HJBR Jan/Feb 2023

44 JAN / FEB 2023  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs FranUNamed Nursing School of the Year for Graduate Degree Programs The Louisiana Nurses Foundation awarded Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University as the 2022 Nursing School of the Year for Grad- uate Degree Programs during its annual Night- ingale Awards on Oct. 29 at the Crowne Plaza Executive Center. The Foundation recognizes excellence in nurs- ing across 18 award categories, as well as addi- tions to the LSNA Hall of Fame. This year was the largest number of nominees in the 21 years of the event. “We are so happy that the high quality of our graduate programs was recognized by our peers and colleagues at the Nightingale Award Cer- emony. Our family nurse practitioner and nurse anesthesia faculty work hard every day to ensure our students have learning experiences that help them become knowledgeable and compassion- ate advanced practice nurses who are able to provide evidence-based nursing care. The care provided by our nursing students and graduates ultimately improves access to healthcare and excellent patient outcomes,” stated Amy Hall, dean of school of nursing. Since 1986, the Louisiana Nurses Founda- tion has served as the research, education, and charitable entity of the Louisiana State Nurses Louisiana Healthcare Connections Distributes 10,000th Crib After a pilot program in North Louisiana noted a 56% reduction in infant mortality, Louisiana Healthcare Connections expanded the Cribs for Kids safe sleep program statewide, recently dis- tributing its 10,000th crib across the state. Sleep-related incidents are the leading cause of death in babies up to 12 months, and Louisi- ana has the second highest infant mortality rate in the country according to the CDC. Launched in 2019, pregnant Louisiana Healthcare Connec- tions members received Safe Sleep Survival Kits containing a portable crib and educational mate- rials teaching sleep safety for infants. “We have had so many wonderful comments from happy, expectant members who received safe-sleep packages from Louisiana Healthcare Connections,” noted President and CEO Jamie Schlottman. “We are pleased to bring smiles to our members and safer sleeping for their babies.” Including a slight uptick in infant mortality dur- ing the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, over- all, the program has noted a downward trend with approximately 50% fewer sleep-related deaths statewide from pre-program levels, with an even larger percentage in the original pilot region. “Data-driven insights help us target real-world problems with innovative solutions,” noted Lou- isiana Healthcare Connections Chief Medical Officer Stewart Gordon, MD. “This milestone 10,000th crib marks many more babies waking up healthy throughout Louisiana today, and that’s the sort of healthcare that makes a difference.” Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic Opens Hammond Location Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic (BROC) recently opened its newest location in Hammond, Louisiana. This clinic will provide full-time access to orthopedic care, and many of BROC’s sub-spe- cialists will rotate to this location. Nathan Hensler, MD, is a primary care sports medicine physician specializing in non-opera- tive care of sports and musculoskeletal injuries including concussions, fractures, sprains, strains, and other injuries and conditions. He is dedicated and committed to this location and will treat both adult and pediatric patients. BROC Hammond Clinic recently hosted an open house at their new location. Melissa Bor- delon, president of the Tangipahoa Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor Peter Panepinto attended the event and participated in a ribbon cutting. Also participating in the ribbon cutting were BROC CEO Trey Williamson and physicians Nathan Hensler, MD, Tim Bowlin, MD, David Ferachi, MD, Craig Greene, MD, Mike Blanchard, MD, and Wame Waggenspack, MD. The clinic is located at Veteran’s Medical Center, 42078 Veteran’s Ave., Suite B in Hammond. Ochsner Opens NewUrgent Care Clinic in DenhamSprings Ochsner Baton Rouge opened the Ochsner Urgent Care & Occupational Health – Denham Springs, located at 27342 Juban Road, Suite 102, on Nov. 1. With a total investment of $1.15 million, the 2,485-square-foot clinic has four exam rooms, X-ray space, and a treatment room. “Urgent care is a critical resource for after-hours healthcare concerns that need attention but are not necessarily life-threatening emergencies. It puts Ochsner’s expertise even closer to home,” said Chuck Daigle, CEO, Ochsner Baton Rouge. “This clinic is especially important to Denham Springs, which is still experiencing growth.”