I had the privilege of working under the supervision of Director Joan Lesch, MS,RN. Her mission was to provide me with the best learning experience at North Shore LIJ Home Care Network. I was able to orient with the newly hired Home Care Nurses, get an understanding of their roles in nursing and to become familiar with their extensive documentation requirements for each home care visit.
In addition, I was also permitted to participate in the educational sessions involving the transition from creating the Oasis documentation requirements and converting it to a computer program. The Information Specialist Maria Amoroso, RN was extremely informative in educating the class on the use of the Lap Top computer for point of care services. The classes were instrumental in educating the nursing staff on how the use of the computer program will enhance clinician productivity and streamline the requirements of the Oasis data entry. The computer program if used correctly reduces errors in data entry at the point of care. There is a help reference number available 24-7 for any problems in entering data.
Carolyn Marshall RN is the nursing coordinator who conducts the telehealth visits at the LIJ agency. I was able to work by her side in conducting scheduled CHF telenursing visits. Without leaving the office, the clinician was able to monitor those patients accepted into the CHF program through �tele-visits�. From their homes, the patients were monitored using voice and video recognition which combined the use of medical peripheral equipment. The ultimate goal of the telenursing program is to improve the quality of care and outcomes of their valued patients. The program intensely improves patient compliance with medications, diet and weight monitoring. The patient is assessed for any signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure. The nursing staff reports any abnormal findings to the patient�s primary care provider. There is a positive working relationship between the telenursing staff and the physicians. The physicians value this program because it improves patient self management behaviors, restores the quality of life to their patients over their disease process and provides the physican with real time clinical information. The telenursing CHF Program has been in effect for the past three years at North Shore LIJ Home Care Network. It has proven to improve productivity and reduce health care costs. More importantly the system is able to capture and measure patient data and easily communicate this data across the entire health care delivery chain.
My clinical practicum at North Shore Home Care Network has been a positive educational experience. I applaud the valued nursing staff at this facility for their continued guidance and support in providing graduate nursing students with such an enriching clinical experience. |
