Brotherly Love Ministry - Parish Nursing
Parish Nurse Office Hours
I will be available from 9:00 am to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings, beginning starting on March 10, 2024. If I can be of any assistance to you, please stop by my office in the Library (located in the Sunday School wing upstairs) during this time, or call or text me anytime at 484-223-7324.
Kim Vaupel, RN
Calling all Grace Nurses!
Kim Vaupel will be writing a special article for the May newsletter in honor of National Nurses Week. If you are a currently practicing nurse or a retired nurse, please share your name with her to be included in the article as one of God’s Angels of Mercy! There is a sign up sheet on the Brotherly Love/Parish Nurse Bulletin board, or you can give Kim a call or text to share your name.
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. Please check the bulletin board for updates and sign- up sheets for this ministry!
April Update
Spring is here! Spring means warmer weather and longer hours of daylight to allow for fun activities outside after school or after a long day at work. One fun activity that families enjoy is riding bicycles together. A child starts by riding a tricycle and then a bicycle with training wheels. A child becomes excited when the training wheels are removed and he or she can now ride a “two- wheeler.”
One of my favorite childhood memories is eating cereal in front of the TV while watching Saturday morning cartoons. After eating breakfast, my brother and I would “go out and play.” We would get on our bicycles and join our friends. We would ride bikes in Macungie Memorial Park and around the neighborhood in Macungie. Our moms knew where we were by seeing which house in the neighborhood had all the bicycles either thrown in the
yard or parked in the driveway. My brother and I would stay outside until it started to get dark and the streetlights came on.
During my childhood, many children rode bikes without wearing a helmet, myself included. Times have changed and change can be for the best! Pennsylvania law now requires those under the age of 12 to wear a bicycle helmet. Children ages 5 to 14 have the highest injury rate of all bicycle riders, and bicycle accidents are a leading cause of death for children. Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of severe injury by 85 percent for both adults and children. Adults also need to remain safe and free from injury. A common adult injury is a fracture to the collar bone, arm, or foot which may happen after falling off or crashing a bicycle. It is important to remain safe while bicycle riding. Here are some safety tips to help you or a loved one prevent injury while riding a bicycle:
Bicycle and Helmet Safety Tips
1. Ride a bicycle that is the correct size for you - if the bike is too big, it’s harder to control.
2. Ride a bike that works properly and check the brakes.
3. Ride a bicycle with the flow of the traffic – this means in the same direction as the cars.
4. Obey street signs, signals, and road markings just as cars do.
5. Wear bright clothing during the day and reflective gear at night. Place reflectors on your bicycle.
6. Always wear a bicycle helmet regardless of your age, level of experience, or the distance you are riding.
7. Children are more likely to wear a helmet if he or she likes the way it looks. Allow children to assist in selecting their helmet. Wearing a helmet in their favorite color could save them from injury! Make sure children are supervised while bicycle riding.
8. The helmet should fit properly as follows: SNUG: The helmet should not slide from side to side or front to back
LEVEL: The helmet should sit on top of the head and cover the top of the forehead and not tilt in any direction
STABLE: A chinstrap keeps the helmet from rocking. Replace a chinstrap if any part of the buckle breaks.
9. Purchase a new helmet after a fall or crash. Even if the helmet appears fine, the interior may be damaged.
10. In addition to bicycle riding, wearing a helmet is also important when motorcycle riding, skateboarding, skiing, and in many sports. Please follow the proper helmet recommendations for these activities to maintain safety and avoid an injury.
Bicycle riding is a form of exercise to help maintain good health and a great way to spend a fun time with family and friends! Remember bicyclists, motorcyclists, and motorists need to safely share the road during the warm spring weather! Have Fun and Be Safe!
May peace and good health be with all of you!
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