Clinical & Disease Management Educational Sessions

Clinical & Disease Management

The New American Nurses Association Scope and Standards of Home Health Nursing Practice

This program will present an overview of the process and outcomes of the newly revised ANA ,"Scope and Standard of Home Health Nursing Practice."

Objectives:

• Discuss the updated scope of nursing practice as defined by the ANA "Scope and Standard of Home Health Nursing Practice."
• Identify the Standards of Care for Home Health Nursing.
• Describe the Professional Performance as defined by the ANA "Scope and Standard of Home Health Nursing Practice."

Faculty: Jeanie Stoker, MPA, RN, BS, Director, AnMed Health, Anderson, SC; Marilyn Harris, RN, MSN, CNAA, BC, FAAN, Executive Director, AMH Home Care - RETIRED, Abington Memorial Hospital (AMH), Hatboro, PA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Emergency & Pandemic Preparedness, Clinical & Disease Management, Management & Human Resources

Infection Control

One of the most basic but important issues related to good health care is use of proper infection control methods and equipment. As concerns about a potential pandemic in our future grow, this topic takes on new meaning and importance. This session will serve as a survey course of infection control precautions, including an update on the latest equipment available for protection of health care workers.

Objectives:

• Recount basic infection control practices.
• Identify appropriate equipment and precautions and the circumstances under which they should be used.
• Describe ways in which these precautions can be applied in the home setting.

Faculty: Cynthia J. Mueller, RN, BSN, CIC, VP of Operations, RBC Limited, Staatsburg, NY;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management, Management & Human Resources

Creative Wound Care In-Services

Wound care scores low? No one showing up for the mandatory i.e. "master blast"? Education should be individualized and fun. If you have a hard time with per diems attending educational programs many vendors offer web casts, on-line education or teaching days. Let us show you some creative ways to achieve those essential wound documentation outcomes you desire.

Objectives:

• List two tips to implement an effective wound staging training program.
• Discuss the financial benefits of teaching your staff to document well.
• Identify two benefits of having a wound care specialist assist in training your staff.

Faculty: Elizabeth O'Connell-Gifford, BSN, MBA, RN, ET, CWOCN, DAPWCA, Clinical Education Consultant, Medline Industries, Inc., Mundelein, IL; Mary Jo Nethaway, RN, BSN, ET Nurse, Community Health Center, Johnstown, NY;

Course Level: Novice; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management, Telehealth & Technology

How to Build a Successful Wound Care Specialist Program

Treatment of wounds and ulcers, particularly in a geriatric population, is a highly specialized field. Yet home care agencies seeking to utilize wound care consultation nurses historically faced significant resource constraints. The advent of digital photography has lessened these resource constraints, as visual assessment of wounds can take place over a large catchment area. Participants will learn how to operationalize wound care consultations as part of routine care using digital photography and the impact wound care consultations can have on OASIS outcomes.

Objectives:

• Identify how to craft a wound care consultation protocol.
• Explain the impact of wound care quality on publicly reported measures and for Pay for Performance.
• Discuss the impact on OASIS wound outcomes of a wound consultation program.

Faculty: Marilyn Hecker, BSN, MSNAdmin, MAEd, Vice President, Staff Development, Metropolitan Jewish Health System, Brooklyn, NY; Eliot Fishman, Ph.D., Vice President, Research and Policy, Metropolitan Jewish Health System, Brooklyn, NY;

Course Level: Novice; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Hospice, Clinical & Disease Management

Beyond Opioids: Adjuvant Drug Therapy

Approximately one in five adults or 48 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and over 30 million Americans suffer from chronic, non-malignant pain. Untreated pain can cause detrimental effects on a patient's social and spiritual well-being. Pain is a subjective experience and it is whatever the patient says it is. Choosing a pain management regimen should include adjuvant therapy whenever possible if it can maximize total pain relief. Adjuvants can be used to manage neuropathic, bone and visceral pain syndromes. By the end of the course, each participant should be able to recognize the effects of untreated pain and ineffective pain management; describe how pain is classified, and recommend appropriate adjuvant therapies based on the suspected pain etiology, type of pain and various patient specific factors.

