Elyssa Miller

 I contacted a health worker from my home town, Gig  Harbor, Washington because that is where I am considering to live in the future.  I discussed with Cheryl Kay who has being noticing many trends within the Sub-Acute Hospital in her area.

1.       She has noticed that in the winter time there was an increase in broken hips. She suspected that the as the weather conditions were icier, more elderly were susceptible to falling. Now that the weather is getting warmer, she has not seen any new broken hips. Those who fell in the winter are just now recovering and gearing up to return home.
2.       Also, she has noticed an increase in medical marijuana use. Patients are using it for a decrease in pain and as an appetite stimulant. In the area that she lives, it is common to use marijuana, especially within the younger generation. But recently, the laws have changed and have made marijuana legal in Washington.
3.       In Washington, the number of nurses seeking employment has increased significantly. There are more nurses seeking employment than there are jobs available. Since the economy has dropped, those who were considering retirement have continued in the field. Also, women who were not working have now returned to work.  Additionally, the hospital has reduced the number of working positions.  It is now hard for a new nurse to find a position.
4.       There are currently a lot of opportunities for volunteering in nursing positions throughout her county. But, many people are taking advantage of this opportunity.  Both nurses and even the doctors are fulfilling the spots. Now, not everybody who would like a volunteer position has been able to find one. It is positive that lots of volunteer work is getting done, but it is negative that not all who desire volunteer positions are getting them.
5.       Lastly, the number of people within her community who have been affected by the flu continues to increase.  Health workers within Gig Harbor are working to convince people that it is not too late to get their flu shots.  She promotes the free flu vaccination clinics that happen around the area.  The health department distributed over 50,000 flu vaccines for children to the local community providers.  The workers in her area want to make sure these are taken advantage of.