PPHC Nursing News
October, 2014 / Volume 2, Number 10
In This Issue
· October Updates
· President's Letter
· PPHC Nurse of The Month
· Welcome New HR Director
· Welcome New Director of Accountable Care
· PPHC is Now on Facebook & Twitter
· Continuing Education Courses
· Welcome Home!
· Flu Vaccination
· PPHC Tips & Tricks
· Human Resource Update
Resources
http://www.achc.org
http://www.pedsnurses.org/
http://www.pncb.org/ptistore/control/index
Competency Links
Ventilators:
http://trilogy100.respironics.com/
http://www.cookchildrens.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/HomeHealth/Education/RespiratoryTherapy/Ventilator/CCHH_Ventilator_LTV950SeriesOperatorsManual.pdf
http://www.carefusion.com/medical-products/respiratory/ventilation/ltv-series/ltv-1150.aspx
Interesting Articles
Pediatric Assessment Review Slide Show
http://www.slideshare.net/kurniatirusman/pediatric-assessment-14943417
Contact Us
Ann Martin, Administrator & Director of Nursing
303-747-4018
Dori McDougal, RN
Nurse Case Supervisor
303-747-6283
Emily Dold, RN
Nurse Case Supervisor
303-747-4019
Joline Lowe, RN, CCM
Nurse Case Supervisor
720-414-2715
Diane Lovato, RN
Nurse Case Supervisor
Chelsea Preiss, HR Generalist
720-924-3558
Company Website
pediatrichomecare.com /
October Updates
· Watch for EMR Online Training Opportunities· Remember we have a 24 hour/ 7 day a week hotline so
you can always reach the on duty nurse supervisor
(303-759-1342)
· Welcome Valorie Waldon, HR Director
· Welcome Jessica Keester, Director of Accountable Care
· Welcome Elaine Szarmach, Therapy Staffing Coordinator
· Flu Vaccine Required by ALL Direct Care Providers by 12/31/14
Mark Bruning, President & CEO
Dear Colleagues;
It is fall in Colorado and one of the most beautiful times of the year. Those of us who are avid skiers/riders, it is the time to start dreaming of fresh powder in the mountains (but clear roads down here). Whatever you love or do for fun, I hope you find some time to enjoy yourself amidst the busy lives we all have!
Speaking of busy, we are just a few weeks away from our pending move around the corner to 304 Inverness Way South, which will provide us with the additional room and training/meeting space we desperately need. We will keep everyone informed of the move (first day in the new offices will be Monday, November 10) and keep a look out for more information on upcoming open house and trainings after we get settled in.
As you all know, we are also moving down the path together, field caregivers and administrative/support staff, on training and implementation of our new electronic medical record (EMR) platform with deVero. Change of this magnitude is never easy and we will learn the new system together while identifying opportunities to fix flaws and/or enhance flow and capability. The reality is that there are too many longer term advantages of an EMR system today and it is no longer an enhancement but a basic requirement.
Some of the clear advantages include;
ü Providingaccurate, up-to-date, and complete information about patientsat the point of care
ü Enabling quick access to patient records for morecoordinated, efficient care
ü Securelysharing electronic informationwith patients and other clinicians
ü Helping providers more effectivelydiagnose patients, reduce medical errors, and provide safer care
ü Helping promotelegible, complete documentationand accurate, streamlined coding and billing
ü Enhancingprivacy and securityof patient data
ü Reducing overall coststhrough decreased paperwork, improved safety, reduced duplication of testing, and improved health
Despite many of the advantages and the requisite need to have an EMR as a professional medical provider, it still does not make the learning curve any shorter or easier. For those of you that use or have used EMR systems elsewhere and in my own experience with them, like everything else we get better as time goes on and we learn/adapt to the new norm. So please do your best, give us honest and objective feedback and together we will come out on the other side a better organization and provider.
I want to thank all of you that have taken the time to complete our recent caregiver/employee satisfaction survey. For those of you who have not, I believe the deadline is Wednesday, October 19, so please try and give us your feedback if you have an opportunity. After the feedback is gathered and the information processed, I will share with you our findings and then more importantly, a plan and process to look at ways to prioritize and improve upon the feedback you have provided.