Objectives:

• Discuss the effects of untreated pain and ineffective pain management.
• Describe how pain is classified.
• Recommend appropriate adjuvant therapy.

Faculty: Rebecca Lewis, PharmD MBA, VP, New Business Development, Excellerx, Philadelphia, PA; Nippa Doshi, RPh, PharmD (c), Assistant Director, New Business Development, Hospice Pharmacia, Philadelphia, PA;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management, Financial

ICD-9-CM Basics: Coding for Compliance

Correct ICD-9-CM coding is critical for accurate outcome measurement and payment. This program will provide a basic overview of diagnosis coding purposes and principles for home health agencies. Guidance will be given on how to develop and maintain a coding compliance/reference manual to ensure up-to-date and accurate primary and secondary diagnosis coding including manifestation codes and V-codes. Advice on how to code accurately for PPS case-mix will be provided. New information on ICD-9-CM coding changes effective 10/1/06 that impact home health will be presented.

Objectives:

• Discuss coding principles and OASIS coding guidance that are the basis for primary and secondary diagnosis codes.
• Describe components of a coding compliance manual.
• Identify appropriate case mix diagnoses and their impact on case mix weight calculation.

Faculty: Ida Kay Blevins, RHIA, Supervisor, Reimbursement and Information Management, St. John's Hospital Home Health Services, Springfield, IL;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management, Telehealth & Technology

Guaranteed or Your Money BackHow to Reduce Rehospitalization

In this session you will learn about a system guaranteed to reduce rehospitalization and emergent care. Audit tools, risk assessments, telehealth protocols, best practices, TelephonicVisits SM/Care Calls components, and team communication methodologies will be presented that have proven to produce dramatic results in improving these critical outcomes for one home care company. All home care providers are focused on improving acute care hospitalization and emergent care outcomes. As pay for performance and disease management loom closer, that focus becomes vital to survival in tomorrow's home care environment.

Objectives:

• Discuss and identify national and organizational goals for reduction of acute care hospitalization.
• Describe specific areas of focus common to most home health agencies.
• Identify best practices to achieve best outcomes.

Faculty: Lynda Laff, BSN, Chief Operating Officer, Island Health Care, Inc., Savannah, GA; Ellen Bolch, MSN, MHA, President & CEO, THA Services and Island Health Care, Inc., Savannah, GA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management

Treating the Whole Patient: Detecting and Managing Depression

Ithaca-New York-based Cornell University's Weill Medical School has been engaged in a project with three home health agencies in Westchester County, NY, to address mental health issues of home health patients. The project is called the Cornell Homecare Research Partnership. Depression is a condition that frequently goes undetected but can have a significant impact on the well-being and recovery of patients. Participants will learn about late life depression in home care, its impact on service utilization, and general strategies for depression detection and care management by non-mental health clinicians that were found to be highly successful during the project.

Objectives:

• Describe the prevalence of late life depression in home care and impact on service use and outcomes.
• Identify core symptoms of depression in the context of OASIS assessment.
• Describe the five core components of effective antidepressant medication management.

Faculty: Martha L. Bruce, PhD, MPH, Professor of Sociology in Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, White Plains, NY; Thomas Sheeran, PhD, ME, Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, White Plains, NY; Amy Mlodzianowski, MS, LMSW, Research Coordinator, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, White Plains, NY;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Financial, Clinical & Disease Management, Hospice

Outcome Management: Achieving Financial and Clinical Accountability

In this fast paced workshop, participants will learn why Outcome Management is an ideal management system for home care, hospice, private pay, and other health sectors, how it works and why it has such a positive effect on staff morale and retention. More importantly, attendees will learn first hand how one home care agency leader opted to move from traditional management to the highly accountable Outcome Management System and the impact it had on her agency's operation and outcomes.

Objectives:

• Discuss the major challenges and limitations to traditional management systems.
• Identify the fundamental components of an Outcome Management type of management system.
• Describe implementation of a new management system and the impact on quality and financial outcomes.

