Antibiotic Resistance: You’ve got Questions? We’ve got Answers.

By Cindy Michaels, RN, CIC, Infection Preventionist

Did you know? 

Cindy Michaels, RN, CIC
BMC Infection Preventionist

Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections. When used properly, antibiotics can save lives by killing bacteria or preventing them from reproducing. But if taken when not needed or used improperly, they can do more harm than good. Using antibiotics in the wrong way can lead to antibiotic resistant infections.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem in the United States. Each year, at least 2 million people get serious infections with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics designed to treat those infections. Patients and families can play an important role in helping to ensure antibiotics are always used appropriately.

What is antibiotic resistance?
Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria change and become able to resist the effects of an antibiotic.

How can I help prevent antibiotic resistance?
• Take antibiotics exactly as your healthcare provider instructs. It is important to finish your medication even if you feel better. If you stop treatment too soon, some bacteria may survive and reinfect you.
• Only take antibiotics prescribed for you.
• Do not save antibiotics for the next illness or share them with others.

What questions should I ask my provider about antibiotics?
1. Do I really need an antibiotic?
          You do not need antibiotics for:
                  • Colds or flu;
                  • Most coughs and bronchitis;
                  • Sore throats not caused by strep;
                  • Runny noses; or
                  • Most earaches 

2. Can I get better without this antibiotic? 
3. What side effects or drug interactions can I expect? 
4. What side effects should I report to you? 
5. How do you know what kind of infection I have?

To learn more about antibiotic resistance, visit http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/ or http://apic.org/infectionpreventionandyou. 



Information gathered in part from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

Lunch & Snack Ideas to Start the School Year

By BMC Dietitian, Sarah Motl, MS, RD

At the Webster Elementary School Community Fair yesterday, we shared some fun, simple lunch and snack ideas for students and their parents to start the school year!  Click here to view the snack ideas and here to view the lunch ideas.  We also handed out a simple yet delicious hummus recipe to eat with carrots or another vegetable your child likes. To view the recipe, click here.

We hope you enjoy them! 

Tips for Picking Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

By BMC Dietitian, Sarah Motl, MS, RD

Sarah Motl, MS, RD, BMC Dietitian

As summer stretches on, farmers' markets are in full swing. There are 5 farmers' markets in Burnett County with fresh, local produce just waiting to be added to your dinner table. 

Visiting a farmers' market is a great way to learn more about the produce and get tips for preparing new-to-you fruits and vegetables. Talking with the farmers who are selling you the produce is the best way to know how fresh the item is, but here are some more tips for selecting fruits and vegetables that are currently in season:

Watermelon: When buying a whole watermelon, it should be symmetrical with a smooth surface and well-rounded ends. Store ripe watermelon in the fridge, but remove it an hour before serving for the sweetest taste.

Bell Peppers: Look for smooth, heavy peppers and don’t be afraid to shake it. If you hear seeds rattling, the pepper is over-ripe. Red peppers are riper and sweeter versions of green.

Tomatoes: Select tomatoes that have all over rich, red color, and smooth, blemish-free skin. Tomatoes should be heavy for their size and give slightly when pressed.

Carrots: Look for firm carrots with a rich orange color. Avoid those with soft/flabby roots.

Corn: Look for corn with green, moist-looking husks; avoid brownish husks. Kernels should be plump, and if you apply slight pressure to a kernel, juice should squirt out.

Cucumbers: Select hard, firm cucumbers; avoid those that appear yellowish. Cucumber skin has a natural sheen to it.

When visiting the farmers' market, plan to get there early for the best selection and to avoid the crowds. Knowing what produce is in season can help you plan your trip and meals, but don’t be afraid to try new items. Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day is an important part of a healthy, balanced diet and visiting one of Burnett County's farmers' markets is an easy way to get those fruits and vegetables.

Food Safety Tips for a Healthy 4th of July

By BMC Dietitian, Sarah Motl, MS, RD

Sarah Motl, MS, RD, BMC Dietitian

For many, picnics and barbecues are a huge part of celebrating the 4th of July. Consider these tips for keeping food safe at your holiday celebrations:

Transporting Food:

• Keep cold food cold: place cold food in a cooler with ice or frozen ice packs. Keep food below 40 degrees F. 
• Keep coolers closed: once at the picnic site, limit how often the cooler is opened to help keep food colder, longer.
• Don’t cross-contaminate: be sure to keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood securely wrapped and separate from cooked/prepared foods such as salads, fruits, and vegetables.

Grilling:

• Marinate safely: marinate foods in the fridge, NEVER on the kitchen counter or outside. Don’t reuse marinade.
• Cook food thoroughly: Always make sure your food is cooked through and check temperatures with a food thermometer. Steaks need to be 145 degrees F, poultry needs to be 165 degrees F, and hamburgers need to reach 160 degrees F. 
• Don’t reuse platters/utensils: don’t use the same platter that had the raw meat on it to serve your grilled meats. 