Lastly, I just want to thank everyone for their continued hard work and in providing excellent care, whether it be nursing or therapy (or supporting that effort), to our patients and families. While we have lots of exciting plans for the organization/people and different ways that we think we can further improve upon our clinical care, caregiver satisfaction and operational abilities, it all starts and ends with you taking care of your patients to the best of your ability.
As always, be safe above all and please let me know if I can help you in any way. I will leave you with a few lines from an old (circa 1998) favorite song of mine from a group called The Young Radicals, which goes;
You’ve got a reason to live
Can’t forget we only get what we give
For those of us who still have the “dreamer’s disease”, thanks for all you do to help others.
Best,
Mark
Welcome Valorie Waldon, PPHC HR Director
Professional Pediatric Home Care is pleased to announce that Ms. Valorie Waldon will be joining the Company as the Senior Director of Human Resources. Valorie hasmore than 30 years of human resources experience, and has served innumerous HR leadership positions in both the public and private sector. In her new role, Valorie will lead the human resources function within PPHC and will have direct oversight of and accountability foroverall provision of human resources services, policies and programs. Ms. Waldon comes to PPHC from running her own HR consulting practice and serving as an HR consultant for Mountain States Employers Council in Denver. Prior to her time there, she served as Senior Director of Human Resources for The Tucker Advisory Group, was the Associate Vice-President of Human Resources for Rocky Vista University; and spent twelve years overseeing a number of functions as Administrative Services Director/Director of Human Resources for the City of Greenwood Village, a municipality with over 267 employees and an operating budget of $30 Million.Ms. Waldon is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and her other experience includes positions with the Cities of Commerce City and Lakewood.Ms. Waldon holds numerous professional certifications, including Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
On a personal note, Valorie is married, has 3 adult children and one granddaughter who will be 3 years old this November. Although she has never seen Star Wars, she loves Star Trek (all versions) and is a sucker for American Idol type shows, especially The Voice!! When she’s not working she enjoys shopping for almost anything and, rumor has it, she makes a mean pot of chili!!
Please join me in welcoming Valorie, who will begin her new position on November 17, 2014.
Welcome Jessica Keester, Director of Accountable Care
Please welcome Jessica Keester, RN, CPNC-PC as our Director of Accountable Care. Jessica comes to us from University of Colorado where she was a Clinical Health Assessment Instructor for undergraduate nurses. She also worked part-time as a school nurse with Cherry Creek School District. Jessica is very passionate about pediatrics, has worked in 2 Children’s Hospitals in Oklahoma (St Francis Children's Hospital, Moore OK and Oklahoma Children’s) and is very comfortable with high acuity kids. Jessica loves teaching and is looking forward to meeting our kids, families and field staff! We are looking forward to helping us with on-boarding of new nurses, on-going clinical education and quality improvement activities!PPHC Nurse of the Month
Congratulation to Cat Nash, the PPHC Nurse of the Month for October! Cat was hired with PPHC last November and has since developed into an excellent nurse, team member, and Case Manager. She has displayed effective leadership skills over this past year and always ensures that her team is informed and aware of all updates and changes. Cat continues to skillfully maintain her cases’ nursing schedule and is intentional about reaching out to PRN nurses if there are open shifts needing to be filled. She frequently communicates with the therapists on her case and works hard to coordinate PDN and therapy in an effort to provide a team based approach and upmost continuity of care. Cat is an asset to her patient and to Professional Pediatric Home Care.PPHC Welcome Home!
PPHC is excited to welcome home these new faces! We look forward to working with our nurses and therapists to give them and their families their BEST life!Please Like Us On FaceBook & Twitter
Please like us on FaceBook at:
https://www.facebook.com/PediatricHomeCareColorado
And follow Us on Twitter @PediatricCareCO.
We are excited to share resources, industry updates, educational opportunities, upcoming events and family successes! Make sure to encourage your families to post pictures and follow us too!