Faculty: Robert Fazzi, BA, M. Ed. and Ed.D., President/CEO, Fazzi Associates, Northampton, MA; Carla Braveman, RN, MEd and CHCE, President and CEO, VNA and Hospice Care of Cooley Dickinson, Northampton, MA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management, Leadership, Hospice

The Service Call: A Radical Approach to Admission Delays

This session focuses on one of the most difficult challenges for agencies today: How to deal with increasing demand and the capacity limits imposed by a nursing shortage. One of the more innovative approaches is to ease the burden of the admission for the nurse by using non-nurse talent to get the admission process going. The service rep model is also very helpful in the hospital setting, when liaisons are finding less time for marketing because of heavy referral volume. This program looks at a different response that can help the referral source while facilitating the admission process.

Objectives:

• Create training tools to help the rep identify key patient and caregiver needs.
• Assess value of admissions nurses and develop training program for them.
• Utilize the service rep in hospital settings and for discharged home care patients.

Faculty: Polly Rehnwall, BA, MA, Senior Consultant, Polly Rehnwall Inc., Salt Lake City , UT;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Emergency & Pandemic Preparedness, Clinical & Disease Management, Management & Human Resources, Hospice

Emergency Preparedness for Home Care and Hospice

This presentation will describe the critical elements of emergency preparedness for home care agencies as identified by New Jersey's Home Care Association through a state-funded Emergency Preparedness Grant Project. Particular attention to special needs population plans were addressed in year two of the grant project and will be shared in the presentation. Lessons learned will also be shared to understand the necessary role that home care must hold in every state to ensure the needs of the community's vulnerable patients are met.

Objectives:

• Identify home care and hospice's responsibilities in emergency preparedness planning, including special needs.
• Explain home care's role in planning for special needs populations.
• Illustrate appropriate documentation for emergency situations.

Faculty: Josephine Sienkiewicz, RN, MSN, Director of Education and Clinical Practice, Home Care Association of NJ, Princeton Junction, NJ; Carol Kientz, RN, MA, Executive Director, Home Care Association of NJ, Princeton Junction, NJ;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Financial, Clinical & Disease Management

Dancing With Your Data: All the Right Moves

The intersection of art and science is here. Learn how to waltz into the pay for performance (P4P) and disease management environment with data as your partner. Thriving under P4P and disease management will require high -level performance. You must focus on the right data and outcomes that relate to ICD-9s, risk-adjusted outcomes, adverse events, cash and patient satisfaction. Know the right steps, stay in rhythm, know your competition, and make sure that the finance and clinical field staffs can do a mean tango instead of just a tap dance!

Objectives:

• Define the key clinical, operational, and financial data necessary to thrive in a pay-for-performance environment.
• Describe the best methods for timely data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Identify steps to take to ensure that clinical and financial staff are effective partners and, together, win the top 10% competition.

Faculty: Pat Laff, CPA, Principal, Laff Associates, Hilton Head Island, SC; Barbara Rosenblum, BSN, Founder, Strategic HealthCare Programs, Santa Barbara, CA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Clinical & Disease Management, Telehealth & Technology

How to Grow your Business Using Advanced Technology of Monochromatic Infrared Photo Energy

The presenting agency is one of the first organizations to introduce Mono-chromatic Infrared Photo Therapy (MIRE) - Anodyne* Therapy to the Colorado Front Range. Being on the cutting edge of technology has given them an edge by providing a unique treatment modality that has produced excellent outcomes in wound healing, peripheral neuropathy, pain management, and other conditions. This presentation will outline the science behind the therapy, implementation of the program, patient and financial outcomes, and road blocks to success.*not paid by Medicare

Objectives:

• Explain the mechanism of action for nitric oxide.
• Cite the modality use and outcomes of MIRE related to treatment of peripheral neuropathy, wounds,pain, edema, inflammation, and osteoblastic proliferation.
• Identify the benefits and challenges of implementing a MIRE program in your home care agency.

