Last updated 2 months ago
Washing your hands is a basic and effective way to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. Still, a surprising number of people get their hands dirty immediately after washing, or worse, don’t wash at all. Be sure to check out this brief guide on the importance of washing your hands from Riverside Community Hospital below!
Proper Handwashing Technique
CDC handwashing recommendations state that a person should wash her hands before and after meals, before and after coming into contact with an individual who is sick, after touching garbage, after using the bathroom, and after touching an animal. For the best results, wash and lather your hands for at least 20 seconds (hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice to keep time) and dry them with a clean towel or air dryer.
A Word About Hand Sanitizer
If soap is unavailable, an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can kill most bacteria. However, hand sanitizer may not be as effective when your hands are visibly dirty, and the overuse of alcohol-based sanitizers can dry out the skin and irritate small scratches and cuts.
Keep Those Hands Clean!
You should assume that individuals who did not wash their hands have touched a doorknob before you, so touching that doorknob after washing your hands will only get them dirty again. Once bacteria are on your hand, they only require brief contact with your eyes, mouth, or nose to spread. The same goes for other commonly touched surfaces, such as paper towel dispensers and shopping carts.
As a leading hospital in the area, Riverside Community Hospital is committed to providing families with the information and resources they need to enjoy a happy, healthy, and safe holiday. Take advantage of our free iTriage Symptom Checker app to receive up-to-date information on a wide range of conditions, or call us at (951) 788-3463 to speak with a knowledgeable representative.
Last updated 3 months ago
The flu virus can be contagious up to 24 hours before symptoms develop. For this reason, it’s essential to spot symptoms as early as possible. Learn how to tell if you have the flu by watching this short clip.
The most common flu symptoms include body aches, fever, chills, cough, runny nose, general fatigue, and vomiting or diarrhea. Even if you are not the type who gets sick often, you can still transmit the virus to others. While most healthy adults recover without hospitalization, antiviral medications may be recommended for older individuals, young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic health conditions.
Riverside Community Hospital is your source for up-to-date health tips and the latest treatments for a wide range of conditions. From emergency care to preventative treatment, our staff is committed to providing friendly and reliable healthcare year-round. Call (951) 788-3463 to schedule an appointment or to receive a physician referral.
Last updated 3 months ago
It’s important to know how to properly lift large gifts, furniture, and other heavy objects in order to avoid a potentially dangerous spinal injury. A trip to the emergency room can ruin any holiday.
A basic rule of thumb is that it’s always safer to get help from a friend for especially heavy or bulky objects. Objects in an average-sized container should be placed flat on the ground. When lifting, kneel near the object, use your hands and arms to lift the box onto your knee, then lift the object while maintaining the natural curve of your back and holding it as close to your body as possible. You may also squat instead of kneeling if the object is light enough. Avoid twisting your back while carrying heavy loads. If an object is too heavy, consider using a dolly to make your life easier.
Riverside Community Hospital is here to provide reliable and compassionate medical care. Check out our free iTriage app to instantly check our current ER waiting times, or call us at (951) 788-3463 for more information.
Last updated 4 months ago
(VIA The Press Enterprise)
One minute she was picking up her uncle, the next she was lying in a hospital bed. Jennifer Lopez doesn’t remember anything that happened in between.
The 27-year-old Menifee resident went into cardiac arrest as she was leaving a Moreno Valley bowling alley Sunday, Sept. 22.
A registered nurse who was bowling at the time rushed to her aid and performed CPR until emergency medical personnel arrived.
Lopez said Bobby Morse saved her life.
“I feel extremely lucky,” Lopez said. “The doctor said it’s a miracle I survived. There’s someone truly looking out for me.”
Lopez was in the hospital nine days. After she was released, her parents wanted to show their gratitude to Morse. A nurse at the hospital knew Morse and told them his name. But they didn’t have a phone number or a way to contact him.
Knowing Morse was in a Sunday bowling league, Lopez and her parents returned to Brunswick Moreno Valley Bowl Sunday, Oct. 6, to look for him.
After more than an hour, they noticed a large group had arrived. Lopez’s dad, Ron Jeglum, approached the group as they were preparing to start a game. He asked if one of them was Bobby Morse.
“Thank you for saving my daughter’s life,” Jeglum, 51, said as he embraced Morse.
Moments later, Morse walked near the front counter and hugged Lopez. She handed him a thank-you card.
“I’m so grateful,” she told him, wiping away tears.
Morse said he was shocked to see her alive and well.
“When you left here,” he told her, “I thought you had died.”
Morse, 44, talked later about the incident.
After Lopez collapsed, Morse was asked to go to the front after being told someone was having a seizure.
People were holding Lopez and calling her name. He checked her and didn’t get a pulse. A friend brought him his bag with his stethoscope that he carried with him.
With the help of two friends, he started performing CPR. He said he detected an unusual breathing pattern, but never got a pulse.
Emergency medical personnel arrived about 10 minutes later. They used a defibrillator to get her heart beating. She was taken to Riverside County Regional Medical Center four miles away.
Morse, who works in the emergency room at Riverside Community Hospital, said he performed five rounds of CPR. He was assisted by two friends: Crystal Patterson, a registered nurse at Veterans Affairs Loma Linda Medical Center, and Vanessa St. Clair-Ford, a nursing student at Cal State San Bernardino.
Morse, a Moreno Valley resident, said he’s amazed at Lopez’s speedy recovery.
“It’s awesome. I can’t believe it,” said Morse, who is also the procurement transplant coordinator at OneLegacy Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes organ and tissue donations and transplants.
Jackie Jeglum, Lopez’s mom, said her daughter was diagnosed about a year ago with Graves’ disease, which affects the thyroid and can produce symptoms such as increased heartbeat. She wasn’t taking her medication because she didn’t think she needed it, Jeglum said.
Jeglum, 51, said her daughter didn’t sustain any brain damage because Morse performed CPR right away.
“That’s what the doctor said was the difference between her living and dying,” said Greg Baker, 47, Lopez’s uncle who was with her when she collapsed.
Lopez said she has learned from her health scare. She now takes eight pills and is on a strict low-sodium, non-fat diet. She expects to return to work at the Fresh and Easy Distribution Center in Riverside the first week of November.
“No more trips to Portillo’s for lunch,” she said, referring to the Moreno Valley restaurant known for its Chicago-style food. “It’s a whole lifestyle change.”
Lopez plans to bring her two daughters, Lorna, 8, and Christa, 6, back to the bowling alley on Sunday, Oct. 13, to meet Morse.
Ron Jeglum said he wants to treat Morse and his wife, Jennifer, to dinner and a night or two at the Mission Inn as another way of saying thanks.
Morse said it’s not necessary.
“I don’t need it,” he said. “Just seeing her alive and doing so well is enough.”
Last updated 5 months ago
Riverside Community Hospital, which houses a Level 2 Trauma Center and is one of the largest emergency facilities in the Inland Empire, is here to treat people of all ages right in your neighborhood. With our Rapid Medical Evaluation program, which consists of our “Fast Track” care and our triage program, we’re able to determine the level of care needed to start diagnostics, order medications and begin lifesaving interventions faster than ever before. Our facilities also have advanced digital imaging and other diagnostics, such as X-rays, MRIs, CT Scans and more, readily available, so no matter what the emergency, we’ll be ready.