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WH1TBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 14. 1986, PAGE 15 Nurses promote health awareness Nurses CAREl That's the message members of the Ontario Nursing Association and the Regstered Nurses Association of Ontaria were dellvering to the public during Nurses' Week last week. In Durham Region andi across the province, that. message was brougbt home tbrough public information sessions, blood pressure clinics, health infor- mation bootha and many other special events designed ta broaden the publi's awareness of nurses and the very important raie teplyin aur bealtb care system. According ta' Whitby resident Heather Halpenny, who was manning a nursing Ibootb at the Pickering Town Centre last week, it is nurses who are responsible for the on- going business af patient care. It is nur- ses, accarding ta Halpenny, who rua public health units, wha set as a liason between the patient and the doc- tor in haspitals, who are expected ta evaluate and spot symptoms in the patient and alert the doctors ta any changes in their patient's con- dition, and who share in the prevention of illness tbrough public education. "You'd be surprised how many times neigh- bours wili ask a nurse, 'Look, my baby bas this rash. What do you tbink it is.' They ask littie things ail the tume. Lit- tle tbings that aresa part of day ta day living. We're workiag all the time at educating the publi..Tbis week we're just trying ta make the public more aware of nursing and what it is we do; make the public kaow that nurses are Important," said Halpenny. The nursing booth at the Pickering Town Centre had tables laden witb medical literature covering everytbing from cancer and kidney disease ta dieting and holistie nursing and as she'spoke to a reporter Halpeany frequently had ta stop and answer questions from curiaus passers-by la the mail. People wondered about cholesterol, astbma, immuaization shots, storiag bousebold poisons out of reacb of cildren - the kinds of bealtb questions that came up in the course of normal daily living. Later that evening two nurses were stopping by to talk about what mothers sbould do when their childrea get a fever. It is these kind of practical bealth con- siderations tbat nurses can address and, as in the case of the fever seminar, possibly save people a lot of anxiety and a needless trip ta the hospital. one of the nurses' big promotions during the week was crib safety awareaess and preven- tive mensures parents can take ta reduce the risk of suffocation wbich can occur if a crib mat- tress becomes dislodged. According ta Barb Cassel, president of tbe Durham chapter af tbe RNAO, cribs are not necessarily. the safeat place la the bouse ta leave your baby unat- tended. Cassel and ber fellow nurses set up a crib safety display at the mail last week ta alert people ta wbat Cassel believes is a very seriaus problemn. The problemn, accor- dingto Csselis the manner in whlch the- crib mattress is fixed ta the frame of some makes of cribs, par-, ticularly cribs made before 1982 by Stork- craft. la the last three years Cassel said there have been six cbildren wbo died as a resuit of suffocation after their crib mattresses became dislodged. However, she said a simply plastic locking device wicb reduces the risk can be obtained by cailing, toîl free, 1- 800-66-5003 and Stork- craft will mail out the devices free of charge. "There are literally thousands of these cribs out1 there witbout the locking device and we're tryiag ta, get the message out ta parents Storkcraft bas 60 per- cent of the market 50 it's a serious problen," said Cassel. Unfortuaately, Cassel believes the lockiag devices are just a ban- daid solution. The government is currently caasidering legisiation wicb wauld require al cribs ta bave a stable mattress support that is fixed ta the crib frame and Cassel suggested parents wanting ta buy a crib should wait until that legislation is passed. In the interim, she said there is a crib being sold at The Bay witb a fixed rnattress under the brand name Cribcraft. Cassel also suggested that parents wbo obtain the plastic locking device for their Stork- craft cribs should keep an eye on them because they can become brittie and break. OnIy one of the niattres nooks needs ta be disladged for a baby tg become trap- ped between the mat- tress and the wall of the crib, said Cassel. Last week was Nurses Week and around Pickering Town Centre la Heather Halpenny Durham Raglan nurses participated in a who is taklng Barb Cassel's blood pressure. nuznber of activities deslgned to promote a m. Cassel la the president of the Durham greater awareness of nurses and the impor- chapter of the Reglstered Nurses Association tant role they play ln our health care system. ofOntarlo. Fe rs tf ht Seen here at a nursing booth set Up at the Fe rs tf ht 6 piece sofa, chair, rocker, 2 end' tables, and a party ottoman p -6 6 pleces for one speclal Iow price $1099 2~ 100% Nylon Mterlal Fabrlc 0i Contre PrInt Reversible Cushions I ~-ÏZ~ LI MITED TI M ESPECIAL! WITH THE PURCHASE OF THIS 6 PIECE GROUPGET YOUR FREE .PIT.V.SUNITIEURELMTE !135EALYLLaiI!ST.Li Y T WHITBY CLEANERS "SIGN 0F PROFESSIONALISM" Member of DCLI and Ifi1 25 Years Experence ln Fabric Cleaning SAM E DAY SERVICE SPECUALISTS UN: WEDDING GOWNSoDRAPERY SUEDE & LEATHERS AND OTHER FINE GARMENTS FREE PICK-UP & DELIVERY (OVER $10) WHITBY CLEANERS 104 COLBORNE ST. E., WHITBY 668-2345 668-1777