September 1, 2018

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RCH Open House Event Celebrates 10 Years

in New Location and 63 Years of Service

From one city block in 1955 to a 31 acre campus in 2008, Rooks County

Health Center (RCH) commemorates the 10th anniversary of the opening of

the current hospital campus with an open house celebration, 11 a.m. to 4

p.m., Saturday, September 22, 1210 N. Washington Street, just off US HWY

183 north of Plainville.

The public is invited to attend and enjoy free refreshments of brisket, potato salad, cake, snow cones,

popcorn and beverages. Free entertainment for the open house includes, bounce houses, Sunflower

Clydesdale wagon rides, Nex-Tech train rides, human foosball, fly-in and tour by Eagle Med, an ambulance

tour and a tour of the Rooks County Transportation Van. Tours of the hospital require a reservation as

groups are limited to 10 people at a time. To reserve a time for a tour of the RCH campus, call Eric Sumearll

785-688-4428. Door prizes will be awarded during the open house with the Rooks County Healthcare

Foundation’s 50/50 raffle drawing concluding the day’s activities.

“Change was hard when we look back 10 years ago. There were a lot of different concerns about building a

new facility,” recalled Kathy Ramsay, retired RN and Vice President of the Rooks County Healthcare

Foundation. Formerly, Ramsay was RCH’s Communications & Development Director before, during and

after the transition. “Today those concerns have subsided, and the biggest blessing is the facility helped to

bring the county together, strengthening relationships between our small rural communities so we can

continue to survive.”

Ralph and Geraldine Arnold donated the land for the original Plainville Rural Hospital in 1952 with the

hospital officially opening in 1955. When ADA compliance and a number of other factors required

numerous upgrades at the original facility, plans began for building, not only a new facility, but a forward

thinking, state of the art rural health center. It was at this time the name was changed from Plainville Rural

Hospital to Rooks County Health Center. The site of the new hospital was chosen as a median point

between Stockton, Palco and Plainville relative to Hays for direct transport in cases of emergency.

“These physical changes and the addition of the Stockton Medical Clinic helped to unify the county’s health

care system to one that draws patients from neighboring counties,” explained Ramsay. “Without this

facility we may not have the doctors we have today, Rooks County industries requiring access to medical

services might have left or been unable to move here. With this facility, we have seen stable growth and an

increased list of hospital services provided by visiting professionals who come because they love RCH and

the staff.”

Since opening, RCH experienced a boost in young families utilizing the hospital with its Doctors Without

Delay Walk-in Clinic and two labor and delivery suites. Growth led to expansion, the construction of a new

MRI and Nuclear Medicine suite completed in 2017. And ground has already been broken for a new wing of

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the hospital dedicated to therapy services. Tours and displays of both expansions will be part of the open

house.

September 22 marks the 10th year of the dedication ceremony officially opening the current campus. At the

ceremony, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran bestowed RCH with an American Flag which had once flew over the

Capitol building and Governor Kathleen Sebelius presented RCH with a Kansas State Flag. Immediately

upon opening, RCH received national acclaim for its Kansas inspired design. Next week in New York City,

RCH crosses another national threshold. RCH will be receiving a national award from the Sepsis Alliance for

its services regarding the education and treatment of Sepsis, which is the body’s life-threatening response

to infection. RCH will be one of five honored as a 2018 Sepsis Hero and will be the first critical access

hospital in the nation to receive the honor.

“Even though we are celebrating the last 10 years, many individuals contributed to this point over the 63

year history of RCH. As you attend the open house you’ll be able to see and share in all their stories as

memorialized on the walls of the current facility,” reflected Ramsay.

Thank you to everyone for their help and support while I was in the hospital in July and now during my surgery. Thank you to my co-workers who covered for me. I appreciate all you have done! -Cathy King

Congratulations to Payton Littrell, Presley and Erin on their

new daughter, sister, and granddaughter. Ayven Elizabeth

Wahrman was born at RCH on August 8 at 5:45pm. She was

6 lbs 2 oz and 19 inches long.

September 7 – Scrub Hub will be back at RCH

October 1 – RCH Auxiliary 35 year anniversary celebration

October 18 – RCH Auxiliary Fall Frenzy with Shoe Roads

Production here.

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Human Resource News

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CHANGES IN EMPLOYEES:

Kelsie Zeigler will be the OR Scrub Tech/CS.

Stevie Finnesy will be a Dishwasher.

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OPEN POSITIONS

Cook

Scheduling/Insurance Coordinator

Receptionist for Therapy Department

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VISION INSURANCE

If you’re interested in enrolling in the Aflac Vision Plan, please contact Cindi for the form.

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PTO DONATIONS PLEASE!

Lindsey Bollig is asking for your support while she is out on maternity

leave. Please contact Cindi if you want to donate PTO hours to Lindsey.

September Anniversaries

Jana Becker 3 years

Ashley Desaire 3 years Patty Czahor 5 Years

Randy Richmeier 5 Years Lisa Handley 6 Years Aimee Gardanier 6 Years

Sam Pfannenstiel 6 Years Karen Harris 7 Years

Justin Thummel 8 Years

Janet Languein 13 Years Kandie Morain 17 Years

Congratulations!!! Thank you!!

“We will travel from Hays anytime to use your

nice facility and excellent, professional staff.

They were very attentive to all of our needs.

Clean, nice big rooms! Thank you!”

- Recent patient

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Congratulations to

Justin Thummel!

Justin was recently awarded

the Clinical Instructor

Excellence in Clinical

Teaching Award from Colby

Community College.