Serving Food:

• Keep cold foods cold: Cold foods should be kept in the cooler until it is time to serve. Cold food should not sit out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees. 
• Keep hot foods hot: Hot foods should be kept above 140 degrees F. Place hot foods in an insulated container until serving. These foods also should not sit out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees. 
• If any food sits out for more than 2 hours, throw it away.

From all your friends at Burnett Medical Center, we wish you a happy and safe 4th of July!

Information in this article is not meant to replace the advice of your personal healthcare provider.

Please see additional disclaimer information

9 Tips for Preventing Common Gardening Injuries

By Marie Sarra, Physical Therapist, Burnett Medical Center

Marie Sarra, Physical Therapist
Burnett Medical Center

This weekend brings the official start to summer!  And if you’re a gardener, that likely means you're spending plenty of time in the garden by now.

The benefits of gardening are plenty—improved endurance and strength, maintenance of flexibility, stress reduction, and not to mention, having healthy, home-grown food on hand! Unfortunately, also with gardening come common injuries:

• Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are caused by a combination of the force on your body, poor posture, and repetitive tasks. They are often felt in the hands, wrists and forearms, shoulders, neck, and back. 
• Traumatic injuries such as back injuries, ankle sprains, fractures, or injuries from power tools can also occur.

To continue to enjoy your garden, consider these steps to prevent the most common types of injuries that affect gardeners:

1. To prevent back injury when moving heavy loads, avoid lifting heavy objects on your own. Instead, get someone to help you or use a wheelbarrow to transport loads. If you must move heavy objects by yourself, slide the object off a bench or tailgate or roll the object to its destination.

2. When lifting from the ground, follow these steps for a safe lift:

• Clear the way to the object’s destination first. 
• Keep the load close to you with your arms comfortably bent. 
• Keep your back straight! Squat with a wide stance and bend at the knees to lift the object from between your feet. 
• Avoid jerky movements or reaching, twisting, or bending while carrying a load. 

3. If you are shoveling, squat with your legs apart, knees bent, and back straight. Lift with your legs. Do not bend at the waist. Scoop small amounts into the shovel and walk to where you want to dump it. Holding a shovelful with your arms outstretched puts too much weight on your spine, so keep the load close.

4. Maintain good posture. Posture can be affected by the location of your job and your body, the force needed for the job, the position of your limbs, and the tool you are using. When doing ground work, never over-reach; move to the job and keep close to your work. Always face your work straight-on without twisting. Use a gardening bench, stool, or knee pad while working. You can also use raised garden beds or table-top gardens to avoid bending excessively. To decrease awkward postures, check your body alignment and change position often.

5. Avoid injuring your shoulders or neck by reaching overhead too much. Keep your work below shoulder level when possible, including using a ladder to bring yourself up to the level you are working. If you must reach overhead, take breaks to stretch your arms and back, or break up the activity by interspersing it with another task.

6. To protect your hands and arms, keep your elbows partially bent, especially when doing activities requiring elbow strength. Use a weeding tool to avoid twisting the forearms repeatedly back and forth. Keep your arms and wrists in a neutral position – with the thumbs up and without cocking your wrist up, down, or sideways (like giving a handshake).

7. Wear correct footwear to help prevent ankle sprains. Using sandals or soft shoes can put you at risk for injury.

8. Be aware of the symptoms of a problem! Symptoms may include tingling, swelling, impaired ability to move, decreased grip strength, numbness, or change in color of hands or fingertips.  Another symptom may be experiencing pain with movement, pressure, vibration, or exposure to cool temperatures.

 
9. The most important rule in repetitive strain injury prevention is to never work through pain! If you are already aching, you may aggravate already existing injuries by pushing your body past its limits. RSI can become chronic if you do not listen to your body! Stop doing what hurts. If you do feel pain from gardening, you can help reduce inflammation by using ice on the area of injury.

Information in this article is not meant to replace the advice of your personal healthcare provider.

Please see additional disclaimer information.

6 Tips for Preventing & Treating Tick Bites

By Blaise Vitale, MD, Burnett Medical Center

Blaise Vitale, MD
Burnett Medical Center

Ticks have already started to show up in Burnett County. They are especially easy to find on warm spring days in brushy areas. While ticks can certainly cause some diseases, proper care can allow you to enjoy the great outdoors.

Prevention is the best medicine.

1. Know which insect repellents are effective against ticks.
Insect repellents containing DEET are largely ineffective against deer ticks (although they work great against mosquitoes). The best repellents contain permethrin. These can be found at local hardware stores, pharmacies, and Wal-Marts, and should be applied to clothing rather than directly on the skin.

