Dayna Leavens-Thergesen Expands Pediatric Practice in the Ruby Valley

The Ruby Valley Medical Center is pleased to announce that Dayna Leavens-Thergesen, CPNP, will be seeing patients at the clinic two days a week starting February 4, 2019. Thergesen is a national board certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and treats patients from birth to 21 years old. She will be available to see patients at the Ruby Valley Medical Clinic in Sheridan on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Thergesen has been seeing patients at the Clinic on Thursdays for 16 years, serving the Ruby Valley first at the Twin Bridges clinic and then in Sheridan. “My one day a week at the Clinic has been overbooked for some time,” says Thergesen. “There was clearly a need for more local pediatric care.” Thergesen also sees patients in Dillon two days a week and in Butte one day per week at the Southwest Montana Community Health Center Department of Pediatrics. “Traveling to Dillon, over Homestake Pass, or to Bozeman with a sick child, especially with winter road conditions, adds another level of anxiety to a stressful situation for pediatric patients and families.” Thergesen and the Ruby Valley Medical Clinic hope to facilitate better care and reduced stress for parents by adding a day to the pediatric care schedule.

The timing for adding a day of pediatric care at the Clinic is fortuitous. February is the peak season for acute illnesses including Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and influenza. (RSV is a respiratory illness that affects the bronchioles of the lungs and produces symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath, along with increased risk of pneumonia.) “We’re seeing the typical seasonal increase in RSV and flu cases, which generally coincides with basketball tournament season,” says Thergesen. She noted that there have been fewer flu cases this year and postulates that this might be due to a higher vaccination rate for the kids in Madison County. There is no vaccination for RSV. RSV cases generally run through April and flu runs through May.

Thergesen is pleased that she will be working closer to home one more day each week. She lives in Sheridan with her two daughters who are very active in FFA, 4H, Girl Scouts and sports. “I’m glad that I’ll be more available to my own children, as well as the children of the Ruby Valley and Madison County with this schedule change,” says Thergesen.

In addition to providing care for urgent and acute health issues such as RSV, flu, ear infections, strep throat, etc., Thergesen also sees patients for routine pediatric primary care including well-baby and well-child check-ups, vaccinations, pediatric behavioral concerns, ADHD assessment and management, asthma, allergies, depression, anxiety, diabetes, sports physicals and children with special health care needs. Sports physicals are part of an annual well-child check-up and forms can be completed after May 1st for the following school year. Children that are uninsured can also have access to these check-ups at the clinic and sports physical forms completed for a fee of $25. (Forms are available at your child’s school office.) Thergesen also sees new mothers for lactation consulting. She has been helping new moms with Breast Feeding Best Beginnings and issues since her career with newborns began in the NICU at Community Medical Center in 1995. Thergesen is a board certified lactation consultant.

If you would like to schedule an appointment for your infant or child to see Dayna Thergesen at Ruby Valley Medical Clinic, please call (406) 842-5056.