Staff Writer

Deaconess Hospital grows with advanced technology to meet the evolving needs of patients.

"We’re constantly learning as technology changes," said Heather Meyer, unit educator at Deaconess Hospital in Oklahoma City. "I’m seeing more procedures being done with the laser instead of the conventional surgery."

Meyer is a unique asset to the nursing profession in Oklahoma. In September, Meyer became the first registered nurse to become a certified medical laser safety officer (CMLSO) in the state. Her talent and proficiency was noted when being certified by the Board of Laser Safety (BLS) in September, an organization affiliated with the Laser Institute of America.

Meyer became a registered nurse after graduating from Redlands Community College in El Reno. She received a bachelor¹s degree in nursing from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford.

She said that nurses can have a bright future by becoming more aware of how laser surgery is a growing trend in the state.

"It was a lot of studying and reviewing over different classifications, wavelengths, and hazard evaluations," said Meyer, who lives with her husband,Todd, in Oklahoma City. "Deaconess really promotes and advocates higher education for their employees here. They’ve been very successful in getting the point across to all of our employees that they will accommodate any kind of education we want to pursue. That’s one of the things that I highly regard about Deaconess."

Meyer came to Deaconess six years ago after other nurses working there shared with her that Deaconess is a great place to work. The Elk City native said Deaconess’ relatively small facility made her feel right at home.

"It’s smaller than some of the other hospitals, a little more close knit," she said. "I came here, I didn’t have any OR experience, and they were able to give me a chance. It’s where I’ve been ever since. I’ll probably retire here."

Deaconess had just purchased a CO2 laser when she came to the hospital in 1999. Two other nurses were trained to work with lasers. Meyer paid attention. And her curiosity, being intellectual, served as a sponge absorbing all the skills needed for a successful future.

"During my rotations in surgery, I was with a nurse that ran the laser," she added. "That was my first experience with lasers. I just became very, very interested and I couldn¹t stop learning about them."

Being a CMLSO has Meyer serving in multiple roles when facilitating the process. She ensures nurses are following all of the standard laser procedure protocol. Deaconess follows laser guidelines set by the American National Standard Institute.

Up to date laser training at Deaconess Hospital is coordinated by Meyer. Each gain in technology brings additional challenges in health care. A hazard evaluation is done each time a patient is designated to a room to make sure contributing factors don¹t cause a fire or harm patients and employees.

The CMLSO enabled Meyer to attain a higher degree of professionalism, she said. Lasers are widespread in the health care industry. And, Meyer expects the demand to continue to permeate the mainstream and create new employment opportunities.. She intends to surge ahead with the times because optimum patient care deserves nothing less.

"One of my main reasons was to promote my own self development and personal knowledge in the laser area," she said. "And, I think the certification the BLS provides, it gives credible evidence that we here at Deaconess want to adhere to higher safety and professional practices."

Different wave lengths of laser light are used in a myriad of applications. Six different lasers at Deaconess Hospital are used in case loads including ophthalmology, urology, adhesions, laproscopic needs, enlarged prostrate, scar tissue, excessive skin causing puffy eye lids, sleep apnea and to remove cells implanted outside the uterus, among others.

Hospitals are not the only institutions to be on the cutting edge of laser surgery. Lasers are not only familiar in hospitals and clinics, but in veterinary medicine and dentistry, she said. Lasers result in quicker patient recovery and reduction of pain. Laser surgery is also more economical because many procedures are done on an out patient basis.

"There’s so many opportunities and it’s going to increase in the future," she said. "It’s going to provide a lot of opportunities in a lot of different areas."

Nurses wanting to learn more about becoming a certified medical laser safety officer can log on to the Laser Institute of America Web site at www.laserinstitute.org.