primary care Archives - Off the Charts

Telehealth in Rural Nursing: Embracing Change for Better Patient Outcomes

Photo by Bradyn Shock on Unsplash

When I first heard of telehealth services coming to our rural hospital, no one was a bigger skeptic than I was.

Perhaps the main reason was the way I was educated as a nurse and how I learned to practice as an APRN. Honestly, I am “old school” in every way possible. My first thought was, “This is not good practice; how could it be? Won’t there be shortcuts? How about the lack of a physical exam? How can you properly physically evaluate someone over telehealth? How can you take safe care of patients and avoid missing something that’s potentially life-threatening if you can’t touch them? How could someone a thousand miles away help me way up in the mountains of the Eastern Panhandle? What could they know about the community here and their needs?”

These were just a few of the questions and concerns I had regarding telehealth coming to our rural community access hospital. When we assess our patients, we not only to listen to their heart and lungs, look into their eyes, hear their voice, feel the temperature of their skin, but we connect. We are building trust and ensuring support with looking, listening, and […]

Guest Author2023-10-03T10:04:41-04:00August 25th, 2023|digital health, Nursing, nursing roles, patient experience, Patients|5 Comments

August Issue: CBT for Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia, RNs’ Role in Transforming Primary Care, More

“It is not to save the world we are called—it is to care.”—Alison Stoltzfus in her August Reflections essay, “To Care When There Isn’t Enough”

The August issue of AJN is now live. Here’s what’s new. Some articles may be free only to subscribers.

Original Research: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Symptom Management in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia

This integrative review examines the efficacy of CBT as an adjunct to antipsychotics—notably clozapine—in alleviating symptoms of treatment-resistant schizophrenia in various study populations.

A Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults During COVID-19

The authors describe their experience converting an in-person tai chi fall prevention program to a virtual program during the pandemic, as well as participants’ responses to the virtual program.

The Role of RNs in Transforming Primary Care

A discussion of the need to improve primary care delivery in the United States, and how preparing RNs to practice at the top of their license can play an important role in this effort.

[…]

Diane Szulecki, editor2022-07-25T10:36:55-04:00July 25th, 2022|Nursing|0 Comments

An Intimate Glimpse of Community Health Nursing During the Pandemic

Photo courtesy of Monica M. Finifrock.

We hear a lot about frontline nurses and the trauma they’ve endured throughout the year fighting the world’s deadliest pandemic in 100 years. Their stories are harrowing and heroic and shine a much deserved spotlight on the importance of the profession. And yet COVID-19 has touched not only those working in ICUs and EDs—but in every area of health care. Our December In the Community article, “Keeping Calm in the Buffer Zone,” is just one example of a nurse touched by COVID-19 in her daily work.

Community health as a ‘buffer zone.’

When the article opens, author Monica M. Finifrock is on her way to work at a community health clinic in Seattle. It’s April and the pandemic is beginning to take a toll.

I don’t consider myself on the front lines of the pandemic . . . I’m not watching patients take their last gasps of air or making hard decisions about who gets a ventilator and who doesn’t. I’m a community health nurse, and my role during the COVID-19 pandemic is to do exactly what I always strive to do—serve the community.

Calling her clinic a “buffer zone,” Finifrock argues that community health clinics are […]

Amy M. Collins, managing editor2020-12-10T08:42:36-05:00December 10th, 2020|COVID-19, narratives, nursing stories, Public health|0 Comments

Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Critical Role for Nurses in Screening and Interventions

“‘What’s the scoop with our autism screening?’ a concerned mother asked the nurse upon realizing that the autism spectrum disorder screening questionnaire she had completed wasn’t addressed during her daughter’s well-child visit. The nurse brought the mother’s concern to the primary care provider, who replied, ‘Don’t worry, I only look at screenings if I think there’s a problem. I can spot autism during a patient visit.’”

Is this provider’s confident claim a realistic one? Almost certainly not, as will become clear to anyone who reads the CE articles on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the October (“From the CDC: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder“) and November (“Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Nurse’s Role“) issues of AJN. As a result of such casual attitudes toward screening, many autistic children are almost certainly not receiving the early treatment and monitoring that can make a big difference in their quality of life.

Delayed diagnosis reduces the window for effective interventions.

ASD is the most common developmental disability in the United States, yet according to the November CE article, screening rates across the U.S. range from a low of 17.2% in Mississippi to a high of less than 60% in […]

Betsy Todd, MPH, RN2020-11-12T10:16:12-05:00November 12th, 2020|Nursing|0 Comments

‘Micro’ and ‘Macro’ Strategies for Nursing to Thrive as a Profession

At last month’s annual convention of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN), nurse and health care economist Peter Buerhaus received the Anthony J. Jannetti Award “for extraordinary contributions to health care.” Buerhaus, a professor of nursing at Montana State University College of Nursing, is widely known across health care disciplines for his research on health care costs and value, especially in regard to nurses and nursing. In his keynote talk, Buerhaus shared some of his recent research findings and offered some “micro” and “macro” nursing strategies for thriving amid today’s health care challenges.

Nurses maintain status as highly trusted professionals.

Click to expand. Most trusted professions, Gallup 2017 poll.

He began by reminding the group of some of the reasons that nurses are respected and trusted in America. People believe that nurses ensure quality of care, protect patients and maintain safety standards, and provide advice on personal health issues.

Studies show that we maintain this trusted status even when the media reports on the mistakes of individual nurses. And after good media attention, as when Alex Wubbels protected her patient or when nurses play key roles in disaster relief efforts, our approval ratings soar.

Accomplishments of NPs have reinforced good reputation of nurses.

Betsy Todd, MPH, RN2017-11-17T10:20:27-05:00November 15th, 2017|Nursing, nursing research|0 Comments

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Community health as a ‘buffer zone.’

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Delayed diagnosis reduces the window for effective interventions.

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Nurses maintain status as highly trusted professionals.

Accomplishments of NPs have reinforced good reputation of nurses.

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