UI Ophthalmology Featured as Center of Excellence
The University of Iowa was one of the first eye programs to be featured by Ophthalmology Times as a Clinical Center of Excellence. The publication's series highlights those institutions that bring something extra to the specialty, whether through research, patient care, or community outreach. see http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/ot_20100401/#/26. In the same issue, Dr. Ed Stone discusses gene therapy and advances in the field of ocular genetics, see http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/ot_20100401/#/46
As an aside, if you have a copy of this issue of Ophthalmology Times, consider donating it to the library, the library's copy sprouted legs and walked away.
Jason Brinton Selected for Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award
Second-Year Ophthalmology Resident, Jason Brinton, MD was selected as the recipient of the 2010 Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation (whose mission is fostering humanism in medicine) and the UI Carver College of Medicine.
New Faces (and a few not-so-new)
A new technician, Cassandra Sickels, started work in the Retina Clinic on March 31. Cassandra has recent experience in eye care at an outside practice.
Keri Bohnsack, a new Clinical Technician, began training in Perimetry on Monday, April 5th. Keri comes to us from Ellingson Eye Care, where she worked for 4 years.
Stephanie Roeder(scheduling), Kathryn Sherman (Neuro-Op Research) and Cheyanne Lester (Clinical research) have all been with us for a while but missed being introduced in the Update, Trish's apologies for this oversight. Speaking of which, it's catch-up time. Is there someone in your area who I have missed introducing in the Update? Please let me know: trish-duffel@uiowa.edu.
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| Cassandra Sickels | Keri Bohnsack | Stephanie Roeder | Kathryn Sherman | Cheyanne Lester |
The staff photo directory has been updated. Click on the Staff Photo Directory link on the Update entry page or here.
Epidemiology policy change regarding room cleaning for Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE+) patients
Summary of changes to date
- VRE+ patients DO NOT need to go directly into an exam room. They may wait in common waiting rooms. Use gloves and good hand hygiene when caring for these patients.
- Room turnaround: Unit staff are to wipe surfaces of exam room with SANI-WIPES® (preferred over Virex® spray or pour) and let dry for 2 minutes (look at dispenser label) prior to next patient.
- We DO NOT need to call housekeeping after patient leaves for 2nd terminal cleaning.
- Housekeeping will be doing a cleaning of all rooms at the end of the day. This will be done by the night housekeepers
- The exception is the VRE+ patient( or any patient) whose appointment involves significant body fluid exposure (i.e. major dressing changes, opening wounds etc). In these cases housekeeping SHOULD be called.
- NO CHANGES in current policy regarding Methacillin Resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA) patients:
- Note that current policy does not require a 2nd room cleaning nor taking patients directly to exam rooms.
- Sani-wipes should be used to clean room surfaces for MRSA rooms also.
- Clinic Isolation practices are under review. Look for additional changes in the near future.
- Saniwipes can be kept in all exam rooms. Virex must be stored in a non-patient care area and taken to the exam room for cleaning.
If you notice evidence that an exam room has not been cleaned over night, please report to Sarah Smith or Mary Klinefelter. The deal is that housekeeping will clean all exam rooms in a clinic every night.
Daddy's Brother Band to Perform April 10
Don't forget! Dr. Brian Kirschling’s Band (Daddy's Brother Band) will be playing at the Blue Moose Tap House (the old Que) on Iowa Avenue tomorrow, Saturday, April 10 from 8-11:30. (pdf poster) Check them out on YouTube or see their new promotional video. You can also check out photos from the last gig on Facebook. While you’re there, join the Daddy’s Brother Band group.
Recognitions
April is National Donate Life Month
During April organ procurement organizations such as the Iowa Lions Eye Bank, transplant centers, and other organizations sponsor special awareness events and donor recognition ceremonies to promote donation awareness. See the display in the old main lobby. ILEB will extend the celebration into May with the Annual Spring Dedication at the Lions Memorial Garden on Thursday, May 20th at 3:00pm (more information to come later) The Eye Bank invites everyone to celebrate those who courageously gave the gift of sight or the gift of life through eye, organ and tissue donation.
National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is April 18-24
National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (NMLPW) is an annual celebration of the medical laboratory professionals and pathologists who play a vital role in every aspect of health care.
Since laboratorians often work behind the scenes, few people know much about the critical testing they perform every day. The week of April 18th is a great time to learn about the lab professionals. Find out about the F.C. Blodi Eye Pathology Laboratory at http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/pathlab
National Library Week April 11-17
Next week is National Library Week. To celebrate, Trish will be off on April 12 attending a library conference. The following day, Trish and Rita invite you to visit the O'Brien Library (01137 PFP) on TUESDAY, April 12, have some cookies and see the C.S. O'Brien Library.
If you can't make it to the library in body, visit in spirit. Libraries around the world are making it easier and easier to "visit" the library from the comfort of your own computer. Libraries and archives are making worlds of rare documents and rich collections available online. A few links are listed below to get you started.
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| "Look it Up" From Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore |
Close to home:
- The Iowa Digital Library features more than 300,000 digital objects created from the holdings of The University of Iowa Libraries and its campus partners. Included are illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, fine art, political cartoons, scholarly works, and more.
- Hardin Library for the Health Sciences has a large collection of databases, e-books, and e-journals
- The University of Iowa's Library System
- Iowa City Public Library
- Coralville Public Library
- North Liberty Community Library
- Don't miss The O'Brien Library's collection of information sources on our own web site nor Eye Resouorces on the Internet.
Go farther afield and see
- The Exhibit Hall of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
- Also see NARA's vast holdings of historical records (such as the Declaration of Independence)
- The Perry-Castañeda Library (The University of Texas) Map Collection
- The Library of Congress
- The National Library of Medicine
(the people who bring you Medline, PubMed, and NCBI)
- While you're at the NLM, don't miss the Images from the History of Medicine Collection.
- The New York Public Library
- The British Library
- The Vatican Library
There is a lot of good library stuff out there, see the Librarian's Index to the Internet or visit Google Books, created by Google in conjunction with a multitude of libraries and publishers. At Google Books, you can search the full text of books, many of which are freely available. Create a Google account and you will be able to create and manage personal bookshelves, share books with friends and see that they are reading.
Accomplishments
In a follow-up of an earlier Update story, Meredith Music, daughter of Don and Julie Music (front desk) did very well in her performance at the IMTA State Piano Competition in Waverly. Meredith was awarded a #1 superior ranking and was runner-up for her level in the state. Julie says that the reality of the accomplishment didn't really hit her until about 9 pm that evening and then she had the grandest smile on her face. Nancy Cree who has been her piano teacher for the past 8 years appears in picture with Meredith (at right).
Jared Ganschow (son of Nan Ganschow in Retina) continues to amaze everyone with his performance on the track. He has helped put the Clear Creek Amana Clippers in a winning position at meets this year. At a meet on April 9th, Jared, a freshman, won the 400 in a meet-record 51.08 seconds. He also won the 200 (23.2), anchored the winning 4x400, and finished second in the 100 (11.73).