Blom Advances in Her Healthcare Career at MRHC

Joy Blom

MRHC’s, Joy Blom, has held several different roles throughout her career in healthcare. What started out as working as an LPN on a med/surg and OB/nursery unit, eventually led to Blom finding a home at MRHC and to her current role as Director of Surgical Services. Joy Blom

“While working as a nurse, I utilized the tuition assistance program and went back to school to obtain my RN,” said Blom. “I worked as a charge nurse after I obtained my RN and then took a job as the MDS coordinator.”

Blom worked for the Manning Plaza for 16 years before transitioning over to the hospital.

“I took the Nursing IT Coordinator position but also cross trained to the ER and surgery departments, helping in those areas when the need arose. Then, in 2020, I took the job as Director of Surgical Services,” said Blom.

Not only has Blom been able to advance in her healthcare career, but she is able to do so ‘close to home’, something she is grateful for.

“I enjoy having a job close to home so I can spend time with my family and attend my kids’ events,” shared Blom. “I really like the people I work with too. They are like a second family to me.”

Blom attributes her career growth and success largely to her fellow employees and MRHC in general.

“MRHC has an encouraging, supportive, and excellent team environment.” Blom shared. “Everyone is always willing to lend a helping hand to ensure the best outcome for our patients.”

As Blom continues to advance in her career, she has big goals, not only for her future but Manning Regional as well.

“I hope to continue to gain knowledge in the surgery area and continue to expand the surgical services we offer,” Blom said.

In addition to general surgeries, MRHC has expanded their surgical offerings throughout the past few years. Total knee replacements and ear, nose, and throat procedures, in addition to outpatient surgeries in the areas of hand and microvascular, gynecology, urology, podiatry are performed in Manning.

“We are proud of our surgery department and have had an increased focus on providing a wider variety of procedures at MRHC,” said CEO Linn Block, RN, BSN, MHA. “Attracting specialists to rural Iowa is often difficult, however we continue to be strategic in recruiting providers who can perform the services our patients need. Our patients appreciate having their outpatient procedures performed closer to home.”

To learn more about the outpatient procedures offered at MRHC or for a current list of job openings, visit www.mrhcia.com or call (712) 655-2072 for more information.

Don’t be the Dealer: Prescription Drug Take Back Day is April 30th

dispose of leftover medications

Manning Regional Healthcare Center (MRHC) encourages everyone to go through their medicine cabinets while spring cleaning this year and take part in Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 30th.

While it may seem convenient to keep leftover medications “just in case” the next time you or a family member are sick, it can be very dangerous.

“Resist the temptation to go to your cabinet to take any leftover medication, especially antibiotics,” said Jen Morris, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy at MRHC. “A big concern with patients not finishing medications as prescribed is a fear of developing antibiotic resistance.”

What is Antibiotic Resistance?
  • Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the ability to defeat drugs designed to kill them. Illnesses once easily treatable with antibiotics can become untreatable, leading to dangerous infections.
  • If a patient has a bacterial infection that warrants antibiotic treatment, it is vital they follow their prescription usage directions carefully.
  • Finish the whole treatment of antibiotics, even if you are feeling better, because infections can come back even worse than before if you don’t finish antibiotics.
  • Never use leftover antibiotics to self-treat family members with similar symptoms. Taking leftover antibiotics for a new illness increases your risk of having side effects, making you sicker, or causing a reaction.

Not taking the correct doses of prescribed antibiotics and saving leftover pain pills has evolved from a public health issue to a public safety concern. Research from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that most misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including medication being stolen from home medicine cabinets.

According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a public health, public safety, and national security threat. The DEA’s Take Back Day encourages safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing prescription drugs to help prevent medication misuse and opioid addiction.

Medication Disposal Options

Morris notes that residents have two options available year-round to dispose of unused prescriptions – not just on April 30. dispose of leftover medications

“We have a medication drop box located at the Emergency Department entrance at the hospital and the Manning Pharmacy houses a destruction box uptown as well,” shared Morris. “Residents can discreetly take their leftover medications to these boxes and make sure unused prescriptions are securely destroyed without posing environmental threats.”

Both sites can accept small amounts of liquids, pills, patches, creams, and inhalers. However, needles, sharps, and illegal substances are not allowed. Morris notes that common methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—are potential safety and health hazards and are not advised.

For more information about what to do with expired medications, please call MRHC at (712) 655-2072. If you or a family member has concerns about prescription drug abuse, please call the Recovery Center at (712) 655-2300.

Recovery Center Shares Reasons to Stop Drinking

Brad MadsenBy Bradley Madsen, Recovery Clinical Coordinator

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), one in every four adults report they have engaged in binge drinking in the past month. And almost 100,000 Americans die from alcohol related causes each year. It’s likely that many people know someone who has been affected by alcohol abuse in some way, and while alcohol is legal and socially acceptable, it is not a safe option when abused.

