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Day in the Life of...
Deanna Loeschen,
Business Administrative Aide
If you're an avid reader of this article, you might have noticed a theme with a couple of our employees. Once they find a job they love, they stay. Deanna Loeschen, Business Administrative Aide is one of those employees.
Loeschen started her professional career at North Iowa Area Community College where she received an Associate of Science Degree combined with a Medical Secretary Degree. She used her educational background to become a medical secretary for the Cerro Gordo County Public Health Nursing Agency in 1987. "As a medical secretary, I was responsible for clerical paperwork for the immunizations, which were only given twice a month," she said. "I also assisted with the Senior Health Clinics by sending out media releases, reminders to those clients as well as filing and charting." Loeschen also noted the billing system was quite different than it is today. "Billing was done on a typewriter with carbon paper," she says. The office setting was also quite different than it is today at the Health Department. Employees had rotary dial telephones, which had only ONE line and no hold or transfer call features. Employees of the Cerro Gordo Public Health Nursing Agency worked in one room without walls or a cubicle. (Features that we may now take for granted).
In 1988, the county hired a health director and Cerro Gordo County Public Health Nursing Agency joined to form the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health. Loeschen split her time evenly between Public Nursing and Environmental Health as an Administrative Aide for each. "The Health Department received their first computer when I worked for Environmental Health, which I used to type the county's first two ordinances, septic and well water," Loeschen stated. Her other duties also included filing and typing Environmental Health documents, processing and collecting the money for licenses. When the Health Department was still in the Cerro Gordo County Court House, she was responsible for ordering the drinks for the break room.
As Loeschen developed in her position, she took on additional roles. "When the Human Resource position left the Health Department, I stepped in and absorbed some of the responsibilities," she stated. Loeschen took on payroll. "Payroll tracking used to be done on a paper document," noted Loeschen. "I created Excel documents that allowed managers to see how much vacation or personal leave each employee had left." Her additional roles lead her in her current position today. In 2003, Loeschen advanced her professional career by obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Applied Management Degree from Hamilton College.
Today, as the Business Administrative Aide, Loeschen is responsible for payroll, accounts payable and many other various duties. A fun job task Loeschen provides staff is being in charge of the canteen. "We started a canteen at the Health Department because our pop machine was totally empty after a holiday, so the Health Director allowed us to purchase a fridge (which was paid for by canteen funds) and I was able to stock it with pop and water," Loeschen said.
Since 1987, The Health Department has gone through many changes and advancements. Loeschen notes that the development of a full-time Immunization Clinic and a county fitness center were two great achievements to the department. "We started off with a rotary phone and every day we are constantly evolving to improve the welfare and well-being of our clients and our county," Loeschen noted. With positives always come challenges. "As you become familiar with one aspect of the business, it might change," she says. "This happens with our billing system." Yet, Loeschen believes the Health Department has an excellent vision and it will lead us to be a comprehensive department in the future.
Deanna Loeschen has been a vital member since the Health Department's conception and will continue to play a crucial role in our success! |
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Department Quick Links...
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"I have food poisoning"
Common Myths and Misconceptions
Have you ever attended a wedding, party, family reunion or large gathering where food was served and you became ill the next day? Have you ever gone out to eat only to become ill the next morning? If this has happened to you, you are not alone. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases. Food can transport many different "bugs" or "germs" that can make us sick. It is not as simple as "having food poisoning." Therefore, it is important for individuals to know what to do if you think you have become ill from consuming food.
1) CALL YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY. It is important that information be collected right away. Your local health department knows what information to collect.
2) YOUR LAST MEAL MAY NOT HAVE MADE YOU ILL. Often times, individuals assume the last meal they ate made them sick. However, many of the "bugs" or "germs" can take days or weeks to make you ill. This lag time between when you eat a food and when you get sick is called the incubation period. Each type of illness has a different incubation period. On average, incubation periods range from 12 to 72 hours.
