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Being admitted to the hospital is never easy. Being admitted for a traumatic injury can be even harder. Whether it's learning how to walk again or powering through a new speech therapy routine, recovering from an injury that may affect the course of your life can be daunting.  But it doesn’t have to be, thanks to the Acute Care Rehab Therapy team at Renown Health.  The smiling faces of the Acute Care Rehab Therapy team at both Renown Regional Medical Center and Renown South Meadows Medical Center will make you see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Your dedicated physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists are here to serve you and place you back on the right path to recovery and function.  The Role of Acute Inpatient Therapy  The Acute Care Rehab Therapy team comes in at a critical juncture in a patient’s care process after hospital admission. As one of the primary rehabilitation partners on a care team, these dedicated therapists are here to maximize every patient’s safe and independent living before they set off back home – all while reducing the risk of hospital readmission.  “As physical therapists, we address musculoskeletal deficits and assess a patient’s current function after acute injury or illness from their baseline and develop a plan for functional recovery,” said Kristie Eide-Hughes, Physical Therapist at Renown Regional. “We also use our clinical expertise to assist with the discharge process and make sure each patient has the best durable medical equipment the first time around, removing the guesswork.”   “On the occupational therapy side, we work with patients to facilitate their independence with basic life skills, such as dressing, bathing and using the restroom,” added Jeanne Clinesmith, Occupational Therapist at Renown Regional.  “In the pediatric setting, we help babies and kids get back to what they were doing before they came into the hospital,” continued Rhonda Yeager, Pediatric Occupational Therapist at Renown Regional. “In the NICU specifically, we support the development of babies, trying to prevent problems from worsening. It’s nice to be a source of positivity in an otherwise intimidating situation.”  The role of therapy in this setting reaches all ages, from babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to adults approaching end-of-life care. Every therapeutic approach is tailored specifically to each patient.  “Therapy is more of a habilitative approach for infants in the NICU, while it is more of a rehabilitative approach for kids and adults following injury or illness,” said Sara Carolla, Physical Therapist at Renown Regional.   Each team member in the Acute Care Rehab Therapy department is dedicated to each patient, helping them make progress from start to finish and giving them the tools to succeed along the way.  “I enjoy the variety of the patients we get to see and the ability to see them make gains from the wonderful treatment they get in the hospital from my team,” said Kelly Schwarz, Occupational Therapist at Renown South Meadows.  “We provide education as each patient’s acute issues evolve,” added Nicole Leeton, Speech Language Pathologist at Renown Regional. “One of my favorite parts of my work is the patient and family education aspect, and that includes other healthcare provider education as well. It’s a moving picture.”  Moreover, every team member gives each patient tools to learn how to be themselves again and empowers them to continue striving for the best possible result of their therapy  “We get the opportunity to make a person’s bad experience in life better even by spending one session with them, giving them the keys to unlock something that they didn’t think they had the ability to do,” said Dana Robinson, Occupational Therapist at Renown Regional.  On the Road to Independence  Our dedicated therapists in the Acute Care Rehab Therapy team set the stage for a patient’s recovery process after trauma, showing them their potential for independence. With a multitude of patients coming into the hospital with many degrees of medical complexity, each day is different while the end goal is always the same: to optimize function as early as possible while overcoming any barriers and paving the way for a comfortable and effective quality of life.  “Early intervention is a big piece,” said Nicole Leeton. “Us seeing patients early can get them recovered and independent more quickly and help prevent future illness and injuries. For example, in speech therapy, getting in early and facilitating communication skills for patients with impaired speech can make a huge difference.”  Acute Care Rehab therapists dig deeply to see the whole picture of each patient’s situation to foster their independence – their history, social skills, support system and more.  “Sometimes, we are the difference between independence and dependence,” said Dana Robinson. “We are the eyes and ears because we have so much time with the patients. Our team is extremely collaborative and develops a great rapport with patients, so they feel comfortable telling us everything going on with them.”  “For kids, we teach parents ways they can help their kids by setting up their homes and the equipment they need to succeed,” added Rhonda Yeager.  According to the team, one of the biggest keys to independence is repetition. A continual flow of getting up and trying again is crucial for recovery.  “Repetition helps people regain their quality of life back sooner and control their recovery process,” said Megan Hough, Physical Therapist at Renown Health.  “Helping people continue to get stronger and more independent makes my job so rewarding,” added Sam Brown, Physical Therapist at Renown Regional.  Knowing that they have made a difference and help shape a patient’s overall development inspires each therapist to never give up, regardless of how difficult an injury presents. There is no set schedule for recovery, and the therapists are always in the patient’s corner.  “This team has the most passionate, caring and dedicated individuals that I know,” said Kendra Webber, Manager of Acute Inpatient Rehab Therapy Services at Renown Regional. They give 110 percent to every patient every time to ensure they have what they need to regain function and independence.”  “By tailoring therapy to the individual, the bounds are virtually limitless for what we can accomplish,” added Dana Robinson.  It Takes a Village  Since acute inpatient therapy is never a one-size-fits-all approach, it truly takes a village for this team to move the mountains they do for patients every day. These teams are fact-finding masters, gathering all the necessary information from the patient, their family and their care team to figure out their precise needs.  “We are a consistent presence for our patients, identifying a lot of different needs and meeting those needs to help patients grow in their treatment process,” said Kelly Schwarz. “By collaborating with each patient’s diverse care team, we are able to employ the clinical judgment to help patients overcome physical, emotional and environmental struggles and set them up with the proper resources once they leave our setting.”  “Our team has steady communication with physicians, nurses, acute care technicians, respiratory staff, physician assistants, case managers and more to ensure the best possible care,” added Jet Manzi, Physical Therapist at Renown Regional.  Constant communication and collaboration are also necessary beyond the acute treatment process. These skills are vital in order to facilitate discharge planning, and the Acute Care Rehab therapists are an essential resource in the discharge process alongside our Hospital Care Management team.  “Often times, a patient’s family needs a lot of guidance in helping their loved ones determine the next level, and we help them navigate those steps and the resources available to them,” said Mark Stumpf, Occupational Therapist at Renown Regional. “And it’s all a team effort.”  “Our therapists are the most committed, generous, hardworking people,” added Courtney Phillips-Shoda, Supervisor of Rehab Therapy Services at Renown Regional. “Despite being short-staffed, we come to work every single day and give everything to our patients. They are the priority.”  If you take away one thing, know this for certain: Renown’s Acute Care Rehab occupational, speech and physical therapists will always be there to help patients continue on a positive trajectory to physical, mental and emotional recovery.  “Whether you are a patient or a provider, if there is a problem, never hesitate to reach out to us,” said Nicole Leeton. “We are always receptive to anyone seeking our help.”  With the Acute Care Inpatient Therapy team on their side, a patient’s journey to recovery is only just beginning.

