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Info/Ed Report
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The importance of the team approach to wound care Leah Quin, RN, CWS Lack of a team approach to wound care is frequently the result of poor communication between doctors, nurses, patients and their families/caregivers. This can result in unhappy patients, irate families and poor clinical and financial outcomes. When physicians fail to respond to agency concerns regarding care; when patients express doubt and anger regarding failure to progress in.healing, sometimes it is the nurse who takes the blames. Nurses can feel helpless to assist their patients through these situations, and sometimes it takes a new approach to solving this problem. In home care, one solution involves an active participation by the wound care specialist nurse going to meet/introduce themselves to physicians with patients with wounds and develop an ongoing relationship based on trust and mutual respect. By taking the time to develop these.relationships, and by demonstrating ongoing positive outcomes together, everyone benefits.. .Patient education regarding wound healing process and topical treatments keeps them involved in their care; regular communication with physicians providing progress reports, and making recommendations based on progress to healing assures the patient of continued team.involvement in the care. In this way, what is discovered is that:..a) The doctor is kept informed of progress without the necessity of frequent visits to the office.b) The patient /caregivers are kept in the loop regarding their progress/their part in it (or lack of it).c) The agency achieves more positive outcomes..d) Relationships based on trust and respect produce a much healthier working environment, happier and more satisfied patients/clientele What we have learned from this experience is that it is worth the time, effort and initial financial expense related to the marketing of these doctors, to be able to more consistently achieve the kinds of positive outcomes that occur when working in relationships based on a team approach. In an atmosphere of reimbursement cuts based on outcomes (Pay for Performance) who would want to continue to provide less that top quality care? |
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