Cass Regional Medical Center | Wellness Matters | Summer 2019

Wellness Matters | Summer 2019 5 Cass Regional Medical Center is providing cardiac rehabilitation for patients who have a ventricular assist device, or VAD. A VAD is an electromechanical device that is surgically placed in the chest to help the heart pump when a patient has heart failure. The most common type of VAD is a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The use of VADs has become more frequent in recent years due to a decrease in organ donation and an increase in the prevalence of heart disease. VADs are used both as a bridge to transplantation and as a long-term therapy. Patients who receive a VAD as a bridge to transplantation are candidates awaiting a heart transplantation. While heart transplantation provides excellent survival rates, not all people with heart failure are eligible candidates. The VAD is used to extend both quality and quantity of life, and cardiac rehabilitation plays an important role in patients with a newly-implanted VAD. Recently, Cass Regional’s cardiac rehabilitation department was contacted by Nancy Richards, MSN, CCRN-K, CCNS, APRN-CNS, who is the lead VAD coordinator at the University of Kansas Hospital. Richards sought out Cass Regional’s cardiac rehabilitation team to help one of her patients who lives in Cass County. Prior to the patient’s first rehabilitation session, Richards visited Cass Regional, where she provided education and training for the staff so they can safely and effectively care for patients with VADs. Since 1995, Cass Regional’s cardiac rehabilitation department has cared for patients with coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease and those recovering from a heart attack or heart surgery. Our cardiac rehabilitation program is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. READY FOR REHAB? For more information, please contact Terry Johns, RN, at 816-887-0320 or via email at tjohns@cassregional.org . Nancy Richards, MSN, CCRN-K,CCNS, APRN- CNS, educating Lacy Glass, RN, BSN, on a VAD. Andrea Walters with Michelle Tryon-Gray, admitting clerk, and Brenda Ford, front desk receptionist care physician, and the two decided to refer her first to James Johnson, DO, a pain specialist at Cass Regional. After reviewing her medical condition, Dr. Johnson offered three choices to Walters: medication, shots in her back or surgery. For the first time in years, Walters felt she was able to make her own decision regarding her health, giving her hope. Dr. Johnson said that in his opinion, surgery was the best option. Walters, while worried, agreed and was sent to a specialist at Research Medical Center in Kansas City. Back on her feet On Dec. 15, 2017, Walters underwent back surgery—and the outcome was successful. “I’m indebted to this hospital and to Dr. Petersen. If it weren’t for him, I would not be walking today,” said Walters. “Dr. Petersen would not accept me giving up. He asked the right questions when no one else did. I am very appreciative of him and always will be, along with Dr. Johnson, Dr. Maxwell, Deana Moore, and everyone here at Cass Regional—you gave me my life back!” About a year later in September 2018, Walters experienced pain on the right side of her back. She insisted that her husband bring her to Cass Regional’s emergency department (ER) because of the previous experiences she had. “My ER physician, nurses, and staff were amazing. They ran all the right tests to uncover that I had issues with my ovaries, along with a kidney stone,” said Walters. The emergency physician decided it was best to transfer Walters to Research Medical Center where she first underwent a hysterectomy. Two weeks later, she had the kidney stone removed. Again, Walters felt that Cass Regional went the extra mile to ensure she was taken care of. Following these procedures, Walters had a bad fall in late 2018 which resulted in a torn meniscus and ligaments in her knee. Dr. Petersen performed surgery in early 2019, after which she was referred to physical therapy (PT). Though Walters could have done PT closer to where she lives, she chose Cass Regional. “It feels like home,” she said. CARDIAC REHABILITATION Cass Regional now offers rehab to patients with VADs Getting her life back —Continued from the cover