Manju Abraham, Regional Nursing Lead, Nightingales highlights some of the trends that will strengthen and create a strong force of nursing professionals
As we gear up celebrate International Nurses Week 2017, it is about time for us to take a moment to acknowledge those who play a pivotal role in taking care of our loved ones. They are indeed the silent army, working tirelessly on the front-lines of patient care.
While it is evident that the healthcare industry in general, will continue its evolution throughout the rest of this decade and beyond, it is spectacular to notice how nurses are constantly adapting and keeping up with the pace of a changing landscape. As home health care gains trust and popularity and the demand for nursing services continue to rise. Let’s take a look at some of the trends that will continue to strengthen and create a strong force of nursing professionals.
Home Healthcare as an alternative
Personalised care on the rise – As baby boomers age, they are expected to opt for home healthcare services providers due to the flexibility and comfort offered to them at home over global hospital conglomerates. As erratic schedules continue to peak, leaving little or no time for people to make it to those compulsory hospital visits and crucial check-ups, this trend will see the rise of home healthcare nursing appointments. Nurses are predicted to shift away from institutional care to home healthcare as better salaries, positions and roles await them. The shift from hospital-based care to home healthcare demands will have a major impact in the future of nursing. Majority of nurses are used to hospital-based practice, shifting to home-based nursing practice will provide more exposure to them and would result in enhancing their skills on independent nursing actions, decision-making and in-depth head-to-toe assessment.
Increased Demand for Nurses outside hospitals – Hospitals today, are under enormous pressure and are facing constant restraint in terms of accommodating patients. Many hospitals have started encouraging chronic patients like stroke-survivors to continue recuperating and availing medical care and support from home. Nurses play a critical role in taking the care plan of the patient from the doctor and implementing the same for the patient, at home. Thus, creating a continuum of care and seamlessly integrating chronically ill individuals, back to the community. This process simultaneously provides an alternative atmosphere of rehabilitation for chronically ill patients and allows hospitals to accommodate those in need of critical care.
Electronic Medical Reports (EMRs)
Thankfully, today the country’s healthcare system is going through a period of transition to using new technology such as EMRs (Electronic Medical Reports); this helps nurses to manage patient records seamlessly. No more documenting, tallying and carrying around innumerable pages of medical reports. EMRs have consistently reported more improvements to nursing care and better health outcomes for patients than nurses working in hospitals without this technology. Nurses are especially appreciative of how better information often fosters measurable improvements in everything from pneumonia and pressure ulcer prevention to more appropriate screening and better outcomes for patients with chronic conditions. For cases like wound management, multiple visits are required for the patient to fully recover. EMRs help in monitoring the wound, the healing stage and the status of the wound recovery since the last check-up. The same applies for ICU care at home, where vitals are recorded and monitored in the EMR and shared with the treating physicians. EMRs also provide reminder pop-ups to nurses; this feature is extremely useful while treating a chronically immobilized patient. While nurses are on the move, EMRs provide ready access and swift analysis of a patient’s condition, anytime of the day.
Clinical and non-clinical care providers
Rushing to hospitals for emergency admissions and routine checkups against the will of our loved ones are a bygone, today. Home health care has gradually introduced services for both clinical and non-clinical requirements.
Non-clinical care is one of the noblest profession and an indirect way to help those who are inactive, bed-bound, living alone or sick. Today, a steady army of professional nurses are being groomed and equipped to handle any emergency within the comfort of a patients’ home. Delivering a high quality advanced clinical care for a specific clinical condition is one of the key elements to improve patient care. Some of the key non-clinical services include assistance with eating; end-of-life care; personal care and emotional support; stabilizing emotionally distressed and traumatized patients; assisting patients to maintain or regain their maximum level of independence and assistance with re-positioning, transferring and exercise among others.
Clinical care providers aim to provide nursing support with their expertise and knowledge to support people who are in need of high-level care within the comfort of their home. Some common areas on clinical expertise include Vital signs monitoring; Sample collection; Urinary catheter management; Administration of medication; Post-pperative management; bed sore management and ambulation among others.