Read More About Department Spotlight: Acute Care Rehab Therapy

It’s July 23, 2022, and I am arriving in Downtown Reno to walk in my first-ever Pride Parade. Even more amazing, I am going to be walking with a group of my coworkers, announcing to our entire community that our employer supports us being our full and truest selves. I arrived alone, but in the staging area I met new people who worked in other departments of Renown, coworkers I might never have met if not for Pride. I even took a selfie with one of these new friends. Someone passed around flags for us to hand out to the audience as we marched by. I took a rainbow-striped temporary tattoo in the shape of the Renown “R” and used my water bottle to apply it. There was an overwhelming atmosphere of excitement and joy that can only come from gathering with other human beings who are overflowing with love. We started the Parade waving handfuls of Pride flags high and gave those flags out to the audience as we passed. By the time we were done walking, our hands were empty, but our hearts were full. I couldn’t have stopped smiling if I’d tried. I’d joined the parade as a single person, but as we walked, I became part of a community. Not only the Renown community, but a community of Proud queer people across northern Nevada. And by extension, the LGBTQIA+ community all around the world – past, present and future.  With the multiple recent state laws proposing to strip away the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, many of us have felt a noticeable decline in our mental health and feelings of personal safety.  As a member of the queer community, I have felt these mental health effects too. I am fortunate and privileged enough to not have experienced workplace discrimination in my current position. But before Renown, I – like so many others in the LGBTQIA+ community – had a negative experience at a previous job, and afterwards I was hesitant to share my full self while at work. To be able to walk in a Pride Parade with my current employer, healed a little bit of that past pain inflicted by my former employer.  When our liberties are under attack, Pride is more important than ever. We must remind ourselves, especially when others cannot seem to remember, that we are loved and worthy of love. I am grateful to work for an organization that is willing and able to fight this good fight with us.  I will certainly be back to walk in this year’s Pride Parade, and I sincerely hope to see you there too! Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses and of course keep your skin safe with sunscreen. Whether you’re part of the LGBTQIA+ community, or just an ally, you are welcome.

Read More About Employee Blog: Team Renown at Northern Nevada Pride

Watch as two dads look back on their newborn adoption process. They reminisce about discovering their newborn was on his way — and how Renown Health subsequently helped them navigate the process.  During Memorial Day weekend, Chris Mulhern and his husband, Jeffrey Bodimer, learned a set of birth parents chose them to parent their unborn baby boy. After writing a letter to the birth parents, they were chosen over other applicants in a private adoption. The adoption agency took care of many details, like connecting Mulhern and Bodimer to the birth mother and dad. In fact, they could participate in nearly all the phases of the pregnancy. The mother's prenatal care and delivery took place at Renown Health, where Mulhern and Bodimer attended her appointments and took childbirth classes. "Our experience was wonderful at Renown," says Mulhern. "We thought it was absolutely incredible how nice and accepting everyone was." The Nuances of Newborn Adoption Their son, Bradley, was born via cesarean section. And the adoptive parents got to see him an hour after he came into the world. The labor and delivery nurses even helped coordinate everything between them and the birth mom. Mulhern and Bodimer stayed in a room at The Inn at Renown. The closeness of the facility on the Renown campus made it possible to feed Bradley every two hours. Incredible Nurses "They were great, the nursing staff. If we weren't sure about doing something right, about burping him right they would say 'It's okay. He's not going to blow up. He will eventually do it'," says Mulhern. The nurses also made arrangements for the two dads to participate in skin-to-skin contact with their newborn baby. Experts agree parents and babies should be in direct contact for at least the first 1–2 hours after the birth. Taking Baby Home Chris and Jeffery took Bradley home after three days at Renown. “It was the most joyful thing to be chosen as his parents, even before we met him,” says Chris.

