January 24, 2022
Current Vaccination Dose Count at Augusta Health: Total doses given at Augusta Health Vaccination Clinics: 111,519 Community members fully-vaccinated at AH Vaccination Clinics: 46,986 Boosters 21,466 Children age 5-11 2,962 Current COVID Situation We are experiencing a very high level of COVID-19 activity in our community and at Augusta Health. Our Augusta Health testing positivity rate for the week of January 16-22 was 52.3%. Our current inpatient COVID-19 census is 48, with eight deaths over the past week. In the 24 hours preceding 9:00 am on Monday, January 24, 95 new positive cases of... Continue Reading
January 21, 2022
REDUCING STRESS THROUGH MINDFULNESS: It's OK to just relax and exist Charlotte D. Maiden, MSN, RN, CPAN, CAPA Outpatient Surgery/Post-Anesthesia Care Unit/Pre-Admission Testing As a result of the COVID pandemic, we all have had to adjust our way of life. We are seeing those in healthcare exhausted and overworked while trying to divide time between family and work, but even in the face of fear and anxiety, their resilience has shown a strong sense of community. In an article, in Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine (2020) , our cultural structure has been uncompromisingly challenged by... Continue Reading
January 19, 2022
START YOUR NEW YEAR WITH A NEW WELLNESS RESOLUTION Carolynn Nesselrodt, BSN, RN Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders The year of 2022 is already upon us, and after nearly two years of pandemic talk and stress, we are ready for better health, wellness, positivity and less COVID discussions! With gradually decreasing positivity rates, higher vaccine numbers, and a new year, what better time than now to shift the conversation to setting goals and resolutions of maintaining better health overall? As nurses, we know how important it is to see a doctor for regular checkups and screenings... Continue Reading
January 17, 2022
Current Vaccination Dose Count at Augusta Health: Total doses given at Augusta Health Vaccination Clinics: 111,086 Community members fully-vaccinated at AH Vaccination Clinics: 46,941 Boosters 21,134 Children age 5-11 2,944 Current COVID Situation We are experiencing a very high level of COVID-19 activity in our community and at Augusta Health. Our Augusta Health testing positivity rate for the week of January 9-15 was 46%. Our current inpatient COVID-19 census is 57, with five deaths over the past week. In the 24 hours preceding 9:00 am on Monday, January 17, 109 new positive cases of COVID... Continue Reading
January 14, 2022
AVOID THE CIRCADIAN KILLERS Ivan Napotnik RN, BSN Cardiovascular Services We have all heard how important good sleep is for both our physical and mental health—but how many of us have surrendered to poor sleep and even label ourselves as poor sleepers? Sleep is too important for us to accept anything less than what our bodies need; our health literally depends on it. The Sleep Foundation states that poor sleep can slow our thinking, reduce our attention span, deplete our energy, and increase our anxiety levels and irritability. So, poor sleep is bad but what is "good sleep"? Good sleep is all... Continue Reading
January 10, 2022
Current Vaccination Dose Count at Augusta Health: Total doses given at Augusta Health Vaccination Clinics: 109,967 Community members fully-vaccinated at AH Vaccination Clinics: 46,862 Boosters 20,217 Children age 5-11 2,871 Current COVID Situation We are experiencing a very high level of COVID-19 activity in our community and at Augusta Health. Our Augusta Health testing positivity rate for the week of January 2-8 was 49.1%. Our current inpatient COVID-19 census is 40, with 12 deaths over the past week. Our ICU and Respiratory Care Units remain at or near capacity. In the 24 hours preceding 9... Continue Reading
January 5, 2022
In partnership with the Central Shenandoah Health District (CSHD), Augusta Health continues community vaccinations for COVID-19. Current Vaccination Dose Count at Augusta Health: Total doses given at Augusta Health Vaccination Clinics: 109,648 Community members fully-vaccinated at AH Vaccination Clinics: 46,792 Boosters 20,040 Children age 5-11 2,744 Current Situation We are experiencing a high level of COVID-19 activity in our community and at Augusta Health. Our Augusta Health testing positivity rate for the week of December 27-January 1 was 35.9%. Our current inpatient COVID-19 census is... Continue Reading
December 30, 2021
Current Situation Over the past 24 hours, COVID-19 levels in our community reached an unprecedented high. At Augusta Health, we have again escalated our Surge Plan to meet these growing volumes. Over the past four days, our Augusta Health testing positivity rate has risen to 35%, which is a significant increase over the past week and is expected to remain high. Our current inpatient COVID-19 census is 29, with two deaths since Monday. In the 24 hours preceding 9:00 am on Thursday, December 30, 171 new positive cases of COVID were diagnosed at Augusta Health testing sites. This is a new record... Continue Reading
December 27, 2021
In partnership with the Central Shenandoah Health District (CSHD), Augusta Health continues community vaccinations for COVID-19. Current Vaccination Dose Count at Augusta Health: Total doses given at Augusta Health Vaccination Clinics: 108,358 Community members fully-vaccinated at AH Vaccination Clinics: 46,664 Boosters 19,012 Children age 5-11 2,616 Current Situation We are experiencing an increase in COVID-19 activity in our community and at Augusta Health. Our Augusta Health testing positivity rate is 21.5%. Our current inpatient COVID-19 census is 19, with four deaths over the past week... Continue Reading
December 13, 2021
In partnership with the Central Shenandoah Health District (CSHD), Augusta Health continues community vaccinations for COVID-19. Current Vaccination Dose Count at Augusta Health: Total doses given at Augusta Health Vaccination Clinics: 105,749 Community member fully-vaccinated at AH Vaccination Clinics: 45,456 Boosters 16,781 Children age 5-11 2,418 THROW BACK MONDAY: The first vials of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrived at Augusta Health one year ago this week on December 15, 2020. The first vaccinations were given to front-line employees. In 2021, vaccination clinics expanded according to the... Continue Reading