3) WHEN YOU ARE ILL, IT IS IMPORTANT WE DETERMINE WHAT "BUG" OR "GERM" MADE YOU ILL. We can only do this by collecting a stool sample and having a lab test it. Your local health department can assist you with this AT NO COST TO YOU. IT'S FREE! If you go to the doctor for treatment, make certain that your physician collects the appropriate sample for analysis. If you have diarrhea and/or vomiting, it is likely more than just stomach flu.
4) WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHAT FOOD MADE YOU SICK. We can do this by asking a lot of questions about the food you ate over the course of many days.
5) IF YOU THINK YOU BECAME SICK FROM DINING OUT, CONTACT THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEY WILL HANDLE THE INVESTIGATION. Do not call the local dining facility or event host as they do not know how to conduct a food-borne illness investigation. The local health department has trained staff who knows how to conduct a thorough investigation.
It is important to remember that regardless of where we eat, make sure you wash your hands before handling any food. If you have any questions about investigative procedures or wish to report an illness, please call 641-421-9336 or go to www.cghealth.com for more information.
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Happy July!
Hope everyone had a safe and happy Fourth of July! Can you believe school is just around the corner? Before you send your child back-to-school, make sure their immunizations and boosters are current. Our immunization clinic is open Monday - Friday from 10:00 to noon and 12:30 - 4:00 PM. We are also open late every first Monday of the month. We will be open Monday, August 6 until 6:30 PM.
We are still seeing cases of pertussis in Cerro Gordo county. Pertussis is highly contagious and can be serious, even deadly for infants. Adolescents and adults who have not received a pertussis-containing vaccination since childhood are no longer immune to the illness; leaving them at risk to spread the disease to young children if they become ill with pertussis. Pertussis can be prevented with a vaccine. Individuals in need of the pertussis (Tdap) vaccine should contact their medical provider or their local health department. The Cerro Gordo County Department Public Health's Immunization Clinic offers the Tdap vaccine. Visit the Health Department to get your vaccine!
In order to get the community moving and active, the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health is assisting the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce to start a bike rental program. Bikes can be rented at the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center. Enjoy the beauty of Clear Lake by bike!
The Health Department is hiring a part time home care aide. For more information, visit our website at www.cghealth.com and look under the Career Opportunities tab!
In this month's Public Health Communicator, we highlight Deanna Loeschen in our "Day in the Life of" column. We are also looking for volunteers for the Walking School Bus Program. Read further in our newsletter to find out how to volunteer and how to sign up your child or children for the program. We also feature an article by Brian Hanft, Environmental Health Service Manager which looks at the common myths and misconceptions about food poisoning. On June 25, Daniel Wright and Rebecca Meyer hosted a fitness class in East Park. Included in our newsletter is an article reviewing the class and some of the great take-aways they provided members of the community. As always, we include our Wellness Corner.
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date on all the current information surrounding the Health Department. Make sure to check out the left side of our newsletter, which features our Quick Response (QR) Code. Scan it with your smartphone to get directly to our website.
Best wishes,
Nola Aigner
Public Information Officer
Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health
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Consider being a Volunteer Route Leader!
Hopefully you have been taking advantage of the wonderful weather we have experienced this summer in North Iowa. As the fall months begin approaching, perhaps you are looking for a reason to continue your active outdoor habits. Or maybe you need a reason to get more physical activity into your day.
The Walking School Bus Program may be just the solution you need! This fall, the Mason City and Clear Lake Community School Districts will be kicking off their second session of the Walking School Bus Program. This program encourages students in elementary grades to walk to school each morning with the supervision of a trained adult volunteer. Together, students and adults can start their day the active way!
Adult route leaders are needed at all 5 elementary schools (Harding, Hoover, Jefferson and Roosevelt in Mason City and Clear Creek in Clear Lake). The walking routes are approximately one mile in length and start at 7:30 AM on days in which school is in session. You may volunteer on 1 to 5 days per week. The last day of the Fall Session is October 26, 2012.