2. If you have pets, know which treatments protect them.
Be aware that flea and tick collars are ineffective against ticks. However, there are several brands of tick treatments which are applied to the skin and will kill ticks on your pets for about a month. These are available through your veterinarian.

3. Cover your skin when working or playing in grassy or wooded areas.
To limit contact to your skin, wear a hat, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants with the legs tucked into your socks. Also keep in mind that it is easier to spot ticks on light-colored clothes.

If bitten, proper care is key.

4. If you are bit by a tick, there are many ways to remove them.
Wood Ticks (also called Dog Ticks in parts of the country) can simply be removed by pulling them off with your fingers.  Deer Ticks (also called Bear Ticks in parts of the country), however, have hard mouth parts with structures like porcupine quills which keep them embedded and difficult to remove. The best option calls for using tweezers. I have the best luck with two pairs of tweezers—I use the first pair to gently lift up the tick and then use the second pair to grab as close as possible to the mouth. Once you have the tick grasped, gently twist it out until they release (usually several turns).

5. If you’ve been bit, know what care is appropriate.
While most Deer Ticks in this area are infected with the bacterium which causes Lyme disease, they tend to spread the bacterium inefficiently (only about 3% of people who are bitten by infected Deer Ticks will develop Lyme disease).

If bitten by a tick, I generally suggest that people watch for symptoms. Simple achiness should first be treated at home with over the counter analgesics such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen before seeking medical attention. However, if you develop a rash, fevers, or more severe muscle achiness, you should probably seek medical attention. For instance, if you become sick with a fever above 101 degrees during the summer months without a definite source of infection (e.g. an ear ache), you may have developed a tick-borne disease. Early diagnosis and treatment will allow you to recover more quickly. If you have had symptoms for over six weeks, and if you have never had Lyme disease, the blood test for Lyme is highly accurate.

6. If you have an allergy to tick bites, know the benefit and proper care.
After being bitten several times by Deer Ticks, many people develop an allergy to the saliva of the tick. This causes significant itching and a small red rash so that these people can usually tell when a Deer Tick has bitten them. Since they will likely remove the tick less than 24 hours after a bite, this allergy can actually decrease the odds of transmission of Lyme disease. However, this itching can sometimes last for several weeks. If you know you are allergic, after cleaning the wound carefully, application of over-the-counter Hydrocortisone will decrease the amount of itching within a few days. 

The staff of Burnett Medical Center are happy to assist you with these or any other medical concerns.

Now that you know proper prevention and care for tick bites, get out there and enjoy the great outdoors!


Information in this article is not meant to replace the advice of your personal healthcare provider.

Please see additional disclaimer information.

Energy for Everyday Living

Janelle Smested, OTR, Occupational Therapist

By Janelle Smestad, OTR, Occupational Therapist

Spring can be an especially busy time with yard work, gardening, spring cleaning and home repairs. By following these energy-saving techniques, you'll find that you not only have more energy, but that your energy lasts throughout the day.

Reduce fatigue

• Consider how you can do some jobs sitting rather than standing such as chopping vegetables, ironing and woodworking. Sitting reduces energy use by 25%. 
• Alternate postures and take frequent stretch breaks throughout the day. 
• Incorporate a system of work and rest into activities. Short rest breaks of five minutes during daily activities can help increase overall endurance. 
• Alternate between heavy and light tasks. 
• Divide activities throughout the week instead of overdoing it in one day. 

Create a comfortable environment

• If the surrounding conditions are pleasant the job will be less tiring and more enjoyable. 
• Listen to your favorite music when doing chores. 
• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. 
• Do not work in extreme temperatures, both cold and hot. 
• Humidity can cause increased fatigue. 

Organize your work

• Plan your activities first to avoid extra trips. Assemble necessary supplies and equipment prior to doing the job. For example, arrange garden supplies and tools prior to planting. 
• Store heavy and most frequently used articles in the area easiest to reach at waist level, and lighter, less frequently used articles in the high and low areas. 

Use good posture

• Avoid excessive bending, reaching, carrying and lifting. Avoid extra trips by using a cart or wagon to carry items. A small basket keeps cleaning supplies handy. A carpenter's apron works well for small home repairs. 
• When carrying, divide the load; e.g. carry two smaller bags of supplies in each arm instead of one large heavy bag. Slide or push items instead of lifting or carrying. And if you do need to carry an item, keep it close to your body. 
• Prevent bending and stooping by using long or adjustable handles on dustpans, brushes, and even paint rollers. Use a kneeling pad for gardening or sit on a foot stool. Build up your garden beds if able. 

Try just a few of these strategies to add energy to your day!





Information gathered in part by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists