Smartwatches and wearable devices are gaining popularity as nifty gadgets to track steps or check weather updates and texts. They’re also wearable health aides that monitor heart rates—useful devices for people with atrial fibrillation (Afib) and other irregular heart rhythms. By continuously monitoring heart rates, smartwatches can detect abnormalities such as a heart rate that is too high or…

Started in 2009 as a partnership between the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital and the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Kid Captain program honors pediatric patients by celebrating their incredible stories.

Caring for someone in their final moments is challenging, especially when their families are unprepared. Family members can often find it hard to care for themselves during these tough times, making the compassionate care of a dedicated nurse crucial. When Lisa Estrada, BSN, RN, a staff nurse in the Intensive and Specialty Services Nursing Unit of the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), noticed a…

When the new University of Iowa Health Care medical campus in North Liberty opens in the spring of 2025, it will serve as the new home for the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation—providing a full range of musculoskeletal care in one location for a seamless patient experience. The community and patients will also have access to an emergency department, a retail and 24-hour drive-thru…

Home to the state’s only Comprehensive Stroke Center, the nurses who work in the Neuroscience Intermediate Unit are entrusted with the care of some of Iowa’s most critical patients who have had strokes and individuals requiring specialized neurosurgical care. The team leads collaborative efforts across physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and many other services. Each member…

When a 4-year-old girl had a life-threatening anaphylactic (allergic) reaction in a clinic lobby at University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital, several members of the clinic staff leapt into action, helping to stabilize the girl and providing treatment as quickly as possible. “Within seconds, a team of what seemed like 20 medical professionals rushed from various departments…

Jenny Stegen got exactly what she needed at the University of Iowa to return home to northeast Iowa and give back to her community — an education in a top-notch physician assistant training program. When Jenny Stegen was searching for physician assistant programs, she didn’t want to go too far from her family in northeast Iowa. She found that one of the closest was also one of the nation’s best…