Read More About Two Dads and a Newborn Adoption: "Our Experience Was Wonderful"

Renown Health has long supported northern Nevada’s LGBTQ+ community Pride events with sponsorship, and we’ve collaborated with local and regional LGBTQ+ organizations as an ally. Renown’s Pride Committee works to deepen and broaden our external and internal efforts around LGBTQ+ community engagement, advocacy, and healthcare issues related to sexual and gender minorities, which is part of the greater Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts Renown is undertaking. According to Harvard Chan School, data shows that nearly a sixth of LGBTQ+ adults feel they were discriminated against based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. As a result, this brings to light the important need for education within the healthcare setting. Renown Health is bridging the gap for our LGBTQ+ population, and we know more work needs to take place in order to become an inclusive organization. Below are a few ways we’re working on improving our response to LGBTQ+ needs, and celebrate, respect and honor our diversity by being inclusive. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion subcommittee was formed to heighten the awareness and develop a plan on how to better serve all of our diverse populations, including our LGBTQ+ patients. As the largest healthcare provider in northern Nevada, we knew that we could do a better job. The subcommittee provides us a forum to discuss ideas and develop plans to provide better care to these populations. Updated Medical Records with Preferred Name and Pronouns Of course healthcare is personal. We meet patients at their most vulnerable states. And relating to every person by the correct pronoun shows we respect their gender identity. A new medical records update supports our doctors, nurses and care team in capturing this vital information. We are now able to capture every person’s preferred name, sex and sexual orientation to better care for them. Kathleen Zaski BSN, RN, Manager of Clinical Informatics and IT Applications at Renown explains why this is so important. “Your name and identity are core to who you are as a person, and here at Renown, we aim to take care of you as a whole person and to provide the highest level of quality care to our community – all while ensuring the experience is exceptional and tailored to the individual. In other words, having the patient’s preferred name and pronoun in the medical record is important to validate their identity, and show we care, in an already high stress environment. Specifically, giving our providers easy access to the patients preferred name and pronoun in the medical record, allows them to properly address their health concerns. This also helps the health care provider foster a closer relationship with the patient. Studies have found this actually increases the quality of care by creating a more open and comfortable environment.” Gender Neutral Restrooms Mitch Harper, Senior Program Development Manager at Renown, recognizes there’s still so much more to improve upon in becoming an inclusive organization. “At the end of the day, it’s about creating a safe and welcoming environment for our community and our employees. Access to basic human services shouldn’t be contingent on an individual’s skin color, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or beliefs. Ensuring that private restrooms are equally available to everyone on our campus is just one way we can provide a more inclusive, caring space for the people we serve.” Updated restroom locations: Roseview Tower: 10 Sierra Tower: 14 Tahoe Tower: 14 Helping to Lead and Influence Change Sean Savoy, Manager of Spiritual Care at Renown "The foundation of spiritual care is compassion – being with people in need by caring, supporting, and showing empathy, and promoting a sense of well-being. Being a member of the LGBTQ+ community informs that deep sense of compassion and empathy in a very special and unique way. Our human value, social validity, the very reality of who and what we are, even our right to exist, love and just be, are often called into question. This, in turn, can cause many of us to question ourselves and wonder about our self-worth. This experience should engender compassion and empathy so that we can better recognize, listen to and meet others’ needs to help them achieve inner peace, explore coping strategies to overcome obstacles during illness or crisis, and even find new balance by re-conceptualizing themselves in the context of health and illness. I have found that the intersectionality of my gay and spiritual selves has been a blessing in my life." Matthew Maloy, Team Lead Applications Specialist at Renown “I am a Team Lead Epic analyst in the IT department that is responsible for clinical based workflows for ED, Trauma, and Critical Care and have worked at Renown for 15 years. Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community influences my daily work by ensuring the Electronic Health Record reflects best practices such as giving clinicians the ability to document a preferred name, and displaying that throughout the medical record for consistency. Having the ability to influence decisions that move our community toward human value for all of us is a priority in my daily work.” Our Mission Renown Health’s mission is to make a genuine difference in the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve, including the LGBTQ+ community. We continue to build relationships to improve care, fostering better health outcomes for ALL of our patients by creating a more inclusive health system.

Read More About Supporting LGBTQ+ Community Health – Why it Matters

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