Hello!
Welcome to the November issue of THE PATHFINDER.
We are fast approaching my most favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. It is a day that I look forward to all year and this special day contains some of my top tier preferences - time with family, favorite foods and football!
I have a lot to be thankful for. My family is healthy. My life is blessed with loving friends and family. And I work along side incredibly commited professionals in an industry that I love.
But I was also reminded this morning, that "Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action." (W. J. Cameron) Consequently, with recognition that November is National Home Care and Hospice month, I want to express my gratitude to all the home care and hospice staff across America who care for patients without regard to the time of day, the day of the week or their personal needs. I want to acknowledge that they truly make a difference in the lives of others.
I am happy this month to be able to share with you some articles that have been written especially for this newsletter.
The first is an article by Lynn Serra, Senior Associate with this firm. It has been my good fortune to work with Lynn for nearly 20 years in both home care and hospice settings. She is organized, totally reliable and able to tactfully redirect me when I am about to head off in the wrong direction. Her dry sense of humor has saved more than one day in my life.
I have eagerly awaited this article - the first in a projected series on infection control. I must admit that I read all of the CDC report this summer ("Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings 2007') inspired initially because it was - to my knowledge - the first time that home care and hospice had been included in a report of this type by the CDC. Several comments in the report startled me. The most striking was the observation that our most experienced caregivers are the ones most likely to break sterile technique. An informal discussion with many of you over the last couple of months confirmed that we, as healthcare professionals, are aware that this may be the case. Holy Moley!!
The second article is written by Diane Briney. Diane is the Chief Nursing Officer of Hospice On Call, a unique after-hours triage service. I feel fortunate to count Diane among my friends. This article is the result of several discussions Diane and I have had on the appropriate use of Standing Orders and Guidelines. She makes a good case for their use in improving the care of hospice patients.
With the smell of pumpkin pies in the air and the annual worry as to whether there is ever enough stuffing available for my family, I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many.
If we can provide you with any assistance , please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best wishes, Beth Carpenter
