Susan Hester is director of communty services for the WakeMed system.

WakeMed volunteers have a big impact on the system. WakeMed volunteers escort and guide patients and guests, discharge patients, visit patients, read to children, coordinate visits for families, offer diversionary activities for patients and families, survey patients, deliver mail and flowers, answer phones, file, run errands, collate, and much, much more.

But most off all WakeMed volunteers offer positive customer interactions, listen, listen, listen, smile and serve. During National Volunteer Week, I would like to take time to acknowledge WakeMed volunteers’ contributions. Here are just a few examples of great works by volunteers in fiscal year 2009.

• 1,197 individual volunteers gave a combined 112,955 hours of service throughout the WakeMed Health & Hospitals system to patients, staff and families.
• The volunteer-sponsored fund raisers contributed over $83,000 to support WakeMed programs and services. 
• 112 departments system wide received support from WakeMed volunteers.
• 5,218 Patient Relations Ambassadors patient visits and surveys were completed, recorded, reported and analyzed.
• 38 teams of Hospitality Pets completed 6,132 visits to patients and made untold numbers of physician, staff and family “touches” in the process. 
• Hundreds of huggables and dolls for children and adults, quilts for palliative care and adult patients, booties and caps and burial gowns and blankets and outfits for babies are hand-made by volunteers every year.

Volunteers are part of our story, part of our success and part of our vision for the future. And, I thank each and every WakeMed volunteer for their dedication and continued support.

Is volunteering for you? Click here to learn more about our program.

At the Public Health Study Commission meeting last Thursday at the NC General Assembly, I was asked several times if there was an issue on the agenda that was of particular interest to WakeMed.  The answer is “yes” to the entire agenda, we are public health! 

Hospitals like WakeMed are on the front lines of all public health issues by choice (or more often, by default).  We have developed partnerships with organizations like Alliance Medical Ministry to make sure our community’s uninsured have access to medical care, outside of our emergency departments.  We have developed a statewide pediatric obesity program, ENERGIZE!, that successfully prevents children from developing diabetes. 

Hospitals invest in public health initiatives because we are good community stewards and because we truly want to help the residents of our counties and state be healthier.  Let’s face it – if we don’t take an active role in public health, we end up fixing all of the expensive medical problems people develop from the lack of good public health.

As director of WakeMed’s government relations department, it has become evident that the average consumer or elected official has a limited knowledge of what goes on in a hospital. Which is understandable – unless you are a patient, visitor or employee, why would you go to a hospital? This is why I’ve decided to begin sharing thoughts on how public policy actually affects WakeMed and the care we provide. So, check WakeMedVoices.org frequently for the “Capital City Hospital Watch” series to learn more about the important relationship between public policy and health care.

There are also many springtime walks, runs and biking events in the Triangle.  These are great opportunities to get out and get some exercise in support of great causes.  

Great Strides for Cystic Fibrosis
Apex Community Park, Saturday, April 17, 10 am

11th Annual SPCA of Wake County K9 3K Dog Walk
Moore Square – Downtown Raleigh across from City Market, Saturday, April 17, 2010

Second Annual Run for Our Heroes – 5K Race & Walk
To honor and remember the Eight Fallen Police Officers who have given the ultimate sacrifice while serving the citizens of Raleigh. Saturday, April 24, 2010, 9 am

Eastern N.C. Multiple Sclerosis Society Walk
RBC Center in Raleigh, Saturday, April 24

Bunn Fun Run 5K Run and Walk
An event to benefit 8-year-old William Bunn who suffers from neuroblastoma cancer. 
Saturday, April 24, 1 to 5 pm, Quail Corners Shopping Center, Raleigh

AIDSWALK+RIDE
Saturday, May 1
Halifax Mall (behind the N.C. General Assembly) in downtown Raleigh, Riders begin at 7:30 am, and walkers begin at 3 pm.

The National Kidney Foundation’s Triangle Kidney Walk
RTP Headquarters, Sunday, May 2, 2010, 2:30 pm

George Thanhauser Bike for Hope
Part of the Thad & Alice Eure Walk for Hope events series, the event will support the Foundation of Hope.
Saturday, May 15

Spring has sprung and there are many fun events planned in next few weeks in and around Raleigh.  So, if you have some free time and are looking for great family friendly events, here are a few worth checking into.

