New Pain Management Clinic at Norton County Hospital

Norton County Hospital, located in northwest Kansas, is pleased to offer a pain management clinic with Midwest Anesthesia Alliance.
New Pain Management Clinic at Norton County Hospital
Featured Speaker:
Judy Wenzl, BSN, RN
Judy Wenzl, BSN, RN, is the nurse for the Surgery department at Norton County Hospital. Judy started her nursing career as a CNA in 1990. She received her LPN in 1993 and worked in long-term care and hospital settings until she went back to school. She received her RN from Colby Community College in 2003 and also received her BSN from Ottawa University.
Transcription:
New Pain Management Clinic at Norton County Hospital

Cheryl Martin: It's not uncommon to feel some kind of pain, but if it persists or gets worse, it's probably time to see a healthcare specialist. Here's some good news Norton County Hospital now offers a pain management clinic more about this viable option coming up next. oversees the new pain management clinic. Welcome Judy.

Judy Wenzl: Thank you

Cheryl Martin: Judy, what does the new pain management clinic offer?

Judy Wenzl: We offer Botox for chronic migraines, also there Botox for cervical dystocia, cervical epidural steroid injections for the people that are having neck pains, especially the ones radiate to other places. They offer shoulder injections for the shoulder pains and knee injections for the knee pains and also hip and sciatic injections. We also do frequency ablations for either your hip or your lower back,

Cheryl Martin: So are a lot of advantages and benefits of pain management.

Judy Wenzl: Yes. The radio frequency ablations will actually stop your pain for, they say six months to a year. You will have to come back when it starts again and they'll have to do it again, but it keeps you from having that pain for six months to a year.

Cheryl Martin:

Judy, can you explain what the pain management clinic entails?

Judy Wenzl: The pain management is every two weeks. It entails like steroid injections. You have to go to a doctor before and be referred from a doctor, and then we do what the doctor orders, the CRNA does. If it's not what he thinks that you need, he will tell you that and talk to the doctor.

the CRNA comes every two weeks. If I can get at least six patients on, if I don't get six patients on, then he comes the following two weeks. but he comes on a Friday at this time and varies his time that he's here. Sometimes he's in the mornings sometimes he's, in the afternoons.

arrives, by flight. He's always at other places. So he flies in and does our pain management, wherever the pain is.

Cheryl Martin: So what can patients expect when they participate in this clinic?

Judy Wenzl: What they can expect is for me to call them the week that he will be here and schedule the appointments. comes in different times of the day. And I have to wait till I know he's coming to be able to call and schedule appointments.

Cheryl Martin: Who are the patients that benefit the most from these services?

Judy Wenzl: The patients that benefit the most are several different age groups, but people that have had injuries to their backs or any other joint and they're having joint pain. Also people that have migraines benefit from him also.

Cheryl Martin: You mentioned earlier a referral process. How does that work?

Judy Wenzl: You go to your doctor, your primary care provider and you tell them what's going on. And then they would contact me and see when he's gonna be here next. And I let them know and they will send me an order. And then I will schedule the appointment.

Cheryl Martin: Anything else you'd like to add about the pain management clinic and what it offers?

Judy Wenzl: I believe it's a good thing and I will be trying to do it every two weeks. I try to push for getting six people at least.

Cheryl Martin: Judy Wenzl. Thank you so much for introducing us to this new pain management clinic. You can check out the Norton County Hospital website to learn more at NTCOHOSP.com. That's NTCOHOSP.com. Talk with your primary care provider about pain management, and if this service is right for you. Thanks for listening to Health in the Heartland. Please take care of yourself and others and be well.