ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
Patient Communication: Picking Up Where Medicine Leaves Off
We've all seen patients who were far beyond the reach of medical treatment suddenly defy the odds and recover. We've also seen patients who were well on the road to recovery, take a turn for the worse for seemingly no reason at all. No matter what the technology or how terrific we are at our jobs, sometimes medicine just isn't enough. Case in point, a few years ago, I saw a woman in her sixties after she had had a moderate CVA. No matter what her doctors did for her, she still wouldn't regain consciousness ? defying explanation. Her daughter was thousands of miles away at the time and when the doctor reached her, he told her that her mother mighty not live long enough for her to get to her side. After several minutes, the daughter finally convinced the head nurse to put a phone up to her mother's ear, so she could talk to her. The nurse put the phone by the patient's ear and could hear her daughter talking to her, telling her that she was on her way and that everything was going to be fine. The moment her patient heard her daughter's voice, the nurse watched in amazement as her vitals stabilized, her eye lids began to flutter and her eyes opened, looking straight up at the nurse! Two weeks later, she was out of the hospital and on her way to rehab. That's the miracle of communications. Whether a family member, a friend or just a familiar face, our patients need to have the people they love surrounding them, when they're ill, in pain, or afraid. As caregivers, it's part of our job to realize that patients might be too ill or physically unable to initiate the contact they so desperately need, on their own. I wish that were the end of the story. A few years later, the same woman was injured after a bad fall and taken to a different hospital. Despite being in stable and then good condition, a few days later a lack of the most basic medical care caused the woman to spiral into critical condition. When the hospital called her daughter to notify her of her mother's hospitalization days later, she learned that her mother was now unconscious and may not survive. While trying to get a flight back, she begged the nursing staff to put a phone next to her mother's ear, so she could talk to her, possibly for the last time. But at this hospital, the nurses and doctor refused. In fact her doctor said that she was suddenly opening her eyes and looking around. But despite her daughter's pleas to let her talk to her mom while she could still hear her, he tells her that he has no way to get a phone to an ICU patient. "We'll try and figure something out in the morning," he says. Unfortunately the patient didn't have that much time and she died hours later, never again hearing her daughter's voice. The next time you're caring for a patient with compromised communication ability, take a moment to see their surroundings from his perspective. · If your patient can speak, is the telephone close enough to them? · Do they need help dialing, or able to see well enough to read a number out of their address book? · If your patient is unable to hold a telephone would they benefit from a speakerphone? · If your patient can't speak, have a patient representative or volunteer ask them to write the name of someone that they would like to have called for them and hold the phone up to their ear to facilitate communication. · For patients who cannot speak, patient Internet access can be a real lifesaver, because they can type an email message or have one typed for them. · Is your patient unable to see or unable to hear? Then take a moment to call a department or caregiver who can bridge those problems to enhance communication. · Since many hospitals still don't have a means of patient communication in the ICU, you may have to get a bit more creative for patients in care units. Many hospitals now have low emission wireless phones that can be used in critical care units. Wireless web pads also work well, or what about a regular phone, kept at the nurses' station that can be plugged into an outlet in the patient rooms when needed. Communication isn't just a patient's right ? for many it can be their only link to the outside world, or a life-renewing source of strength and love. Combine that with terrific medical care and watch the miracles flow. For tools you and your staff can use to facilitate patient communication download a free copy of the Seven Steps to Successful Notification System, in PDF format, at the Next of Kin Education Project web site. Along with the Information Kit, you'll find patient chart pages and notification worksheets using the Seven Steps, that you can purchase and customize to use as part of your own charting system. You'll find them on the NOKEP web site along with reminder products like mouse pads, posters and coffee mugs, to keep the Seven Steps at your staff's fingertips. Laura Greenwald, CEO/The Next of Kin Education Project nokepinfokit@juno.com The Seven Steps Information Kit can be downloaded free of charge at http://clik.to/7steps The Reminder Products can be purchased at our NOKEP store http://www.cafeshops.com/7steps
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How Is Mold Like AIDS? Don't laugh. Both get a lot of coverage in the press. Mold isn't a politically sensitive issue but there are a lot of similarities. VIOXX Lawsuits Vioxx is a prescription medication that has been used primarily in the treatment of signs and symptoms of arthritis, but has also been prescribed to treat acute pain in adults and menstrual pain in women. It is a Cox-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug or NSAID. Other Cox -2 selective NSAIDs on the market are Celebrex and Bextra. Vioxx is also related to nonselective NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen. Rebound Headache - Stop The Cycle You've been getting headaches. Finally, you find some medications that are making a difference. You're headaches are almost all gone ? but wait ? they're coming back! They're getting worse! The painkillers aren't doing the job they used to do. What's going on? Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a severe and deadly allergic reaction to certain drugs, some proscription and some over the counter, which causes the severe burning of skin and mucosal membranes from the inside out. 15% of people who develop Stevens Johnson Syndrome will die as a direct result. Many drugs which have been known to cause SJS do not have warning labels notifying users about the very real danger of Stevens Johnson Syndrome. If you or a loved one has SJS, a Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawyer can help you receive financial compensation. Erasing the Stigma of Mental Illness As a physician specializing in psychiatry, I know that many emotional conditions such as depression and anxiety disorders are true medical illnesses with a biologic (physical) origin. Psychiatry has become more and more "biological" in its diagnosis and treatment approaches during recent years, but a very significant stigma still exists against those who are seeing a therapist. This has become increasingly difficult to understand, but it is a social stigma that is so very important to eliminate. Hacking through the Medical Scheduling Software Jungle: Helpful Search Tips It is the reality of the 21st century medical practice that in order to ensure the most effective office management and to provide the best service to patients, a medical office must incorporate medical scheduling software. Medical scheduling software helps to run the modern medical practice. But, to find the right medical scheduling software is like searching for buried treasure. Benefits of a Virtual Top Doctor Consultant Looking for the best doctor to suite your medical needs can be a problem, especially if you don't have time and you need to research the doctor's credentials. Whether you're in urgent need of help, or just need a second opinion, I will show you how to access all the information you need ? through the Internet's Virtual Top Doctor Consultant. Melatonin, Sleep Enhancement, and ADHD Overview Melatonin is a natural hormone, which is produced and secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of many hormones in the body. Among its key roles, melatonin controls the body's circadian rhythm, an internal 24-hour time-keeping system that controls when we fall asleep and when we wake up. Phenylpropanolamine (PPH) Lawyer: Decongestant Causes Stroke Phenylpropanolamine, or PPH, used to be an active ingredient in many over the counter nasal decongestants and weight control drug products. The FDA pulled phenylpropanolamine off the market in May of 2000 when a Yale University School of Medicine study found that patients using PPH were at a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke, or bleeding of the brain. By then it had been in popular use for many years, but because strokes are such serious and unpredictable afflictions and safer alternative drugs readily available, the FDA alerted customers to the danger and issued a recall on phenylpropanolamine. Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors (AChEIs)for the Treatment of Moderate and Checklist of Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease Lunesta Side Effects Before you decide to buy Lunesta, make sure you have read over all pertinent information about how Lunesta works, and what side effects you might experience. Jet Lag Pills ? Panacea or Placebo Effect? We live in an age that demands an instant cure for every conceivable ailment under the sun and so it's no surprise that jet lag has joined the band of conditions for which there is the promise of a cure in the form of a pill. But can a pill really provide the panacea to jet lag, or are the results of taking such pills nothing more than imagined. Utah Drug Rehab: Searching For A Therapist Finding the right treatment for any person suffering with a drug abuse problem can be a difficult task - where do you start, how do you know what to look for, how do I find a good therapist or treatment center in my area? Thankfully, there are many resources to help you find the help that you or a loved one need - here are some tips to help you locate Utah drug rehab help. Why Our Healthcare System Isnt Healthy Most people are well aware that an estimated 45 million Americans currently do not have healthcare, but is the crisis simply the lack of health insurance or even the cost of health insurance? Is there a bigger underlying problem at the root of our healthcare system? Although the U.S. claims to have the most advanced medicine in the world, government health statistics and peer-reviewed journals demonstrate that allopathic medicine often causes more harm than good. Alzheimers Toxin May Be Key To Slowing Disease Australian scientists say they have identified a toxin which plays a key role in the onset of Alzheimer's, raising hope that a drug targeting the toxin could be developed to slow the degenerative brain disease. Serevent Side Effects Put Serevent in Top 5 Most Dangerous Drugs Serevent is an asthma inhalation medication, a bronchodilator, that relaxes the muscles in airways. It is preventative and not effective when taken during an asthma attack. Lumbar Puncture: This (Really) Is Spinal Tap I couldn't resist the title's corny riff on the name of the rock band and their movie, but the kind of spinal tap featured in this article was a spinal tap before Spinal Tap was Spinal Tap. (Does that make any sense?) Fifteen Ways to Fight Heel Pain There are many different causes of heel pain, but the most common cause is plantar fasciitis (plan * tar fash* ee * I * tis). If you experience a sharp pain in your heel when you first step down in the morning, it is most likely due to plantar fasciitis. This problem is a result of excess stress through a long ligament type structure (the plantar fascia) in the bottom of the foot. The excess stress causes tearing and results in inflammation and pain. The classic symptoms are pain in the heel at the first step in the morning, or upon rising after long periods of rest. Many will complain of a sharp pain in the heel when they step out of their car or after finishing their lunch break. Other individuals only experience heel pain at the end of the day or during certain types of activity like running, soccer or tennis. The pain may extend into the arch and feel achy at the end of the day. Cholesterol Treatments Options: Statins Satins are pharmacuetical drugs that work by restricting the enzyme HMG CoA reductase. This is an enzyme which regulates how fast a rate cholesterol is produced in the body. By slowing down production of this enzyme, statins are able to lower LDL cholesterol levels more efficiently than many of the other cholesterol drugs on the market. NIH Official Altered Drug Study NIH Official Altered Drug Study
|
|
|
|
|