Faculty: Sonya Neumann, RN, BSN, Agency Administrator, Physicians Home Health Care, Colorado Springs, CO; Sharon Burt, RN, BSN, CWOCN, Wound Program Coordinator, Physicians Home Health Care, Colorado Springs, CO;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Pediatric Home Care, Clinical & Disease Management, Quality & Outcomes

Providing Synagis in the Home: Improving the Outcome

Synagis (Palivizumab) is a drug used to prevent serious respiratory illness caused by Respiratory Syncitial Virus (RSV) in pediatric patients at high risk of RSV disease. Cincinnati Children's Home Care Services enrolled approximately 385 patients in a home-based Synagis program last season. In order to successfully manage this patient population, a multidisciplinary team was created. This program will demonstrate how a home-based Synagis program can improve patient outcomes.

Objectives:

• Discuss RSV and identify the criteria for Synagis administration.
• Describe the components of a home care Synagis team.
• Cite an advantage to providing Synagis therapy in the home.

Faculty: Sylvia Rineair, RN, BSN, Clinical Director, Cincinnati Children's Home Care Services, Cincinnati, OH; Monica Borell, RN, Lead Synagis Coordinator, Cincinnati Children's Home Care Services, Cincinnati, OH; John Myers, RPh, MBA, Operations Manager, Cincinnati Children's Home Care Services, Cincinnati, OH;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Emergency & Pandemic Preparedness, Clinical & Disease Management

Federal Efforts to Assist in Provider Pandemic Preparation

The federal government has become increasingly concerned about the potential for an avian flu pandemic that would create limitless challenges for the entire health care provider network. The home care field, with its community base and its genesis in the public health model, is well-positioned to play an important role in helping to prevent, detect, and extinguish this serious threat to the nation's health and well-being. In this workshop, a representative from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will provide attendees with the latest guidance and government resources available to plan for and participate in pandemic relief efforts.

Objectives:

• Identify available government resources on pandemic preparedness for the public and home care providers.
• Outline steps the U.S. government is taking to prevent and minimize the spread of potentially deadly viruses.
• Define the role the home care community can play in addressing issues related to the threat of a pandemic.

Faculty: Representative , U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management

Clinical Documentation: Magic Wands and Improvement Strategies

Documentation reflects the quality of care provided. One agency decided that pain needed to be a focus area for documentation and OBQI/OBQM efforts, and that the agency needed standards to support OASIS case mix items. They initiated an evidenced-based approach to staff education that included interrater reliability for pain rating scales and alternative approaches to pain management. Speakers will share useful strategies, and participants will evaluate documentation in relation to pain management, best practices, and OBQI/OBQM.

Objectives:

• Identify the benefits of using a quality improvment action plan for documentation.
• Discuss the key components of a successful quality improvement action plan for documentation.
• Involve participants in documentation review that focuses on pain management.

Faculty: Karen Martin, RN, MSN, FAAN, Health Care Consultant, Martin Associates, Omaha, NE; Leslie Larsen, RN, Home Care Supervisor, Polk County Home Care, Balsam Lake, WI;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management, Quality & Outcomes

The Team Approach to a Urinary Incontinence Program

Home health care agencies can successfully develop and implement an interdisciplinary team approach to treating urinary incontinence. There are multiple resources available in the home care industry to aid an agency in proper planning, training and implementation of a urinary incontinence program. Learn how one agency utilized a physical therapist consultant specializing in women's health services to educate and train the nursing and rehab staff, resulting in a competent team of clinicians successfully providing positive patient outcomes and improvements in quality of life for the home care patient.

Objectives:

• Discuss the scope of urinary incontinence problems within the home health setting.
• Identify the educational requirements needed to develop and implement an interdisciplinary urinary incontinence (UI) program.
• Demonstrate the ability to provide cost-effective utilization of services with the UI program, incorporating assessment data directly onto the OASIS.

