Brotherly Love Ministry - Parish Nursing
Parish Nurse Office Hours Regular parish nurse office hours are from 9 am to 10:15 am every Sunday, September through May. Please feel free to stop by during this time to talk, or I am available by phone call or text as needed. If I can be of assistance to you, please contact me at 484-223-7324.
Taking Blood Pressure Readings We would like to to offer blood pressure screening for members of Grace and the community at the monthly Free Community meal. If you would like to take blood pressures for those attending the Free Community meal (the second Friday of each month from 5 pm to 6:30 pm), please contact Kim Vaupel.
WHERE TO FIND...
The AED (defibrillator) is mounted on the wall by the AED sign. There is an emergency supply kit and a diabetic emergency supply kit on the table next to the pew in the Chapel. If you enter the Chapel from the doorway in the hallway by the sanctuary, the table with the emergency care kits will be on your right. This is a more central location than the previous one in the event of an emergency. When you are next at church, please take a minute to locate the emergency equipment.
First Aid kits are in all restrooms and the Sunday School classroom. There is also a first aid kit in the rear of the sanctuary on a table below the bulletin board, and in the kitchen on the counter in Fellowship Hall (downstairs). Feminine hygiene products are available in all restrooms except for the Men’s restroom in the Sunday School wing.
The Brotherly Love Ministry/Parish Nurse bulletin board is by the front ramp entrance.
JUNE UPDATE
Summer picnics are great ways to bring family, friends ,and neighbors together to enjoy the outdoors, conversation ,and good food. However, food left outside in the heat can quickly cause food poisoning and a possible trip to the emergency room. By following the picnic safety tips listed below, you and your guests can have fun and stay free of food related illness.
Picnic Safety Tips
1. Have plenty of water on hand. Have bottled water available for drinking and to clean tables and other eating surfaces.
2. Wash hands often. Having clean hands cuts down on the risk of contamination. If no running water is available, use hand sanitizer or moist towelettes to help prevent cross-contamination.
3. Bring plenty of plates. Have one plate designated for raw foods and the other for cooked foods to prevent contamination.
4. Make sure meats are fully cooked. Hamburgers should be cooked to at least 160 degrees and chicken breasts should be cooked to 165 degrees. Meats should be cooked enough so there is no pink.
5. Keep perishable food items cold. Bring enough ice to keep meat, eggs, and salads at 40 degrees. Also, pack your cooler full. Add as much food as possible, since a full cooler stays colder longer than one that is not full.
6. Keep coolers in the car. When transporting food, keep it out of the trunk. Place food inside the air-conditioned car. During the picnic, keep coolers in the shade with the lid closed.
7. Follow the two-hour rule. Do not keep perishable food out for more than two hours. Make sure food is placed back into a cooler or a refrigerator. When in doubt of how long food has been out in the heat, throw it out! Use extra caution in hotter weather. if it is hotter than 90 degrees, do not leave food out for more than one hour.
8. If you have take-out foods at your picnic, be sure to eat them right away. Do not leave any take - out foods out for longer than one hour. By following a few picnic safety tips, you and your guests can enjoy a safe, and fun day spending time together and making memories that will last a life time!
May peace and good health be with you all!
Kim Vaupel, RN
History: In September 2023, a new ministry was started at Grace Lutheran Church. The goal of this ministry is to promote the health, wellness and safety of the members of Grace and the community. Brotherly Love Ministry was named in honor of my brother Leonard Sterner, Jr. who passed away unexpectedly in September 2019. Since my brother was proud that his sister was a nurse, I have decided to use the memorial donations given to Grace in his name to start this parish nursing ministry. This memorial fund was used to pay for the classes I needed to take in order to obtain a certification in faith community/parish nursing, and also to attend a lay eucharistic communion class. After this, I will be available to assist Pastor Samantha with visiting the homebound and ill of the congregation. I will also be a resource to the congregation to answer any medical questions and offer support to the congregation as needed.
Next I will be updating the church first aid kits, and will create a kit for use in case of a medical emergency which will include a blood pressure cuff, a glucometer to check blood sugars, snacks to treat low blood sugar, and a pulse oximeter to check oxygen levels. I am also asking for anyone certified in CPR to contact me at the number below, as I will be creating a list of those members certified in CPR. I plan to coordinate a one-hour class taught by the Macungie Ambulance team to teach “hands on CPR for the community” to anyone interested in learning this skill.
On a monthly basis, I will be speaking to the congregation about how to prepare in the event of medical emergencies, fire emergencies and gun violence emergencies. My goal is to raise awareness and prepare the congregation for these different emergency situations, and be available to the members of Grace as your parish nurse. I look forward to sharing information with all of you in my monthly newsletter column in the Grace Notes monthly newsletter, and here on this website.
Peace be with all of you!
Kim Vaupel, RN
