CVMC Earns Only 'A' Grade in the Region for Patient Safety in Spring 2019

HICKORY, NC – Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) was awarded an ‘A’ from The Leapfrog Group ’s Spring 2019 Hospital Safety Grade. The designation recognizes CVMC’s efforts in protecting patients from harm and meeting the highest safety standards in the United States. CVMC was the only hospital in Catawba County’s region to earn this top designation. The ...

CVHS Celebrates 2019 National Emergency Medical Services Week

The 45th annual National EMS Week is May 19-25and Catawba Valley Health System (CVHS) is actively thanking area EMS personnel all week for their service and partnership. In 1974, President Gerald Ford authorized EMS Week to celebrate EMS practitioners and the important work they do in our nation's communities. CVHS is working to ensure that the important contributions of EMS practitioners in ...

Four From CVHS Achieve Advanced Neonatal Certification

Four from Catawba Valley Health System (CVHS) recently completed their Neonatal Touch and Massage Certification (NTMC), which places them among only 1,300 professionals nationally with this distinction. We congratulate NICU nurses Meredith McSwain, BSN, RNC, and Katherine Evans, BSN, RNC, as well as occupational therapists Tabitha Yates MS, ORT/L, NTMTC, and Heather Carswell MS, ORT/L, NTMTC, for ...

Roneisha Hackett's Natural Hospital Birth

As a second-time mom, Roneisha Hackett, 29, knew she wanted a more fulfilling and empowering birth experience than she had with her first son, Modest, seven years ago. So, shortly after finding out she was pregnant, she called her maternal aunt Isaline Simms, a midwife living in Crestone, CO – a remote town known for spiritual pilgrimages, ecotourism and many diverse cultures within close ...

Salute to Nursing

Each year since 1993, we celebrate National Nurses Week from May 6 through May 12. Why not a standard week, Sunday through Saturday, you might ask? It’s because the final day, May 12, also happens to be the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. National Nurses Week is a time for everyone – individuals, employers, fellow healthcare professionals and other ...

Stay-Healthy Travel Tips

Do your summer plans include traveling outside of the country? Don’t forget to make an appointment with a travel medicine specialist prior to summer travel to discuss important health and safety tips specific to your destination. Here are some travel health tips to help you before you go: 1. Do your research Learn about the health concerns at your destination. Even if you’re familiar ...

Stroke Prevention: Knowledge is Power

Every 40 seconds, someone in America has a stroke. While they are the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States, strokes are both preventable and treatable. May is American Stroke Month, a time to raise awareness about stroke prevention and treatment. To do that, we must know the risk factors and warning signs. Stroke Risk Factors Poor diet and lack of exercise can increase your chance of ...

Personal Journeys Shape Care For Cancer Patients on Their Own Journeys

As cancer survivors themselves, surgical nurse Christie Isenhour, BSN, RN-BC, Patient Care Manager, and Lisa Nealen, RT(R)(M), Mammography Technician, have unique perspectives that enhance the care they provide to cancer patients. Both feel that their blend of personal experience and clinical knowledge makes a dramatic difference in their ability to support others facing a journey with cancer. ...

Urgent Care vs ER vs Primary Care: Where to Go When Your Child is Sick

Whether your child is a newborn or a college student, when he or she gets sick, you will want to know where to turn for medical care. Dr. Ryan Greemann with Catawba Valley Family Medicine – Maiden encourages parents to be prepared before their children get sick by understanding the difference between getting care in an Emergency Room (ER), at an Urgent Care clinic or at a Primary Care ...

RD Weighs in on Intermittent Fasting

Curious about intermittent fasting for weight loss? We asked our Wellness Dietitian, Renee Greene, RD, LDN, to weigh in on this popular diet and health trend. What is Intermittent Fasting? Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and fasting. During periods of fasting, you are instructed to eat either a very small amount or nothing at all depending on ...