West River Regional Medical Center was recently named one of the top 20 Critical Access Hospital’s in the USA. This isn’t the first time we’ve made the list. Here is one reason why…

Our motto is, “Quality First.” We provide high quality care in an ever-changing health care industry year after year because we live by our core values – which are: Excellence in practice, Innovation in service, Compassion for the people we serve, and Respect for one another. Innovation in service is what we want to share with you today.

In January 12 of our obstetrical staff, nurses and physicians were able to attend all day training on the stabilization of the newborn, especially the newborn at risk for problems, or in need of transfer to a higher level of care. The training was conducted by St. Alexius’ newborn intensive care nursery staff in Bismarck, ND. Nurses and physicians sitting in Hettinger, Williston, and Mobridge, SD were able to see and hear the class over an interactive TV link called BTWAN. BTWAN is a system of interactive TV used for emergency preparedness, teleconferencing, or education. All of the hospitals in North Dakota are equipped with this system.

Dr. Ellen Ketterling was in attendance. She thanked the staff for attending, and said it is nice to be able to come together and review the steps in caring for sick newborns as a team. She said, when living 150 miles from a place where such training occurs, it is difficult for our entire department to get away for training opportunities like this.

Lenore Keller, clinical educator at St. Alexius Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stated that, “we are privileged to provide this program in a cost effective way to surrounding communities to help some of the smallest and most fragile patients.” She also thanks their instructors for their dedication. Additional thanks are extended to both St. Alexius’ and West River Health Services telecommunications persons and IT departments that work together to coordinate the program.  It is a team effort.

Using technology in this way provides for staff, like those in obstetrics and newborn care at West River, to maintain competency in assessment and skills that require additional training and expertise. We are able to keep up to date with current trends in healthcare, and provide evidence-based practice in this ever-changing environment. As a result, we are able to continue to offer high-quality care and service, such as obstetrical care, closer to home.

By Tina Maier, RN-BSN
Nursing Educator at West River Health Services