One retired nurse chose Jamestown Regional Medical Center because of its low rate of infections.
Donna Mae Nelson, a Valley City native, worked as a nurse for 40 years because she loved caring for people and helping them heal. During that time, she also worked in infection control, meaning she specialized in the prevention of outbreaks and epidemics.
So when Nelson started feeling tired, losing weight, was found to have a low hemoglobin level, and found to have blood in her stool, the nurse in her said something was not right. These symptoms are all common signs of colon cancer. At the advice of her primary care physician, Nelson scheduled a colonoscopy, although she was not due for another five years.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a person should have a colonoscopy every 10 years after the age of 50. However, if results show colon polyps or if there is a family history of colon cancer, an individual may need to have screenings more often.
“I didn’t think it could happen to me because I have regular colonoscopies,” Nelson said. “But I also thought ‘we can overcome this’ too.”
In December, Dr. Steven Maier, discovered a cancerous mass during the colonoscopy. That meant Nelson needed to have part of her large bowel surgically removed.
Once diagnosed, Nelson contacted her four children.
“My daughter, Jenelle, a nurse practitioner, knew the consequences that could occur,” Nelson said. “All my children were supportive.”
Nelson chose JRMC because the rate of surgical site infections is so low. Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the second most common healthcare-associated infection (HAI). SSI rates are disproportionately higher among patients following colorectal surgeries. Resulting SSIs can lead to significant patient complications.
In 2017, JRMC performed 20 surgeries of the large bowel. None of them resulted in an infection, meaning JRMC had a 0% infection rate.
She also chose JRMC because it is local.
“I love rural hospitals,” she said.
General Surgeon Dr. Christopher Maki removed one-third of Nelson’s colon during her January procedure at JRMC. During surgery, Dr. Maki also reattached her small bowel to the rest of her colon.
At her follow up appointment with one week later, Nelson received happy results. The cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes.
“The use of laparoscopic hand-assisted or minimally invasive colon resections significantly reduces postoperative pain and complications such as hernias and infections,” Dr. Maki said. “Patients recover faster with less pain.”
Of the four major surgeries in her life, Nelson said, this had been one of the best recoveries. She was walking within eight hours and eating solid food within 48 hours of surgery. Since surgery, Nelson and her husband have discussed the new cancer history with their grown children. Since then, each of their children has scheduled and received their colonoscopies. Thankfully, all results were negative.
“Being a nurse, I was most appreciative of the nursing care that I had. I felt that the staff was very competent. And I taught nursing for 10 years,” she said.
Nelson looks forward to the rest of her retirement enjoying time with her husband, “spoiling” her grandchildren and volunteering her time.