Dig In! A Free Event about Community Gardens – Saturday, April 17
On Saturday, April 17 at Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh from 9 am to 12:30 pm.  A free event (museum admission is separate) sponsored by Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) to teach the community about the benefits of community gardens. Includes workshops, expert advice and education. Click here to learn more.

YMCA Healthy Kids Day – Saturday, April 17
At the Kerr YMCA (2500 Wakefield Pines Drive, Raleigh) and the Kraft YMCA (8921 Holly Springs Road, Apex) from 9 am to noon. A fun-filled day of activities to promote healthy kids and families; celebrate making fitness fun; and introduce kids to an array of YMCA and WakeMed programs that teach healthy behaviors. No registration required. For more information click here. 

Cool Kidz Expo 2010 – Saturday & Sunday, April 17 & 18
At the Raleigh Convention Center. A family event featuring fun activities and cool new products.  WakeMed is the hand sanitizer sponsor and will have a booth at the event. Visit www.coolkidzexpo.com for details and ticket information.

World Vision Experience – April 25 - May 2 and May 9 - May 16
The Durham and Cary YMCAs are hosting the World Vision experience, a 3,600 square-foot exhibit resembling an African village. Visitors wear headphones and walk in the steps of a child affected by AIDS. The exhibit will be at the Durham YMCA from April 25 to May 2 and the Cary YMCA May 9 to May 16. Learn more here.

Bowties for Bandaids Benefit Gala – May 1
On Saturday, May 1 from 7 to 11 pm at Magnolia Glen in Raleigh (5301 Creedmoor Road). Sponsored by Kisco Senior Living. Proceeds benefit the WakeMed Children’s Hospital. An evening of entertainment, fine dining, beer and wine tasting, and a silent auction. To purchase tickets, visit ChildrenCantWait.org .

Apex Peak Fest – May 1
The annual WakeMed Peak Fest that celebrates the “Peak of Good Living” will be held on Saturday, May 1, 2010. This festival has grown from a small community day in a school parking lot to an event which draws hundreds of vendors and over 25,000 people to the streets of downtown Apex. Every year, the Apex Festival Commission plans a bigger and more exciting day. Click here to learn more.

Meet in the Street -May 1
On Saturday, May 1 from 10 am – 4 pm on South White Street, Downtown Wake Forest, the Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Meet in the Street festival. More than 80 vendors from all over the Southeast proudly show off their handiwork at Meet In The Street.  You can find beautiful paintings, jewelry and home décor, as well as many unique handcrafted items that make this annual event a celebration of local art and artisans. Be sure to stop by the Children’s Village and come with an appetite. The entire family will be entertained by local dancers, singers and musicians on two performance stages.

(L to R) Monica Oei, MD; Inam Rashid, MD; Michele Roberts Casey, MD; Leslie Robinson, MD

Located in the Physician Office Pavilion at WakeMed North Healthplex, Drs. Michele Roberts Casey, Monica Oei, Inam Rashid and Leslie Robinson are looking forward to accepting new patients.  Please call the office at (919) 848-9451 to schedule an appointment.

Other WakeMed owned or affiliated primary care practices opened or aligned with the system in the past year include Brier Creek Internal Medicine and Knightdale Family Medicine.

Join Models for Charity and leading pediatricians this Thursday evening at Saks in Triangle Town Center for a fashion show, wine, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. The fashion show will feature dozens of designer looks for men and women  from daytime to evening wear.

Heating up the runway with the models will be some of the area’s leading pediatric specialists, including:

• Tara Bastek, MD, neonatologist
• Jerry Bernstein, MD, pediatrician from Raleigh Pediatric Associates
• Jamila Fletcher, MD, pediatrician with Raleigh Children and Adolescent Medicine
• Travis Honeycutt, MD, WakeMed Pediatric Intensivist
• Duncan Phillips, MD, Pediatric Surgeon
• Ed Piqueras, MD, Wake Emergency Physicians.

