As I write this editorial, many in KY and other states are without power after severe snow and ice events. One article in the newspaper attributed a concerned nurse's call as the reason that an 80-plus-year-old man was rescued and found alive after no power for a week. Nurses and others are caring for patients in the community every day. When you read Andy Carter of the VNAA's article about the predicted, upcoming home health care nurse shortage, it is clear we will need all the information we can find to integrate into practice. One resource that should be on all agency and nurse shelves in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) 3-part tome entitled "Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses". This free resource covers numerous aspects of care such as medication management, safety, falls and injury prevention, pain, communications, medication safety, caregivers, pediatrics, and many others. Chapter 13, "Patient Safety and Quality in Home Health Care" provides an overview/update of the literature focused on identifying evidence-based practices that support effective home care. Readers who wish to read this interesting handbook can visit http://www.ahrq.gov or call AHRQ at 1-800-358-9295 and request a hard copy or CD version.
This issue of Home Healthcare Nurse reflects the interdisciplinary care provided to patients at home. Contributed by a team of two physical therapists and a nurse, the CE article entitled "Peripheral Arterial Disease and the Ankle-Brachial Index: What Home Health Clinicians Need to Know", Elmira Asongwed provides interesting information on this common problem. Another common health problem in home care is related to medications and particularly, warfarin. Patrick Luib and his co-authors present "Performance Improvement in Managed Long Term Care: Improving Warfarin Medication Management" while another medication -related article entitled "Improving Oral Medication Management in Home Health Agencies" is presented by Janelle Shearer. Tonya Miller asks "How Many Therapy Visits? It Depends: The Disablement Model: A Conceptual Basis for Therapeutic Intervention in Home Care" while Patti Bottino-Bravo, CCC-SLP presents "Home Care Rehabilitation Services: Advancing Best Practices in Care Management and Professional Development". And as home care and healthcare is all about moving forward and improving though sustained change (is that an oxymoron?) a model for integration of agencies is authored by Ann-Marie Peckham and is entitled "One Organizations' Journey to Improved Operations".
Finally, if you need to remind yourself of the reason that you chose home care, Judith Bonaduce's skillfully crafted Commentary entitled "Reflections of a Community Health Nurse (at Heart)" brings you back to the real nurse CARE in home health care.
The International Home Care Nurses Organization Survey
As communicated in a few editorials in the last year, we have had a very positive response to the question about the need for a home care nurse-focused organization -I thank all of you who took time to write to me with your ideas and thoughts. As we continue to assess your needs and the structure of the new organization, kindly take a few minutes to complete the survey tool to help determine the next steps. Please log on to http://tinyurl.com/c27dvj. We need your comments and completed survey tool by Friday, April 17, 2009. Thank you in advance for your participation!!
Tina Marrelli