INTEGRATIVE CARE SERVICES

Mercy Regional Medical Center’s Integrative Care Services include the Touch, Love and Compassion (TLC) and Steps to Surgical Success (Steps) programs as well as our newly developed Relax and Renew with Healing Therapies and Acupuncture services. These programs promote the balancing of mind, body and spirit through patient-chosen complementary therapies, which have been shown to be effective ways to naturally reduce anxiety and pain while promoting healing. They are meant to be complementary to one another and to the medical care patients receive while in the hospital or as an out patient.

The TLC program was officially founded at Mercy Medical Center in 2001 by a collaborative team of nurses, chaplains and physicians who are passionate about using complementary modalities in the art of healing. Since then, Integrative Care Services has developed to include the Steps to Surgical Success Program, Relax and Renew with Healing Therapies, Awareness and Relaxation for Managing Stress and Acupuncture.

Providers such as physicians and nurses may refer any Mercy Regional Medical Center patient to the Integrative Care Services programs, or patients may self-refer.

Integrative Care Services Hours
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Scheduling Appointments:
Relax and Renew with Healing Therapies: 970-764-3210
Awareness and Relaxation for Managing Stress: 970-764-3259
Acupuncture: 970-769-7989

Contact Information
Tel: 970-764-3259
Tel: 970-769-7988
Fax: 970-764-3260

Services:
Both the TLC and Steps programs are offered at no extra cost to the patient.
Touch, Love and Compassion – TLC
Through healing partnerships between a patient and a TLC staff member, patients may choose one or more of the following therapies during their stay at Mercy Regional Medical Center:
• Affirmation
• Aromatherapy
• Conscious breathing
• Healing Therapy
• Imagery
• Massage
• Meditation / Prayer
• Music therapy

Steps to Surgical Success – Steps Program
This program is provided for pre-operative and post-operative patients who wish to help reduce anxiety and pain while promoting healing through awareness and relaxation techniques. The patient is guided through the development of a personal healing plan, which is used in preparation for his or her surgery. All the modalities available through TLC are also options with the Steps program.

Relax and Renew with Healing Therapies
The popular TLC program is now offered to family and friends of patients and the general community as an outpatient service, as well as to patients once discharged who wish to continue receiving sessions. All modalities listed in the Touch, Love and Compassion program above are offered to the client. This is a fee-for-service program. Sessions are approximately one hour in length and cost $60.00. Please call 970-764-3210 to schedule an appointment.

Acupuncture
An ancient system in use for approximately 5000 years, acupuncture is the art of applying individually prepackaged, sterilized fine needles on specific locations in the body to promote wellness. It is a powerful complement to other forms of health care and is an ongoing foundation for a healthy, productive life.

People experiencing a variety of conditions may benefit from acupuncture. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have reported that acupuncture may be an effective treatment for the following conditions:
• Addiction
• Asthma
• Back pain
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Chemotherapy nausea
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• Menstrual disorders
• Myofascial pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Postoperative nausea
• Postoperative pain
The initial one and a half to two hour consultation fee is $100. Subsequent one-hour sessions cost $60. Please call 970-769-7989 and leave a message. Your call will be returned within 24 hours to arrange your appointment.
Acupuncture is also available to Mercy Regional Medical Center inpatients.

Awareness and Relaxation for Managing Stress
Individualized sessions explore the physical, mental and spiritual dynamics of one's life. This process allows one to discover more of his/her personal potential for self-care and healing. Consultations may include discussion, conscious breathing, gentle stretching, guided imagery, body awareness, affirmations, and meditation or prayer. The sessions are one hour in length cost $60.00. An appointment may be arranged by contacting scheduling for MRMC Integrative Care Services at 764-3259.

Skilled Staff
TLC and Steps program staff members are registered nurses who are certified graduates of the Healing Therapy program, a training program founded by Catholic Health Initiatives. Acupuncture is provided by a Colorado state-licensed acupuncturist.

