POSTED: February 18, 2009 Peterson Rehabilitation Hospital, located in the residential area of the Woodsdale section of Wheeling, is a specialized rehab hospital that differentiates itself by its size, history and experience.
Peterson, a division of Guardian Elder Care, has been voted by the community to be the No. 1 rehab center in the Ohio Valley for three consecutive years — 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Peterson is the largest rehabilitation hospital in the Ohio Valley with a total of 172 beds, 150 of which are used for skilled nursing. Peterson offers four levels of care under one roof: inpatient rehabilitation, comprehensive skilled nursing, long-term care and outpatient therapy.
Peterson’s staffing strategies are designed with patient outcomes in mind. Peterson’s senior nursing staff — Charlene Jones, chief nursing officer; Judy Nesbitt, assistant director of nursing; Barb LaRue, registered nurse house supervisor; and Jennifer Williams, RN house supervisor — each been awarded a scholarship to attend the West Virginia Nursing Leadership Institute in Charleston.
Dr. William Mercer, medical director of Peterson, has been asked to serve as the WVMDA delegate at the annual American Medical Directors Association meeting. Peterson’s executive director, Barb Sisarcick, will accompany Mercer at this convention in Charlotte, N.C.
Sisarcick and Jackie Loccisano, RN, represented the West Virginia Health Care Association at the Advancing Excellence Lane Interchange conference held in Dallas, Texas. They are both significantly involved in facilitating quality initiatives in long-term care.
The therapy department at Peterson is in the process of putting together Accelerated Care Plus specialized treatment programs. The use of these devices will enhance patient care, quality of life and independence, promote superior outcomes, optimize functional gains and improve opportunities to return home. This will assist the Peterson team with physical modality basics; for example pain management, contracture management, fall prevention, bladder diagnostics, wound healing and continence improvement.
Peterson’s acute inpatient rehabilitation bathroom is undergoing a facelift. Coming soon on the acute rehab wing will be a new spa for the rehab patients to enjoy and to assist in their recovery.
Peterson is a member of the Association of Rehab Nurses, and its nurses are in the process of validating their skills with certification in rehab. The inpatient acute rehab department of Peterson focuses on treating short-stay patients with any of the following diagnoses: stroke, spinal cord injuries, congenital deformity, amputation, major multiple trauma, fractures, brain injuries, burns, arthritis, joint replacement, neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, polyneuropathy, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson’s disease.
Sharon Lewis, RN, director of staff development, will be offering certified nursing assistant classes at Peterson. Look for this to happen in the third quarter of this year. Anyone interested should call Lewis at 304-234-0556.
Peterson has reorganized the layout of patient and resident services to provide easier access for patients, residents and their families. The staff plans to extend the office hours of the business office and social services department in the near future to provide after-hours accessibility.
Anyone interested in taking a tour of Peterson can call Diane Miller, director of marketing, at 304-234-0562.
For questions about services, call Ann Wharton, RN, director of admissions & case management, at 304-234-0538. For questions about outpatient therapy, call Kathy Brown at 304-234-0553. |