If those facts alone aren’t compelling enough of an argument to quit drinking, here are several more statistics that may surprise you:

  1. 75% of esophageal cancers are attributable to chronic excessive alcohol use.
  2. 50% of cancers of the mouth, pharynx/larynx are associated with heavy drinking.
  3. Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with a 10% increase in women’s risk of breast cancer.
  4. Heavy, chronic drinking contributes to nearly 65% of all cases of pancreatitis.
  5. Among ER patients admitted for injuries, 47% tested positive for alcohol and 35% were overtly intoxicated. 75% of those intoxicated showed signs of chronic alcoholism.
  6. There are more deaths and disabilities each year in the United States from substance abuse than any other cause.
  7. As many as 35% of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis.
  8. Nearly 36% of primary liver cancer cases are linked to heavy chronic drinking.
  9. Alcoholics are ten times more likely to develop carcinoma than the general population.
  10. Accidents related to alcohol use are among the leading causes of preventable deaths for teenagers.
  11. In 2018, there were 10,511 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, totaling 29% of all traffic fatalities for the year. *Source: US Center for Disease Control.

Alcohol Awareness Month is a national public health awareness campaign sponsored by the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) that takes place every April. It was developed to increase awareness and understanding of the causes and treatment of one of our nation’s top public health problems: alcoholism.

Unfortunately, of the 14.5 million Americans with a drug or alcohol use disorder, less than 10% receive formal treatment. If you or someone you care about has problems with alcohol (or other substances), help is available. The sooner a person can get help, the better the long-term chance for recovery. Alcoholism is a disease, not a moral failing, a choice, or weakness.

If you feel that you need help or guidance, reach out to your physician, or contact the Recovery Center at (712) 655-2300.

The Recovery Center at MRHC is a 16-bed, co-ed chemical dependency facility located in Manning. Services include detoxification, residential treatment, outpatient treatment and consultations or evaluations. Recovery Center staff have adapted treatments to meet the most pressing or newly emergent addiction issues, from alcoholism to the influx of meth to the abuse of prescription painkillers. For nearly four decades, staff have consistently helped clients take their first step toward healthy, drug and alcohol-free lifestyles.

Click here for more information about the Recovery Center.

Alcoholism Impacts Everyone

Addiction impacts everyone

Brad MadsenBy Bradley Madsen, Recovery Clinical Coordinator

You may think you are too strong, or somehow immune to alcoholism. After all, ‘things like alcoholism happen to OTHER people, it can’t happen to ME.’ But it can. Working in the addiction field, I’ve met hundreds of people who once believed that alcoholism could never happen to them, until it did.

‘But I’m different, I’m a successful/professional person.’ Alcoholism doesn’t care what you do for a living or how much money you have in the bank. It doesn’t care what race you are or how educated you are. If you have recent patterns of abusing alcohol, you are at risk. Take these statistics for example:

  • Lawyers: One in five attorneys struggle with drinking problems – twice the national rate.
  • Healthcare: About 4% of healthcare workers reported heavy alcohol consumption in the prior month. A 2014 study found that 15.3% of physicians struggled with alcohol abuse or dependence.
  • Construction: 16.5% report drinking heavily in recent weeks.
  • Hospitality/Food Service: 11.8% report drinking heavily in recent weeks.
  • Management: Roughly 9% of ‘white collar’ professionals in management positions reported heavy alcohol use in the past month.
  • Real Estate: 5% report drinking heavily in recent weeks.
  • Finance/Insurance: 7.4% report drinking heavily in recent weeks.
  • Education: 4.7% report drinking heavily in recent weeks.
  • Farming: Alcohol abuse among farmers is as high as 32% (over 3 in 10).

Addiction impacts everyone

I hope this illustrates the point that alcoholism truly does not discriminate.

Alcohol Awareness Month is a national public health awareness campaign sponsored by the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) that takes place every April. It was developed to increase awareness and understanding of the causes and treatment of one of our nation’s top public health problems: alcoholism.

If you or someone you care about has problems with alcohol (or other substances), help is available. The sooner a person can get help, the better the long-term chance for recovery. Alcoholism is a disease, not a moral failing, a choice, or weakness. If you feel that you need help or guidance, reach out to your physician, or contact the Recovery Center at (712) 655-2300. Recovery is possible.

The Recovery Center at MRHC is a 16-bed, co-ed chemical dependency facility located in Manning. Services include detoxification, residential treatment, outpatient treatment and consultations or evaluations. For more information about the Recovery Center, visit www.manningrecoverycenter.com.