6 cesar: support the argument
Since I do not currently belong to any Nursing Professional Organization and neither have any involvement with the political process yet; I decide to talk about of the current nurse policy a leader that is working to improve the actual life conditions, not only of the patients, but also their caregivers in order to enhance their wellness and quality of life. I am talking about Mrs. Jennie Chin Hansen, who is an experienced health care leader and advocated for an extensive transformation in the healthcare system in order to achieve highest quality and safety, as well as a more extensive approach for chronic patients, older adults, and long term patients, based on innovation and humanization of the actual model of care and health financing (McCormick, 2015).
Jennie Chin Hansen started her nursing career in the community and public health in both, urban and rural settings; she also practice as professor in two universities in California until, in 1980 she joined On Lok, Inc. This no-for-profit organization was in charge to provide full primary care and acute long term care to senior residents of San Francisco. In this organization Mrs. Hansen assumed more and more responsibility until she reached, through her hard work and implication, the role of executive director, role that she got until retirement from the organization in 2005. During all this time she has served in various leadership roles that allowed her to better understand and advocate for the senior community. Jennie was aware that, although the senior community is growing exponentially with their life’s expectancy, the health support they and their caregiver received does not cover mostly of their needs (Bragg & Chin-Hansen, 2015). She also found that the actual healthcare system does not focus enough in the training of senior’s caregivers.
Jennie with her collaborators realized, after research, that within the same healthcare system exist more efficient ways to deal with this issue by partnering with the patients and their caregivers using the existing technologies in order to enhance the quality of care that this population received (McCormick, 2015). New frameworks were needed to enhance the quality, and effectiveness of care regardless of Medicare coverage (Bragg & Chin-Hansen, 2015). As the result of her investigations and part of her advocacy process she supported the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act. This aims to support the caregiver of a hospitalized patient to have more involvement in the discharge planning so they are trained in complex tasks such as wound care and giving injections (Anthony, 2018). The ACT has passed in 40 states and territories and its success is based in the higher implications that nurses have in the teaching of process such ostomy care, medication administration and wound care, which must be taught as part of the discharge process (Reinhard & Young, 2017). Based on Hansen work, the implication of nurses is fundamental, not only in the reduction of costs, but also in the enhancement of the outcome of the patient, as well as their return to wellness, supported by their caregivers, so both can reach a better quality of life (Reinhard & Young, 2017).
Sincerely
Cesar Almanza
Reference
Anthony, M. (2018). The caregiver advise, record, enable (care) act. Home Healthcare Now, 36 (2), doi: http://dx.doi.org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.1097/NHH.0000000000000655
Bragg, E. J. & Chin-Hansen, J. (2015). Ensuring care for aging baby boomers: Solutions at hand. American Society on Aging, 39 (2). Retrieved from https://www.asaging.org/blog/ensuring-care-aging-baby-boomers-solutions-hand
McCormick, W. C. (2015). New CPT codes for advance care planning. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 41 (3), doi: http://dx.doi.org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.3928/00989134-20150211-01
Reinhard, S. C. & Young, H. M. (2017). Nurses supporting family caregivers. AJN American Journal of Nursing, 117, doi: http://dx.doi.org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000516385.05140.b0
