One of the services that Nursing Liaisons offers is patient advocacy. Navigating the health care system when you are well is a challenge, when you are sick it can be a daunting task. Nursing Liaisons has highly qualified, experienced, compassionate, Registered Nurses, who can help. What can a patient advocate help with? We have an example from one of our current patients and their Nursing Liaisons long term Registered Nurse patient advocate.
Hazel, (names have been changed to protect patient’s confidentiality) is a 78-year-old with multiple health problems. She requires homemaker/ aide live in services around the clock. Although she has chronic health issues, she is alert and interested in world events. Slowly over the 3 years that our Nursing Liaison R.N., Martha, has been with her, she noticed that she has gradually stopped reading. Upon further investigation, it was because she was unable to see. Her past medical issues had included surgery on her neck and tongue that led her to have some mobility restrictions that included not being able to lay flat. Martha accompanied Hazel to the eye doctor who diagnosed Hazel with cataracts. Untreated cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world. The first doctor was unable to perform the surgery due to Hazel’s mobility issues. Martha made an appointment with another eye surgeon. Together they heard the devastating news again. He also was unable to perform the surgery. Both doctors felt Hazel’s mobility issues were too great of a risk and could not guarantee that it would not open the door to many other health problems with potentially disastrous results. As you can imagine Hazel became very withdrawn with the news. Martha then went to work. She called several more eye surgeons, and found a team willing to examine Hazel. Together they went to a third eye surgeon, who had an anesthesiologist willing to give Hazel anesthesia, make some special provisions for her and scheduled the first of two surgeries. Hazel underwent the surgeries. She tolerated them without a problem. She is back reading. her quality of life has improved. Martha was doing her job. She was advocating for Hazel. She spent the time researching, calling, and found a team willing to take on a very challenging patient.
A Nursing Liaisons patient advocate can help. Some of the ways that our Nursing Liaisons Registered Nurse patient advocates can help:
· make sure that you understand your medical condition
· answer any questions you might have
· communicate with your family if you wish
· help make a list of questions for your medical appointments
· accompany you to your appointments
· listen about your concerns
· review your medications with you
· research your health condition
· offer emotional support
· co-ordinate non-medical aides
Recent Comments