Justin’s nomination from his former

student read: “Justin was my first

Clinical Instructor and set the bar

high. He constantly asked questions

and went out of his way for me to fully

understand treatments. His patients

loved and fully trusted him. I strive to

be the PTA he is and have the relationships he has with his patients. He offered help

even after my clinical and went out of his way multiple times.”

Autumn Hoffman, PTA, MS, the PTA Director at Colby Community College said, “I am

very thankful to have a strong clinical instructor that devotes their time, skill,

knowledge and passion for the physical therapy field. I appreciate your sacrifice

and trust in allowing students to develop their skills and modeling the importance

of delivering high quality patient care.”

Congratulations Justin! You are very deserving of this award. We appreciate

everything you do for your patients and co-workers!

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Name: Megan Kibel

RCH Team: Physical Therapy Assistant

Start date at RCH: August 2018

Megan Kibel is our new Physical Therapy Assistant.

She graduated in August from Colby Community

College.

She has two children, Alexis (6) and Parker (3).

Megan enjoys playing with her daughters, going to

the lake and rec volleyball.

Megan says, “I’m excited to start my position as a

PTA here and learn from all of you.”

Name: Jamie McCreery

RCH Team: Physical Therapy Assistant

Start date at RCH: August 2018

Jamie McCreery is our new PRN Respiratory

Therapist. She has previously worked at Good

Samaritan Health Center in Kearney, NE, RCH,

Midwest Family Health and Lifeline Family

Medicine.

Her husband, JR, works for Kyle Railroad and

they have three children, Andrew (15), Carsen (12) and Kaiteyn (8).

Jamie enjoys reading, traveling and watching her kid’s activities.

RCH new Employee Spotlight

MeganMeganMeganMegan

RCH new Employee Spotlight

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RCH Auxiliary Secretary, Sharon Rolo, presents

Nancy Sterling, RN, with an award letter

RCH Auxiliary

Awards 5

Scholarships for

2018-19 School

Year

The Rooks County Health Center Auxiliary has

awarded the following memorial scholarships:

Jackie Kirchen & Haley Schonthaler, both of

Plainville, and Heather Shamburg of Stockton,

were each awarded $500 for 2018/19 school year to

attend North Central Kansas Technical College seeking an Associate Degree of Nursing. All three of these

young women are employed in Rooks County either at RCH or Red Bud Nursing Home and want to better

their healthcare education.

Mallory McQueen, Plainville, was awarded $400 for 2018/19 school year to finish her Bachelor’s of

Science in Nursing at Fort Hays State University.

Nancy Sterling, RN, Stockton, an employee with RCH for many years, received the RCH Memorial

Employee Scholarship. Nancy received $700 to pursue her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Fort Hays

State University.

For the past 29 years the RCH Auxiliary has sold Memorial Lights in remembrance of a loved one to fund

the scholarships. This year, the sale will take place in the fall with the Memorial Ceremony taking place in

early December.

To learn more about RCH Auxiliary scholarships or to get an application for next year, contact a member of

the RCH Auxiliary Scholarship Committee: Shirley Comeau, Cindi Knipp, Diane Maddy & Kathy Ramsay

or stop by the RCH Auxiliary Gift Shop to pick up an application.

The next blood drive will be held on

Wednesday, September 5, 11am to 5pm at the K

of C Hall in Plainville.

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Lunch Menu Saturday, Sept 1

Cooks Choice

Sunday, Sept 2

Apricot chicken, cheesy potatoes, vegetable, roll, pie

Monday, Sept 3

Brats, french fries, baked beans, corn on the cob, pockets of lemon cake

Tuesday, Sept 4

Beef or chicken enchiladas, chips & guacamole, salsa, rice krispie treat

Wednesday, Sept 5

Hamburger soup, grilled cheese, ice cream cup

Thursday, Sept 6

Chicken strips, steak fries w/cheese, chocolate cherry cake

Friday, Sept 7

Caesar salad w/grilled chicken, grape salad

Saturday, Sept 8

Vegetable soup, mac & cheese, deli sandwich, pudding

Sunday, Sept 9

Swiss Steak, Mashed Potato and Gravy, Candied Carrots, and Pie

Monday, Sept 10

Turkey and Gravy, Sweet Potato Bake, Vegetable, and Cherry Square Dessert

Tuesday, Sept 11

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, Green Beans, and Ice Cream

Wednesday, Sept 12

Hot Beef Sandwich with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Buttered Cabbage, and Oreo Cookie Cake

Thursday, Sept 13

Chicken Tacos with Beans and Rice

Friday, Sept 14

Bacon Cheeseburgers and Waffle Fries, and Dessert

Saturday, Sept 15

Pulled pork Sandwich, Coleslaw, Baked beans and Lemon Bars

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2

3

LABOR DAY

4

2pm Policy

Committee

Mtg

5

Blood Drive

11am to 5pm

1pm Disaster,

Safety, Inf/Ctrl

Rounds

Randy Richmeier

6

Jolene Benoit

7

Scrub Hub at

RCH 7am

8

Kelsie

Zeigler

9 10

Turn Time

Sheets In

11

Smash-n-Dash

12 13

World Sepsis

Awareness Day

Lori Frederking

Jana Becker

14

PAY DAY

15

16 17

12pm

Foundation

Mtg

18 19

8:30am – 1pm

Med Staff &

grand rounds

Carmen Brooke

20

Sam Pfannenstiel

Ashleigh Mabb

21

8am-4:30pm

New

Employee

Orientation

22

10 Year

Anniversary

11am-4pm

23

Autumn

Begins

Rosie Sowles

30

24

Turn Time

Sheets In

25

6pm RCH Board

Mtg

Tinley Hahn

26 27

10am RCH

Auxiliary Mtg

2pm RCH Dept.

Head Mtg

Cathy King

Tonya Jacobs

28

PAY DAY

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