SLVH Employees Learn Frostbite Best Practices

On January 13, 2023, over 20 SLV Health employees attended a virtual lecture about best practices in treating patients with frostbite.

The class was offered with the leadership of Julie Ramstetter, BSN, RN, TCRN, Trauma Services Coordinator for SLV Health. The virtual class was taught by Dr. Witkor, Medical Director at UC Health’s Burn and Frostbite Center. Approximately 80 medical staff attended from around the state.

“Our biggest takeaway from Dr. Witkor’s lecture is to recognize our ability to quickly rewarm the frostbite areas,” commented Ramstetter. “We were reminded to take before and after pictures and to consult with the burn center to determine if the patient qualifies for tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy to give them the best chance for those limbs to survive.

“It was a big eye-opener as we’ve seen more patients in our facilities presenting with frostbite. We continue to learn, collaborate, and create process improvement plans across our facilities, especially in our emergency departments. This lecture provided continuing education credit to our providers and staff.”