June 2022 - Health Beat

Employee Spotlight Shines On Ivy Gosine, RN

Posted on June 30, 2022 by Andrew Rubin

This month, we are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Ivy Gosine RN, the Clinical Nurse Manager for the Mother/Baby and Labor & Delivery Unit at Flushing Hospital Medical Center.

Ivy has been at Flushing Hospital for ten years. She is a native of Queens, having grown up in the Corona and Briarwood communities of the borough. She attended elementary school at P.S. 143 and is a graduate of Flushing High School. Ivy attended the CUNY Graduate Center and graduated with a degree in Psychology of Women and Children. She then went on to obtain her RN degree.

Ivy currently lives on Long Island in Suffolk County. She has two children, a son who is in high school and a daughter who will attend middle school in the fall. She also has a three-year-old Goldendoodle named Kobe. Family is very important to Ivy and spending time with them is a priority.

In her free time Ivy enjoys gardening, cooking, entertaining at home and also likes watching sports. Whether cooking at home or when she goes out, she enjoys all types of cuisine. Her taste in music varies and ranges from classical, to soca, including whatever is new and exciting today.

Ivy enjoys traveling to places in the Caribbean that have warm weather and beautiful beaches. One of her favorite places to go on vacation is to the island of Aruba.

Working at Flushing Hospital has been a great learning experience for Ivy. Everyone at the hospital is very supportive of one another. She enjoys being able to educate patients on how to care for themselves and their newborns during their stay. She also takes great pride in the fact that the hospital serves such a diverse community.

We are very proud of the contributions Ivy makes to Flushing Hospital and we look forward to her continuing on with us for many more years.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Tips To Cope With Loneliness

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Xavia Malcolm

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines loneliness as, “an emotion that comes from a lack of social connection.”

Almost everyone will experience feeling lonely at some point in their lives. In fact, data from a 2020 survey concluded that approximately 60% of adults living in the United States experienced loneliness that year.

Loneliness can affect our health in different ways:

It can lead to mental health issues such as depression
It can affect concentration
It can affect sleep health

What can you do to combat loneliness? The CDC has the following suggestions to help you cope:

Start a conversation.

Call, video chat, or text message friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. Write a letter or postcard.

Use social media and virtual technology.

Use your time online to connect and interact with others instead of scrolling through posts. Set limited timeframes for reading the news.

Try virtual volunteering to provide support in your community.

Many organizations, including faith-based organizations, offer online/virtual volunteer opportunities which can give you the chance to contribute to something that you find important.

Practice self-compassion and self-care.

Be gentle with yourself. Take time for yourself. Read, listen to music, exercise, or learn a new skill. Acknowledge your successes and give yourself a break. You are doing the best you can.

Seek help from a professional if your loneliness becomes overwhelming or feels unmanageable.

Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling.

To speak with a mental health provider at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call (718) 670-5316.

June is Cataract Awareness Month

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Andrew Rubin

June is recognized as Cataract Awareness Month. The purpose of this recognition is to bring attention to an eye condition, which is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 30 million people in the United States today have cataracts and that by the year 2032 this number will grow to 39 million.

A cataract occurs when the lens of either one or both eyes become cloudy. The symptoms include blurry vision, faded vision, or a halo effect around lights.

The most commonly used technique to correct a cataract is the surgical removal of the affected lens and replacing it with an artificial lens.

If you are experiencing vision problems, you should schedule an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as possible. You may schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center by calling 718-670-5486.

Asthma and Allergies

Posted on June 1, 2022 by Andrew Rubin

The most common form of asthma is caused by an allergic reaction. More than fifty percent of people who suffer from asthma have this type of disease. Asthma is an airway obstruction caused by inflammation and is a reaction that people have when they are exposed to substances that they are allergic to. Some of the offending substances are pet dander, pollen, dust mites, mold, and some foods. An asthma attack has three components:

• The bands of muscles surrounding the airways in the lungs tighten. This is called bronchospasm.

• The lining of the airways becomes inflamed and swollen.

• There is an increase in mucous production in the lining of the airway.

All of these factors make it harder for air to pass through the lungs, and breathing becomes difficult.

Treatment for allergy-induced asthma requires testing to see what a person is allergic to. Once these allergens have been identified the patient will be advised to avoid them. There is no cure for asthma but, there are several medications available that can help control it. Antihistamines are often administered, which help reduce the allergic reaction.

A physician may prescribe corticosteroids to reduce the inflammation of the airway and make breathing easier. Some medications are given for immediate relief of symptoms. Such as bronchodilators which are inhaled as needed to help to relax the airways.

Other medications are used for long-term control of symptoms and are taken on a daily basis. Speak to your physician if you experience difficulty breathing after coming in contact with certain substances. There are different treatment options available and you want to learn about the one that will be best for you. You can also schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist at Flushing Hospital by calling 718-670-5486.