Faculty: Theresa Gates, PT, Director of Professional Services, Home Care Advantage, Jacksonville, FL; Cynthia Neville, PT, Corporate Director of Women's Health Rehabilitatio, Rehab Institute of Chicago, Jacksonville, FL;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management

Congruence of Care for Heart Failure Patients

Almost 50% of heart failure (HF) patients are readmitted within six months of discharge and many of these hospitalizations may have been preventable with early intervention. The role of family has been identified as important but few studies actually include family members' perceptions of HF symptoms. A current pilot study with the purpose of examining congruence and associated factors between HF home care patients and family members as they relate to symptom management will be described in this program. Examples of potential managerial and nursing interventions to improve patient outcomes will be given during the presentation.

Objectives:

• Define three variables in the context of symptom management that should be assessed when caring for heart failure patients.
• Define and describe the term "congruence" when assessing symptom management with heart failure patients and their family caregivers.
• Apply heart failure patients and family caregivers demographic, clinical, and symptom management processes to home health nursing interventions.

Faculty: Christina Quinn, RN, DNS, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management, Marketing & Business Development

Start a Chronic Disease Management Program

Home health agencies can play a central and pivotal role in leading the nation's efforts to manage the needs of the chronically ill. Learn how to develop a home care disease management program including the essential components required of a disease management program, the successful implementation of services, and the tools necessary to facilitate service provision and reporting needs.

Objectives:

• Describe the components of a chronic disease management program and agency experience in CDM pilot program.
• Identify policy changes needed and benefits of facilitating home care's role in CDM.
• Describe technology's role in provision of CDM services.

Faculty: Cindy Clark, RN, BSN, COS-C, Chief Information Officer, Visiting Nurse Association of Western PA, Butler, PA; Kim Wipf, RN, BSN, CCRN, Solution Manager, Cerner BeyondNow, Overland Park, KS;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management

Braden Scale versus OASIS: Pressure Ulcer Prediction and Prevention

A collaborative initiative between the University of Kansas School of Nursing and Cerner BeyondNow proposes to examine risk factors for pressure ulcers in elder home patients. The study uses OASIS data and computerized decision support system that links risk to prevention by triggering needed interventions from identified risk factors. Research suggests that computerized decision support systems at the point of care significantly improves evidence based clinical practice. Agency specific participation in the study and implementation of process improvement protocols also will be described.

Objectives:

• Describe current evidence for prediction of pressure ulcer development in the home care setting.
• Identify needed direction for systematic prevention practices.
• Discuss a collaborative initiative for "state of the science" practice of pressure ulcer prevention combining research methodology and information systems.

Faculty: Kathleen Dodd, CRNI, COS-C, Director of Clinical Services, At Home Care, Inc., Oneonta, NY; Sandra Bergquist-Beringer, RN, PhD, CWCN, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS; Kim Wipf, RN, BSN, CCRN, Solution Manager, Cerner BeyondNow, Overland Park, KS;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Legal, Regulatory & Risk Management, Clinical & Disease Management, Hospice

Blueprint for Successful Compliance Planning: Legal and Clinical Aspects

Successful compliance planning must include an analysis of the applicable state and federal laws relating to today's health care industry. This presentation will address fraud and abuse, anti-kickback, and Stark laws. In addition, developing a compliance plan that invokes the protections awarded under the attorney-client privilege will be discussed. Finally, strategies will be analyzed on how to minimize risk once a problem is detected.

Objectives:

• Describe three components of an effective compliance plan relative to home care practice.
• Discuss three federal statutes that govern fraud and abuse in the health care industry.
• State three methods of monitoring and auditing to ensure effective compliance with fraud and abuse regulations.

Faculty: Katherine Karker-Jennings, Esq., Attorney at Law, Katherine Karker-Jennings, PA, Clarksville, MD; Glenda Burke, RN BS, Chief Financial Officer, Alternatives, A Consulting and Education Service, Panama City, FL;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Emergency & Pandemic Preparedness, Clinical & Disease Management

The Latest Intelligence on Progress of the Avian Flu Virus: A Primer

Home caregivers deal with issues related to influenza on a regular basis, but the threat posed by avian flu is in another league altogether. In order to effectively address the risks posed by a potential pandemic caused by the H5N1 avian flu virus, it is important to understand the process by which this deadly virus can mutate and spread, and the far-reaching impact it can have on all aspects of society. This workshop will provide a primer on the potential for the mutation and spread of the virus, the threats it poses, and the challenges it poses to the home care practitioner.