Leanne E. Jordan, M.D.
Medical Director, Integrative Care Services
Leanne E. Jordan, M.D., is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist. She has been practicing medicine at Mercy since 1998. She graduated from Dartmouth College and Brown University College of Medicine, then completed her residency at the University of Colorado. She is currently a clinical instructor for medical students at the University of Colorado and works closely with the midwifery group at Mercy. Contact via e-mail: ljordan@mydurango.net

Jean Hamilton, RN
As a registered nurse since 1970, Jean has worked in a variety of hospital settings. She began her career as a scrub nurse for open heart operations at Penrose Hospital. At the University of Texas, she participated in some of the first kidney transplants and research on peritoneal / cranial shunts. In Denver, Jean worked in a pediatric intensive care and surgery. She moved to Durango 25 years ago and has worked in the Emergency Department, surgery, PACU, and Same Day Care. Currently, she is the department manager for Surgery Admission Short Stay (SASS), Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Endoscopy, and the Integrative Care Department. Contact via e-mail: jeanhamilton@mercydurango.org

Suzanne Bolton RN HNC
As a registered nurse since 1971, Suzanne has worked in many diverse settings including Intensive Care, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Medical/Surgical nursing and Hospice. Suzanne is certified in holistic nursing, stress management, integrative aromatherapy and is a certified instructor for Catholic Health Initiatives's Healing Therapy program. Being a member of the TLC team is a dream come true for her. It allows her to use her knowledge of the gentle healing arts to help facilitate healing by creating a safe and sacred space for her clients. Suzanne acknowledges and honors the resources her clients already have and offers new insights and techniques to assist them in pain management and relaxation. Her intention is to be a healing presence that listens, supports and empowers her clients to make healthy lifestyle choices. Being a member of the American Holistic Nurses Association since 1985 has provided Suzanne with the inspiration, education, and resources to assist in the transformation of the nursing profession and the healthcare environment. Contact via e-mail: suzannebolton@mercydurango.org

Melinda Mical RN, NMT
As a professional massage therapist since 1984, Melinda has practiced skills in relating healing self-care and relaxation methods to clients. She brought these skills into her nursing career as she perceived the benefit of a more balanced (holistic) approach to the healing opportunities available to patients in the hospital setting. As part of the team, she participated in the process of envisioning and creating the Mercy TLC program. She has continued this by developing the Steps to Surgical Success and the Relax and Renew with Healing Therapies programs. During this time she has studied and practiced the healing arts of guided imagery and aromatherapy. She is certified as a Healing Therapy practitioner. Melinda offers herself as a companion and facilitator on the healing journey of her patients and clients. Contact via e-mail: melindamical@mercydurango.org

Mary Ellen Albright, M.Ac., Dipl.Ac., L.Ac., RN, HTC
With combined psychiatric, intensive care and cardiac care nursing experience since 1983, Mary Ellen has been a staff member at Mercy Regional Medical Center as a RN since 1991. Mary Ellen also has private practice experience as an acupuncturist since 1986. She received her master’s degree in acupuncture at the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Columbia, Maryland. She received additional acupuncture training at Leamington Spa in England and in several clinics throughout China. Mary Ellen maintains her board certification with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and is licensed to practice acupuncture by the State of Colorado. She is certified in Healing Therapy. Working in collaboration with Eastern and Western systems of medicine has long been a vision of Mary Ellen’s. Contact via e-mail: maryellenalbright@mercydurango.org

Janet E. Wilson, RN, MS, HNC
As a holistic nurse, Janet offers complementary services as a TLC team member. She is certified in healing therapy through Catholic Health Initiatives and stress management through Inspiration Unlimited and Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. She obtained additional training through Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry. Her master's degree was conferred by the University of Colorado School of Nursing. She assists in exploring one's values, purpose and healing potential through awareness, relaxation and integrative healing therapies. Contact via e-mail: janetwilson@mercydurango.org

Myra Miller, RD, MA
Myra is certified in Healing Therapy and is a member of the Integrative Care Team. Myra has worked as a registered dietitian and diabetes educator for Mercy Regional Medical for many years and holds a master’s degree in counseling from Adams State College. She has blended her years of experience working with nutrition, psychotherapy, and health promotion in the health care field with her strong belief in the mind-body-spirit connection to enhance the healing experience of her clientele. Contact via e-mail: myramiller@mercydurango.org

Dianne Donovan, RN
Dianne has practiced as a registered nurse since 1974 and a nurse anesthetist since 1979. She graduated from Cornell University School of Nursing with a BSN and Tufts-New England Medical Center School for Nurse Anesthetists. After retiring to Durango in 1998 and volunteering in the Wellness Center at Mercy, she completed the year-long Healing Therapy certification program offered by Catholic Health Initiatives in 2004. She is a volunteer with the TLC program. Her intention is to support patients in their healing journey with care and compassion.