To register as a Volunteer Route Leader, please visit www.cghealth.com! |
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Cerro Gordo County Partners with
Fitness Wright Now
Last month, citizens of Cerro Gordo County participated in a live fitness class hosted by Daniel Wright and Rebecca Meyer, former contestants of NBC's "Biggest Loser" and founders of Fitness Wright Now. The fitness class was designed to educate participants on the ease and affordability of exercising without gym memberships or expensive equipment. Participants experienced the importance of a warm up and a cool down. Wright and Meyer led the group through a circuit workout which included strength and toning exercises followed by cardio bursts. Participants utilized park resources such as picnic tables to aid in push-ups, which demonstrated that a gym membership isn't necessary to stay physically fit.
After the fitness class, Wright and Meyer held a live Community Conversation which was centered on the "Right Weight vs. Dream Weight." Participants took away from the conversation that the ideal weight isn't always the number on the scale; body health can be determined by other tests such as body fat or weight circumference. Participants learned four criteria when determining ideal weight:
- A weight which does not cause health problems.
- A weight which does not limit your daily activities.
- A weight which does not make you feel self-conscious.
- A weight which you can live comfortably in your own skin and be surrounded by others without worrying.
Wright concluded the conversation with a positive message to participants "Judge your life by the actions you took today, not the number on the scale."
Wright and Meyer also blog twice a month on the Health Department's website. Topics range from healthy eating tips and exercise advice, to even visiting your physician. To enhance our wellness initiatives, Cerro Gordo County residents can participate in monthly Community Conversations. The conversations are part of a year-long series sponsored by the Health Department aimed to allow residents the opportunity to ask questions and learn from individuals who have lived through the struggles of weight management and health problems and overcome the obstacles to lead healthier lives.The partnership with Wright and Meyer is a new wellness initiative which aims to support county residents with the knowledge and skills to improve personal health across every aspect of wellness including physical, social, emotional-mental, financial and spiritual.
For more information about wellness blogs and community conversations with Meyer and Wright, visit www.cghealth.com.
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Wellness Corner
Barefoot Movement
 Footwear is as essential to fitness as a bottle of water. And like all sporting equipment, footwear is rapidly evolving as research progresses and understanding of human movement improves. Extensive marketing campaigns for "fitness shoes" have made healthy footwear and maybeeven no footwear at all, a hot topic on the hiking trails and in the gym. Chances are you probably have seen the "Five Finger" shoes and have questions about the barefoot training movement. Here is some information about it.
Minimalist Footwear / Barefoot Movement
SUPPORTING ARGUMENTS:
* Footwear is unnatural (a modern habit unnecessary for healthy human performance)
* Footwear limits natural motion of joints during the walking cycle
* Footwear can increase the incidence of knee arthritis, back pain, and hip degeneration
CONFLICTING ARGUMENTS:
* Most exercise surfaces we move on are just as unnatural as our shoes
* Concrete surfaces exceed the biological forces created by natural surfaces
* Poor walking and running mechanics (form) increase the impact on our joints and bones, increasing risk for fractures
* Traction between the skin of the barefoot and ground surfaces leads to increased damage of skin tissue
* Many individuals who adopt the barefoot movement fail to appropriately progress, leading to injuries
SOLUTION:
If you think the Barefoot Movement or Minimalist Shoe Training is something you would like to try, consider the following recommendations to ensure safe and healthy exercise:
1. Begin foot exercises a few weeks before switching to barefoot or minimalist footwear
2. Master shoeless walking before you try shoeless running
3. Start on grass or sand before hitting harder surfaces
4. Seek out guidance on proper walking and running form
5. Start with 5 minutes of barefoot training each session and add a few additional minutes each week
6. Practice good foot hygiene |
Help us promote Public Health services. Forward this electronic newsletter to your friends, family, co-workers and associates. Thank you for choosing the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health! Our Mission Statement: The Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health works to optimize the health of all people in Cerro Gordo County. Our Vision Statement:
We will be the leader in making Cerro Gordo County the healthiest
county in Iowa.
Our Value Statement:
We believe in human dignity, respect for individual choices, promotion for wellness and personal safety, protection of the environment, prevention of disease and access to quality health services.
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