Applications are now being accepted for this year’s HCAMPS (HealthCare Academy for Middle School Pupil’s Success) – a weeklong program for middle school students interested in a career in healthcare.

St. Mary’s created HCAMPS to give students an opportunity to interact with health care providers, learn about the variety of careers available in the health care industry, and understand the educational requirements for a career in health care.

This year’s program will take place Monday, June 2^nd – Friday, June 6^th and is open to Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson or Posey county students entering 8^th grade in the fall of 2014 who have a minimum 3.3 grade point average. Interested students must submit a teacher’s online evaluation, a 150 word essay, and a recent school picture.  The deadline to apply is Thursday, January 23, 2014 at 4 pm.

HCAMPS highlights include:

• Treating “patients” in a simulation lab.
• Hands-on experience in the St. Mary’s Emergency Department, Nursery, and Trauma Services Departments.
• Touring health science facilities at Ivy Tech Community College, the University of Evansville, and the University of Southern Indiana.
• Performing hands-on activities, such as dissecting a cow heart.

The cost of the program is $75. Financial aid is available. For more information, please contact: Margaret L. Moutseous, Project Director HCAMPS, 812.485.4221 or mlmoutseous@stmarys.org

Winter sports and snowy day activities provide lots of exercise and fun, but there’s also the risk of injury, an expert warns.

“More than 700,000 injuries are reported each year in the United States due to sledding. More than 30 percent are head injuries, caused by collisions,” Dr. Daryl O’Connor, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, part of the Loyola University Health System, said in a Loyola news release.

He also warned of the potential risks of a number of other sports.

“Lacerations, as well as neck, shoulder and knee injuries are common in hockey. Many injuries are caused through contact with another player, the ice, a puck or [an] actual skate blade,” O’Connor said.

As for ice skating, he said that injuries “to the wrist as well as head and neck are most common, and most injuries are caused by falls.”

Among snowboarders, wrist and elbow injuries are caused by falling on outstretched hands. And, he warned, skiers knees “really take a pounding and injury is often caused by extreme twisting force propelled by the skis.”

O’Connor implored kids and teens to avoid “skitching,” which is when someone grabs a car’s rear bumper and slides on their feet, or is pulled by ropes on inner tubes or sleds through icy streets.

“This is not even a sport; it’s just being foolish,” O’Connor said. “In addition to broken bones, neck and shoulder injuries, young people can suffer fatal head trauma. Please, resist the skitch at all costs.”

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers winter safety tips.

Deaconess Clinic Screenings FAQs

1)       Do I need to be a Deaconess Clinic patient to participate in these screenings?
No.  These are open to anyone in the community, not just current patients.

2)      Do I need to fast?
If you are only seeking an A1C screening or blood pressure screening, you do not have to fast.  For a blood glucose screening, 8 hours is required, and for lipid profile, 12 hours is necessary.  Water is allowed.

3)       How can I pay?
Payment is by cash, check or credit/debit card.   You may be able to use your Flexible Spending Account, but you must check with your plan provider

4)      Can my insurance pay for these screenings?
These community screenings are only on a cash (fee for service) basis.

5)      Who will be doing the screenings and health education?
Deaconess screening nurses, wellness coaches and health coach nurses are conducting these screenings.

For directions to Deaconess Clinic locations click here

Three Mexican Gray Wolves escaped from Mesker Park Zoo. The zoo was on lock down Wednesday afternoon while zoo keepers worked to capture escaped wolves.

All wolves were captured after 4:30 p.m. It was reported that the wolves dug a hole and slipped out of their enclosure.