AMC holds health fair

Acadian Medical Center held health fairs this week at its Eunice and Ville Platte campuses.
“We want people to know what a stint is and what a blockage looks like,” said emergency room director Lisa Johnson. “If you have a heart attack or cardiac event, don’t drive. Call 911.”
Emergency room staff, a surgeon, a dietitian and staff members from Education and Infection Control, the Catheterization Lab and Cardiac Rehabilitation conducted weight, blood pressure, heart rate and pulse oximetry tests and handed out educational materials.
Johnson was asking health fair attendees to sign the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care Early Heart Attack Care Pledge. The pledge includes the following stipulations: learn the early signs and symptoms of a heart attack; take the pledge and share EHAC with others; visit your doctor and discuss your risk; be alert; and if a heart attack occurs, call 911.
The signer acknowledges that if he or she understands that the start of a heart attack may include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, shoulder and/or arm pain, and weakness, and that the symptoms may occur hours or weeks before the actual heart attack. The signer also pledges that he or she will contact 911 or emergency medical services should they or some they know experience these symptoms.
The importance of the pledge was stressed by Acadian Ambulance paramedic Ben Fontenot.
“Call us,” Fontenot said. “Don’t try to drive. If we pick you up, we can begin medications and EKGs and get you where you need to go. If it’s after hours, we will know which hospital has the services you need, and we will know whether to get you to Opelousas, Baton Rouge or even Alexandria.”
Fontenot is in charge of quality improvement for Acadian Ambulance, and he reviews medical records of those transported via acadian ambulance and helps train new paramedics.
“Medicine evolves,” Fontenot said. “Any time there are changes in medicine, I do the education for this Acadian Ambulance area.”
Melissa Reynolds, a dietitian, provided attendants with education on healthy eating and reading nutrition labels.
“Small, constant changes are better than trying to make drastic changes (in eating habits),” Reynolds said. “Make small changes toward goal. Small and steady. Small changes build up.”
Glenda Moreau, LPN coordinator for Infection control and employee health education, was conducting blood pressure checks at the health fair.
“I help to assess the new hires,” Moreau said. “I check the labs and reports to Office of Public Health. I also teach education in all different parts of the hospital.”