CDH Joint Replacement Center Profiled

NORTHAMPTON — Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s Joint Replacement Center was profiled recently in the New England edition of Advance for Nurses news magazine, a clinical, professional and career development publication for nurses.

The article chronicled the success of the center, which opened in 1999. Since then, approximately 1,100 patients ranging in age from 21 to 91 have had knees and/or hips replaced at the center. Joint replacement patients experience the center’s unique approach to recovery and rehabilitation. With surgeries on Monday and individual and group physical therapy throughout the week, 65{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} of patients are discharged home on Friday of the same week. Others are discharged to an inpatient rehab or skilled nursing facility to continue their rehabilitation.

Most joint replacement patients come from western Massachusetts as well as from the towns of Athol and Orange. In June 2003, a patient came from the U.S. Virgin Islands to have joint replacement surgery.

To learn about nursing opportunities at Cooley Dickinson Hospital or to apply online, visit www.cooley-dickinson.org. To visit the Advance for Nurses Web site go to www.advancefornurses.com.