Attendees of the fashion show will also enjoy 15 percent off any purchases that night, with 5 percent of all sales during the evening benefiting WakeMed Children’s Hospital.

Thursday, April 15 in the evening from 6 to 8 pm at Saks in the Triangle Town Center

Tickets to the Spring 2010 Fashion Show are $45 each. To purchase tickets in advance, or for more information, visit Models for Charity or call (919) 834-6199.

Uma Kalagnanam, RN, clinical administrator, Cary Hospital, was recognized last year by the News & Observer for going above and beyond for patients and families.

Nursing.  It is such an important job. And anyone who has ever been admitted to a hospital or been to a doctor’s office knows that nurses that provide quality care and compassion are invaluable. 

But, like teaching, nursing is often a thankless job.  Let your favorite nurse know how much they mean to you by nominating them to be profiled in the News & Observer in the special nursing week insert scheduled to run in May.

But hurry. Nominations close Wednesday, April 14!  So, don’t delay. Click HERE to nominate your favorite nurse today.

Curious who won last year? Click here to see last year’s insert.

In anticipation of World Asthma Day and Asthma Awareness Month, the Wake County Asthma Coalition is hosting an educational Asthma Fair tomorrow.

Families with asthmatic children and / or adults are invited to attend and learn how to “Take Control” of their asthma. There will be numerous educational displays with opportunities to interact with asthma educators, pharmacists and much more. Seminars on relevant asthma and allergy topics will be presented in both in English and Spanish.

Door prizes will be awarded throughout the event including a full weekend family asthma camp scholarship to Camp Coast.

The Wake County Asthma Fair

Saturday, April 10

9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

WakeMed Raleigh Campus

Andrews Conference Center

3024 New Bern Ave.

Raleigh, NC 27610

WRAL.com and WakeMed partnered to host a “take care of your heart” recipe contest using local ingredients.  Here Brian Shrader and Lisa Prince demonstrate the winning tabouleh recipe. Yum.

Amar Patel is the manager of the WakeMed Center for Innovative Learning.

iStan stabalized in the ICU of the Center for Innovative Learning.

You’re sitting in a conference watching yet another PowerPoint presentation when suddenly someone in the room collapses with a cardiac arrest.  This really happened yesterday to attendees at the Triangle Gaming Conference.

During our presentation yesterday Dr. Graham Snyder, medical director of the Center for Innovative Learning and emergency physician, and I were delivering a talk about Serious Gaming and medical education at the Triangle Gaming Conference when iStan, a patient simulator, unexpectedly went into cardiac arrest.  The emergency began.  I yelled for assistance asking for anyone who knew CPR to help the dying iStan.  Gamers just like you or me responded to the call for help.

Heart beats were racing. The audience waited with anticipation…is he going to live or will he die?  In the background you could hear audience members expressing concern, “I don’t want him to die.” 

While the scenario evolved, Dr. Snyder was able to successfully defibrillate the patient.  Our “first responders” breathed a sigh of relief as Stan came back to life.  I yelled, “He has a pulse.”  Dr. Snyder insisted on having an IV.  As our audience members were waiting with anticipation, I inserted an IV into iStan’s chest for direct medication delivery.  As a breathing tube was placed, Dr. Snyder instructed our participants on how to ventilate iStan.

In the end iStan lived! He was successfully brought back to life with the assistance of two students interested in developing educational games.   Their hearts raced, our hearts raced, and the audience’s hearts raced trying to understand whether this was real or a simulated teaching experience.  As soon as our two volunteers joined the scenario, they admitted to being lost in the experience – gaming at its best.

Over the hour, we were amazed at the variety of questions our audience members asked.  We covered health care education, the development of immersive learning, the financial impact of education, and how to get involved in simulation.  If this experience told our audience anything, it was that immersive learning and medical simulation is a SERIOUS GAME with serious consequences. 

We received so many questions that we decided to offer others the opportunity to participate in a live Twitter chat tomorrow at 1 pm hosted by @wakemed.  Log in, participate, and don’t forget to use #istanlives.