November Continuing Education Courses:
PPHC is hosting the following Courses:Seizure In-Service on Tuesday, November 18th at 1:00pm in the PPHC training room located at 304 Inverness Way South, Ste. 125, Englewood CO 80112. The instructor will be Wynne Bird, BSN, RN, CPN, CNRN who is the Epilepsy Program Coordinator at the Neuroscience Institute at Children's Hospital Colorado. These are the objectives for the class:
¨ Recognize different types of seizures
¨ Describe common epilepsy syndromes
¨ Apply practical skills and interventions related to seizures
¨ Understand medications used for seizure types
We offer this class is offered free of charge to all PPHC nurses. Please RSVP to Emily at .
Vent/Trach/Respiratory 101 Course on Wednesday, November 5th and Friday, November 21st at 1:00-4:00pm in the Major Medical offices located at Major Medical Supply on 7000 North Broadway Street, Suite 412; Denver , CO 80221. Nicole Brecht, RRT is the instructor of this excellent training opportunity for both LTV and Trilogy vents, respiratory and trach. They will spend time going over both ventilators (Trilogy & LTV) and will explain each part/connection/function of the vent and give you the opportunity to take apart and put the equipment back together. They will also provide training on the in home suction machine and the pulse ox machine. We offer this class is offered free of charge to all PPHC nurses.
We offer this class is offered free of charge to all PPHC nurses. Please RSVP to Emily Dold at .
Welcome Home!
PPHC is excited to welcome home these new faces! We look forward to working with our nurses and therapists to give them and their families their BEST life!Flu Vaccination Season is Here
The Colorado Dept of Health now requires all direct care providers to have a flu vaccination. By 12/31/14 all hospitals/nursing homes/home health agencies are required to show a vaccination rate of 90% of direct care providers. Please send us your 2014-15 vaccination documentation before 12/31/14. Thanks, I know this creates a dilemma for some, I'm just enforcing the requirement. If you have strong feelings about the requirement, please contact CDPHE and/or your State Representative and let them know. There is a plethora of peer reviewed data that you may review on line as well. We just need to show CDPHE a 90% rate by the end of 2014. Please keep our kids safe and get your flu vaccination! If you choose not to be vaccinated, we will be making random phone calls to your families to be sure you are wearing a MASK at all times during patient interactions.PPHC Tips & Tricks
Do you struggle with clogged g- tubes? Here are some ways to make your g-tube clean as brand new.1) Clamp the top of the extension set with the clamp squeeze tubing with fingers all the way down following through till end of extension set is reached. Repeat if needed and use water to also help loosen any particles that may be stuck.
2) WHILE YOU ARE RUNNING WATER THROUGH THE TUBE, hold the tube between your thumb and the dull side of a table knife (butter knife), and act as if you were curling a ribbon on a birthday present. Press the tube hard between your thumb and the knife and run the knife/thumb the full length of the tube, in the direction that the water is flowing. The pressure of the "ribbon curling" action will loosen all the gunk, and the water carries it away. It takes 10 seconds, and it works on all tubes, even tubes too small for a pipe cleaner. This method also unblocks plugged tubes.
Do you have some great tricks or tips to share with PPHC providers and/or families? Please email them to for our newsletters and upcoming Tips & Tricks section on our website!
Gallaudet Research Opportunity
Please share with your families if they have a child with a hearing loss and additional special needs:You are invited to participate in a Gallaudet research project on Social Skills!
If your child has a hearing loss with an additional diagnosis and is 5 to 10 years old, please contact us to participate:
You will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires about you, your child, and family. Completing the surveys take a total of about 1-2 hours. We will reimburse you $20 for your time. This project has been approved by Gallaudet Institutional Review Board. The principal investigator is Angela Turner of Gallaudet University’s Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology.
Human Resource Updates
By Chelsea Preiss, HR AssistantBreast Cancer: Raise Your Breast Cancer Awareness
Learn about the risks for breast cancer and the tests used to find breast cancer early.
Simply being a woman and getting older puts you at an increased risk for breast cancer. Experts estimate that 1 in 8 women alive today will get breast cancer. That’s a scary figure, but it shouldn’t leave you
feeling helpless. Instead, take time to learn more about breast cancer and the steps you can take to protect yourself.
What is the average risk?
Age is the most important risk factor for breast cancer. Simply, the older you get, the greater your chance of getting breast cancer.