reduce swelling.
European settlers relied on bleeding, listering, vomiting, purging and sweating to cure their illnesses. Even as late as the 18th century, prescriptions were still being written for crab's eyes and dried toads.
