Nursing Blog

Case Western Reserve University’s forthcoming students operated Saturday Free Clinic likely to be commence service in 2011 for the benefit of Cleveland’s poorly served people in addition to the services shall serve as training platform for nurses and doctors yet to be qualified during their education continuation giving them ac chance to become partners in patient health care. The Cleveland Free clinic shall be on the basis of cooperation between the doctor & Nursing students and community sharing the resources of the community.

The Clinic is under the project named “Inter-professional Learning Exchange and Development Program” (I-LEAD) situated at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine and Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, which are recipients of about $640,000 funds granted by Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation. The project satisfies the objectives of the foundation i.e. for improving education standards of health professionals keeping in view the public health standards improvement bringing noticeable changes in healthcare delivery programs.

The impression and feelings of Daniel Ornt., at the School of Medicine about the project are “The Grant funds shall be responsible to induce favorable changes in the healthcare practices besides creating services, the participating doctor and nursing students shall realize how professionals are thinking and functioning in various capacities and shall inculcate in them the virtues of team spirit.”

Ornt. and Patrica Underwood; shall be steering the project for duration of four years, besides Weatherhead School of Management shall be participating to carry out analytical work for the project and support the participating teams to get meaningful cooperation.

Underwood stated that there is necessity of creating an atmosphere where the nurses and doctors learn cooperating among each other as team members from their early education period resulting in desired changes in the healthcare delivery improving the healthcare quality.

The grant is based on the funds received by the University and is a step in the direction of forging together medical and nursing education. As pre-preparation the nursing and medical students have begun taking part to improve their communication capabilities in simulated conditions of interaction with patients in the seminars, so that they practice what they shall be doing?

Leading Healthcare organizations like World health Organization, National League of Nursing and Carnegie Foundation have called upon other organizations for increasing the inter-professional collaborative efforts to bring revolutionary changes in health care delivery in the future.
“Simply teaching inter-professional practice is not enough” it is felt by Underwood, The actual experience shall determine how and what they practice in real situations.

With the help of the granted funds the curriculum of the two related schools has been increased which shall offer favorable ground for exchanges between medical & nursing students. The objective of the Foundation and Case Western Reserve is for creating inter-professional cooperation oriented education models for implementing in other schools through out the country. The poorly served people of Cleveland shall be directly benefited by the doctors and nurses available to look after their acute and chronic health diseases besides learning concepts of healthy living and prevention of disease.

I-LEAD Program has five distinct parts, creating environment of realty based experiences within the school curriculum.
• When the group is small the experiences can be felt closely bringing nursing and medical students to find solutions participating jointly.
• Simulated patient conditions, besides other learning opportunity together for 2 to 4 hours helps in focusing at communication skill for enhancing patient safety and better outcomes.
• A community laboratory near Cleveland or in the school shall support the needs of promoting health and prevention of disease related to students studying in middle classes.
• Having Laboratory within the healthcare environment shall help the professional students experience simulated to the working of a general hospital and shall be useful to them, when they work in a general hospital.
• The students operated free clinic and laboratory having association with their respective schools within this project shall be among few such laboratories existing in the country.

The Project is part of a national movement with the objective of laying foundation of improvement oriented changes in healthcare of the past through doctor and nursing students.

“All the patients and their relatives shall have the advantage of the changes being attempted” as Stated by Underwood.

There are many options to choose from to get the services of a home health care giver, depending upon the health status of the person and personal needs of service.

Non-certified Assistant Help:

Non-certified assistant looks after the safety aspects of an old person, who has some ambulatory disabilities. He is engaged as helpers for long-term personal care and support services. The duties of such helpers are not restricted for personal care they also help in housekeeping, cooking of meals besides companionship to the old person. There is lot of mix up of the duties.

These services are arranged privately and not eligible for reimbursement through Medicare and private health insurance irrespective of the fact that the non-certified helper is employed with a non-medical home care organization or is hired privately. Few long-term caring insurance plans are covering such services but it is required to check with the insurance service provider. Non-certified assistants is capable of providing common routine personal caring assistance, which are usually required for helping care for a near and dear at home.

These non-certified assistants also carry out light household work of laundry wash, general cleaning of house and washing of windows. Companions also require necessary training and are not permitted direct personal care, but can be helpful in providing comfort and companionship for persons not to be left alone and unlooked after.

Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) / Home Health Aides (HHA)

Certified Nurse Aide or CNA and Home Health Aide (HHA) are vital component of Home Health care team, and as provided in their certification conditions work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse and Rehabilitation therapists depending upon the need of the individual. Both CNA and HHA have undergone  training and certification processes, theoretical and practical examinations which vary from state to state and re-certification is required within 24 months to keep the validity continued. Some states prescribe additional training in homecare for HHA’s.

The CNA’s and HHA’s find employment with Home Healthcare and non-medical homecare organizations. The expenses on account of using CNA or HHA services are reimbursed subject to fulfillment of certain stipulated conditions like working under supervision of a licensed medical health professional besides the authorization support of the physician for undergoing these additional skilled services at home. Engaging privately paid CNA or HHA hiring is good option in situations not requiring skilled care.

CNAs and HHAs give assistance to patients requiring services of daily living activities (ADLs) which include personal caring, ambulatory support, nutrition caring, administration of medicines, toilet assistance; health issues like blood pressure measuring and record keeping and in few cases light housekeeping. The certified assistant must possess the skills of actual procedures and also keep a tab on patient’s health condition observing and communicating to supervising professionals.

CNAs and HHAs are CPR certified and depending on their level of training with state regulated variations, provide extra bedside care including wound / bedsore treating and dressing change, tube feedings, catheter insertions, and diabetes monitoring with the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).

Licensed Practical Nurse:

A LPN or LVN they qualify specified curriculum and pass the National examination after completing college course for receiving their nursing license. They possess the training experiences and qualifications for performance of nursing skill procedures and are required to work under registered Nurse Supervision or a physician.

Registered Nurses (RN)

Registered Nurses (RNs) have undergone higher nursing courses and training in nursing education needed to become a Registered Nurse and pass national level examination after they finish college course for getting their nursing license. They have achieved competence for performing all facets of skilled nursing care besides supervision of other participants in the health services like LPNs/ LVNs, CNAs, and / or HHAs.

Roles of Physical Therapy/ Occupational Therapy / Speech Therapy:

These are therapies are provided by professionally qualified persons  specialization in respect of caring for physical disabilities suffered by patients due to aging or disuse of the limbs during trauma treatment. Speech Therapists and Occupational Therapist use their specialized knowledge in identifying the problem and devise treatments for rehabilitating the patient so that they come back to near normal condition after exercises and practicing the treatment advised. The objective of the therapists is improvement in mobility, strengthening of weak senile muscles, maintaining proper balance and better communications in patients suffering with speech impediments.

Social Workers (SW) / Medical Social Workers (MSW)

Social Workers are members of the health team and do house visits in certain urban or rural areas and evaluate social, emotional and environmental factors, which affect the sick and disabled persons. They get the opportunity to carry out family or individual counseling for persons who are struck up and are not able to resolve their problems without the help of guided counseling to the family members as a whole instead of the individual person. Medical social workers are the appropriate persons having knowledge and ability to resolve domestic issues affecting the health of an otherwise healthy person. They identify and search for community resources to arrange their help to the affected family.