health center

Nurse Melinda Scholten has made the transition into the clinic setting at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center after working for a decade in a hospital setting. SIOUX CENTER – Melinda Scholten, a new clinic nurse at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center, didn’t always plan on going into nursing. After graduating Sioux Center High School in 1998, she earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business/animal science from Dordt College in Sioux Center in 2002. She then worked as an ag loan assistant at First National Bank in Sioux Center for two years, but she decided to go back to school and earned her associate degree in nursing from Northwest Iowa Community College in 2006. Scholten has served as a nurse ever since and is glad that she made the career transition. “I just really enjoy taking care of others,” she said. “It is a very flexible career that has allowed me to be home part time with my kids, and it is challenging and ever-changing.” Scholten now is enjoyin...

SIOUX CENTER – Did you know that the Sioux County Sheriff’s Department’s Communications Center received 220 domestic incident reports and 117 domestic incident in progress calls to 911 during the year 2016? A crime victim advocate is available at Promise Community Health Center to help people through a various circumstances they might be going through. Did you know 138 calls were made to 911 for harassment? How about 41 calls for sex crimes, 41 for assault reports and 11 for assaults in progress, 14 for child abuse, 11 for restraining/no contact order violations, and one for kidnapping/abduction? In all, 834 calls were made to 911 in Sioux County for violent-related crime reports that also included burglary-related incidents, hit-and-run incidents with injuries, and a bomb threat. That figures to an average of nearly 70 per month. And those are just the calls to 911. Many more incidents happen than are ever called into 911. While some people think these types of crimes are just big cit...

SIOUX CENTER – Kate Drzycimski and her husband, Mark, have vast experience when it comes to births and babies. But their ninth baby was different even for them. Mark and Kate Drzycimski, along with their eight other children, welcomed baby Noah David into their family on Friday, Jan. 6. He was born in their home in Sioux Falls, SD, with the assistance of midwife Pam Hulstein of Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center. He was the first baby of the year for Promise's midwifery team. Unlike their previous eight children, Noah David was born in their home in Sioux Falls, SD, with the assistance of certified nurse midwife Pam Hulstein and nurse Kari Ney of Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center, IA. Kate said it was a wonderful experience. “I could write a book,” she said. “It was so much more comfortable, so much more down to earth, so much better to be near my family afterward, so much smoother first 24 hours, and I felt so much closer to Pam and Kari than any other ...

SIOUX CENTER – Dr. Del Lassen is happy that he will be able to see more patients as a family practice physician at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center starting Feb. 1 when he expands his hours. Dr. Lassen, who also serves as Promise’s medical director, will continue to take appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays as he traditionally has. In addition, he will alternate providing services on either a Monday or Friday every week. Dr. Del Lassen, family practice physician and medical director at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center, will expand his hours starting Feb. 1. That will allow him to see more patients every week. “I love working at Promise because of our terrific patients and competent staff,” he said. “It’s a truly joyful place to work.” Nancy Dykstra, executive director for Promise, said Dr. Lassen’s increased hours will enhance same-day availability for patients and ensure urgent care visits are provided Monday-Friday. “This means Promise can see m...