Clinton Township Newsletter

2 1 j u n e 2 0 2 2 Melanie Sloyer was 17 the day her cousin and other volunteer EMTs came to her high school to talk with students about joining the ambulance squad. They would have so much time to spend together if she joined, her cousin told her that day in 2008. "I ran two calls with him as an observer, and that was it. I was hooked!" Melanie remembers. She joined High Bridge Emergency Squad – one of the two squads that merged to form South Branch Emergency Services – and became a volunteer EMT at age 18. In the years since, Melanie has become a special education teacher at Holland Township School, a deacon who is in charge of the children's programs at Lebanon Reformed Church, wife to Derrick and son to 7-month-old Wesley. But Melanie still finds time to serve her community with her squad: She was one of the leaders guiding the merger of High Bridge and Clinton First Aid & Rescue. She's now SBES's vice president. And Melanie leads the cadet program, where she works with SBES's youngest volunteers - people as young as she was when she first joined. "Right now, my motivation is our cadet program," she said. "I love it because teens are truly exploring what EMS (emergency medical service) is. I hope I can help them have a positive experience and maybe be the segue that leads them to become an EMT, like others did for me." The SBES Juniors Program provides a path for interested 16- and 17-year- olds to learn about emergency medical care and prepare to take the EMT class and test, which are offered right at SBES's training facility. Melanie makes sure that in addition to CPR, first aid, problem-solving and time management, the cadets learn how to make patients comfortable, including those who are differently- abled or have a special needs. "If a child is non-verbal, for example, they may not be able to use words to tell us how they are feeling or what has happened, but as EMTs, we need to obtain that kind of information," she said. "I talked to them about finding other ways to communicate, such as drawing pictures, using sign language, even typing on a phone." Melanie has used these same skills on calls. "Sometimes, it's as simple as asking other people at the scene if a person who is non-verbal has a communication board – a board with pictures they can point to to use to communicate," Melanie said. Using the skills she has acquired through her work as a teacher to help other people w h e n t h e y need her most is a wonderful f e e l i n g , s h e said. "I have f o u n d m y niche and my space at SBES using my skill set." Want to use y o u r u n i q u e skills to make a d i f f e r e n c e i n y o u r c o m m u n i t y ? W h a t e v e r y o u r t a l e n t s and interests, t h e r e ' s a n emergency or non-emergency role waiting for you at South Branch Emergency Services. Sign up, learn more, or ask a question at SBES365.org M e e t s o U t h B r a n C h V o l U n t e e r e M t M e l a n i e s l o y e r – s h e U s e s s k i l l s a C Q U i r e D a s a t e a C h e r t o h e l p p a t i e n t s & G U i D e y o U n G V o l U n t e e r s h U n t e r D o n h e a l t h C a r e n a t i o n a l l y r e C o G n i z e D W i t h a n ' a ' l e a p f r o G h o s p i t a l s a f e t y G r a D e Hunterdon Healthcare received an "A" Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for spring 2022. This national distinction recognizes Hunterdon Healthcare's achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital. "We are proud to be nationally recognized for patient safety by receiving five consecutive A grades. This signifies our outstanding effort and attention to patient safety which is at the forefront of everything we do," stated Patrick Gavin, President and CEO of Hunterdon Healthcare. The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an "A," "B," "C," "D," or "F" grade to general hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. "As our health care system continues to feel the strain of the pandemic, I thank the workforce and leadership of Hunterdon Healthcare for sustained commitment to patient safety, day in and day out," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "An 'A' Safety Grade is an outstanding achievement and one that is not possible without a 24/7 effort by the entire health care workforce to protect patients from harm. This community should be proud." To see Hunterdon Healthcare's full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www. HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, and via its newsletter. For more information about Hunterdon Healthcare, visit: www.hunterdonhealthcare.org. "June is bustin' out all over." ~ Oscar Hammerstein II

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