By Frances H. Traver
Manager, Clinical Services
There are more than three million older adults in the United States. Many need to take medication every day in order to stay healthy. A majority of these older adults take an average of three-to-five different medications daily. It is often difficult for these older adults to take these medications as ordered. I have difficulty remembering to take my vitamins, I don’t know how they remember to take all their medications.
Studies show that up to 59 percent of the elderly have difficulty with taking medications correctly. The consequence of not doing so can be devastating and may lead to falls, hospitalization and/or nursing home placement.
There are many reasons an elderly person may have difficulty taking all their medications. The first may be the number or type of medical conditions, such as heart problems or depression. These conditions may cause the elderly person to be more forgetful. Other medical conditions may affect a person’s vision.
How can a caregiver be assured their elderly family member is taking all their needed medications? I have found it best to ask how they take their medications in a non-threatening manner and not “if they take their medications.” They will often say they are taking their medications but really having difficulties.
Our goal at Saint Francis Home Care is to help our patients help themselves. Home care nurses will ask the elderly patient to read the medication bottle label to them, assuring that the elderly can read the label correctly and understand what it means. In order to help these patients, the nurses and/or occupational therapists at Saint Francis Home Health services can work with you and your elderly family member who may be having trouble. Our agency has been able to improve the majority of our patient’s ability to manage their own medications.
When you compare our outcomes in medication management to other agencies throughout the country, we are about 20 percent higher.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
A Tribute To Nurses
By Susan Hecht, RN
Nursing Rehabilitation Liaison
I would like to take some time and reflect back on Nurses Week and what it means to me as well as National Hospital Week. I was an LPN of six years when I first came to Saint Francis Hospital. I was hired for the Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit. Just starting in a hospital setting, I was very nervous and apprehensive. The nursing staff at Saint Francis oriented me and "took me under their wings" to teach me many new things.
It has been nine years now and I remain on the same unit as the Nursing Rehabilitation Liaison. I enjoyed being an LPN and continued on with the encouragement from the staff to obtain my RN (which I have had now for three years). I am also presently going to SUNY New Paltz for my BSN. Nursing is a wonderful career that has so many opportunities. The avenues in the nursing profession are endless.
Nurses are compassionate professional caregivers providing care to patients and families in the hospital as well as the community. Saint Francis has helped me and many others grow in our professions; allowing us opportunity to return to school to further our education, to encourage us to participate in hospital committees and be a part of the organization. I have learned many things from my peers and will continue to do so. Nursing can lead you down many paths: education, clinical, management, home care and so many more.
Saint Francis Hospital honors not only the National Hospital Week in May but honors their employees the entire month. Everyone wants recognition for the jobs they do and Saint Francis Hospital takes the time to do that. Some of the ways we have found to do this is: dedicate a day to say thank you to the volunteers that give their time; nursing recognition breakfasts are held at different sites; and the Sister Ann Elizabeth Nursing Excellence Award is presented (this is one of my favorites because you get to nominate your peers for the excellent job they do everyday). Hats off to Helen Bunyi from our Home Care Services for winning this year’s Sister Ann Elizabeth Nursing Excellence Award!
There are many days throughout the month recognizing different departments; but most of all to say thank you for all you do at Saint Francis. Saint Francis exemplifies their employees through their CREST of Values, Compassionate Care, Respect, Excellence, Service and Teamwork.Saint Francis is a team with everyone working together to give excellent health care to the community. We offer many services, Trauma and Emergency Room Care, Cancer Center, Joint Replacement Center, Spine Programs, Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation, Stroke Center, Physical and Occupational Services for inpatients and outpatients, Center for Communication Disorders, Blood Conservation Programs, Diabetes Programs, Diagnostic Imaging Services, Sleep Center, Behavioral Health, Cardiac Catheterization, Bariatric Services and so many more.
This month especially makes me proud to not only be a professional registered nurse but also to be a part of Saint Francis Hospital. We all remember back in our careers at some point or another those who have mentored, molded and shaped us in one way or another. I would like to take the time to say thank you to a few that have made a difference in my professional nursing career, Pat Nocket (Director/Patient Care Services), Pat Churna (Coordinator/Home Care Services), Carla Richardson (Business Coordinator), Suzanne McLaughlin (CNO), Jackie Ragone (ICU/RN) and Lousiemary Witcher-Schoonmaker (Education) and to Saint Francis Hospital for allowing myself and many others the opportunity to grow in our professions. To all nurses; Happy Nurses Week and hats off to Saint Francis Hospital and all others for National Hospital Week.
Nursing Rehabilitation Liaison
I would like to take some time and reflect back on Nurses Week and what it means to me as well as National Hospital Week. I was an LPN of six years when I first came to Saint Francis Hospital. I was hired for the Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit. Just starting in a hospital setting, I was very nervous and apprehensive. The nursing staff at Saint Francis oriented me and "took me under their wings" to teach me many new things.
It has been nine years now and I remain on the same unit as the Nursing Rehabilitation Liaison. I enjoyed being an LPN and continued on with the encouragement from the staff to obtain my RN (which I have had now for three years). I am also presently going to SUNY New Paltz for my BSN. Nursing is a wonderful career that has so many opportunities. The avenues in the nursing profession are endless.
Nurses are compassionate professional caregivers providing care to patients and families in the hospital as well as the community. Saint Francis has helped me and many others grow in our professions; allowing us opportunity to return to school to further our education, to encourage us to participate in hospital committees and be a part of the organization. I have learned many things from my peers and will continue to do so. Nursing can lead you down many paths: education, clinical, management, home care and so many more.
Saint Francis Hospital honors not only the National Hospital Week in May but honors their employees the entire month. Everyone wants recognition for the jobs they do and Saint Francis Hospital takes the time to do that. Some of the ways we have found to do this is: dedicate a day to say thank you to the volunteers that give their time; nursing recognition breakfasts are held at different sites; and the Sister Ann Elizabeth Nursing Excellence Award is presented (this is one of my favorites because you get to nominate your peers for the excellent job they do everyday). Hats off to Helen Bunyi from our Home Care Services for winning this year’s Sister Ann Elizabeth Nursing Excellence Award!
There are many days throughout the month recognizing different departments; but most of all to say thank you for all you do at Saint Francis. Saint Francis exemplifies their employees through their CREST of Values, Compassionate Care, Respect, Excellence, Service and Teamwork.Saint Francis is a team with everyone working together to give excellent health care to the community. We offer many services, Trauma and Emergency Room Care, Cancer Center, Joint Replacement Center, Spine Programs, Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation, Stroke Center, Physical and Occupational Services for inpatients and outpatients, Center for Communication Disorders, Blood Conservation Programs, Diabetes Programs, Diagnostic Imaging Services, Sleep Center, Behavioral Health, Cardiac Catheterization, Bariatric Services and so many more.
This month especially makes me proud to not only be a professional registered nurse but also to be a part of Saint Francis Hospital. We all remember back in our careers at some point or another those who have mentored, molded and shaped us in one way or another. I would like to take the time to say thank you to a few that have made a difference in my professional nursing career, Pat Nocket (Director/Patient Care Services), Pat Churna (Coordinator/Home Care Services), Carla Richardson (Business Coordinator), Suzanne McLaughlin (CNO), Jackie Ragone (ICU/RN) and Lousiemary Witcher-Schoonmaker (Education) and to Saint Francis Hospital for allowing myself and many others the opportunity to grow in our professions. To all nurses; Happy Nurses Week and hats off to Saint Francis Hospital and all others for National Hospital Week.
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