Kathleen Tischhauser RN, HTP
As a registered nurse who has been interested in holistic care for many years, Kathleen has a wide variety of training and experience. She received her RN from Mercy College of Nursing in San Diego and has worked on Medical-Surgical floors, in the Operating Room, Recovery Room, Labor & Delivery area and spent many years doing psychiatric nursing with children and adults. She received her Healing Touch Certification from Healing Touch International of Colorado in 2000 and has recently begun volunteering for the TLC team at Mercy. She is also a certified spiritual director, massage technician, Reiki master and she has studied several forms of energetic healing. Her intention is to provide compassionate, heart-centered support and touch to persons who need or desire healing, balance, or integration, and to assist them in improving the quality of their life.

Diana McKenna, BCC
As a board certified chaplain, Diana incorporates complementary care (learned through the TLC course) modalities with spiritual assessment tools and pastoral skills when ministering to patients, families and staff. As director of Mission and Spiritual Care, Diana supervises the Mercy chaplains and social workers. As mission leader, she embraces our mission and is responsible for ensuring that programs and activities and resources advance the mission in shaping a values-based organization that is involved in activities that advance a healthy community. Diana has degrees in social work and sociology from the University of Iowa and theology from Briar Cliff University. Diana has been a part of the visioning team since 2001, helping to bring the TLC program to its current status as a vibrant part of the interdisciplinary approach to optimum care of our staff, patients, families and community at Mercy.
Contact via e-mail: dianamckenna@mercydurango.org

Healing Therapy Certification
Mercy’s Integrative Care Services offers a Certification in Healing Therapy by trained staff endorsed by Catholic Health Initiatives. This is a year-long course with attendance of three two-day workshops during that year. Attendance of a one-day Introduction to Healing Therapy course is required prior to entry into the course.

Graduates of this program have gone on to practice the healing arts in other areas of the Durango community and beyond. Many of them volunteer their time, providing TLC to Mercy Regional Medical Center staff members. For information regarding Healing Therapy certification call 970-764-3259.

Labyrinth
Located on the south side of Mercy Regional Medical Center’s campus is a walking labyrinth. The labyrinth supports health and wellbeing by addressing the needs of the body, mind and spirit. Walking the labyrinth relaxes the body, encourages the mind to release anxious thoughts, and supports the inner journey to health and wellness. A labyrinth walk is a personal experience and has something to offer everyone.

“Walking a labyrinth has something to offer everybody. If a creative work project is challenging you, walking can get your creative juices flowing. When you are struggling with grief or anger or a physical challenge or illness, walking the labyrinth can point the way to healing and wholeness. If you want a way to meditate or pray that engages your body as well as your soul, the labyrinth can be such a way. When you just want reflective time away from a busy life, the labyrinth can offer you time out.”
-Melissa Gayle West, Exploring the Labyrinth

Mercy’s labyrinth will also be the site of community events throughout the year. The labyrinth is open to the public year-round during daylight hours. You may walk the labyrinth in solitude or with a docent. If you would like to make an appointment to walk the labyrinth with a docent or receive further information about the labyrinth, call the Spiritual Care department at 970-764-2340. Labyrinth materials are available in the Mercy gift shop.
Donations for labyrinth activities may be made through the Mercy Health Foundation. Please designate “for labyrinth activities” on your check.

Gift Shop
Gift certificates for outpatient TLC and acupuncture may be obtained at Mercy Regional Medical Center’s gift shop and at the cashier’s desk. Eye pillows, books, CDs and labyrinth materials are also for sale in the Gift Shop.

The Integrative Care Services welcomes donations for its programs, made through the Mercy Health Foundation. Please specify the focus of your contribution: for the development of education, supplies or programs.