Objectives:

• Describe the process by which avian flu mutations spread could result in pandemic.
• Identify threats posed by the avian flu virus to the public health.
• Relate challenges facing the home care practitioner in dealing with a pandemic.

Faculty: Sharon D. Martin, MSN APRN BC, Associate Professor of Nursing, Saint Joseph's College, Standish, ME;

Course Level: Novice; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Legal, Regulatory & Risk Management, Clinical & Disease Management, Hospice

Meeting the Cultural and Linguistic Needs of a Diverse Patient Population

According to the Institute of Medicine (Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, 2002), cultural and linguistic minority populations do not achieve the same health outcomes as the majority population. This is a major ethical concern, that raises legal, regulatory, risk management, and business issues for all health care organizations, including home health care agencies. This presentation will describe the relationship of CLAS Standards and LEP requirements to quality care and good outcomes, will present strategies that participants can use to meet these standards and requirements at their agencies, and will discuss the relationship of CLAS Standards and LEP requirements to JCAHO standards.

Objectives:

• Describe the relationship of the CLAS Standards and LEP requirements to quality care and good outcomes.
• Incorporate strategies for meeting CLAS Standards and LEP requirements at his/her agency.
• Discuss the relationship of CLAS Standards and LEP requirements to JCAHO standards.

Faculty: Mary Narayan, MSSN, RN, CS, CTN , Education Consultant , Visiting Nurse Service Network , Vienna , VA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management, Quality & Outcomes

A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Diabetes Education for the Home Care Client

This presentation will provide the purpose and key elements of diabetes education in the home care setting. A quality improvement project was developed and implemented by HealthEast Home Care for diabetes education in response to an increasing number of adverse events for hyper/hypoglycemia. In order to improve results, a diabetes education pathway was developed and implemented by the registered dietitian/certified diabetes educator (RD, CDE). This pathway is a multidisciplinary approach to diabetes education.

Objectives:

• Identify the challenge of providing coordinated care for the home care client with diabetes.
• Discuss the components of diabetes education.
• Explain the contributions of each member of the health care team.

Faculty: Janet Morrison, RD, CDE, Registered Dietitian/Certified Diabetes Educator, HealthEast Home Care, St. Paul, MN; Nadine Paitich, RN, BSN, Clinical Manager of Routine Nursing, HealthEast Home Care, St. Paul, MN;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management, Quality & Outcomes

Successful Transformation of a COPD Palliative Care Program throughout the Continuum of Care

This interactive workshop will allow the participant to experience first hand two of the latest, cutting-edge technologies being used at VNA Care Network, the nation's second largest freestanding VNA. The workshop will showcase: (1) a web-based, virtual classroom using multi-media technology to provide home health orientation, inservicing, and continuing education; and (2) a computerized patient simulator, a virtual patient, to validate competency and critical thinking in the home health industry. This workshop will allow participants to identify new technologies that can be integrated into their organization to increase productivity, improve quality, promote cost efficiencies and support nursing recruitment and retention.

Objectives:

• Describe the performance improvement process used to develop a palliative care delivery model for COPD patients.
• Explain the care delivery model developed to manage the COPD palliative care patient across the continuum
• Review opportunities for program expansion.

Faculty: Tammy Nuesmeyer, MSN, RNBC, Program Manager, St Rita's Home Health, Lima, OH; Herb Wilker, MSW, LSW, Hospice Social Worker, St. Rita's Hospice, Lima, OH;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Telehealth & Technology, Clinical & Disease Management

Preparing to Implement Clinical Documentation with Standardized Terminology

Implementing a documentation system with standardized terminology requires careful planning and strategies that accommodate education, application and acceptance of this "new" language and methodology. Attendees will learn how to create an education strategy and materials that will meet the needs of everyone on the staff, how to achieve staff acceptance and illustrate the benefits of standardization in terms of patient outcomes and agency performance, the importance of a multidisciplinary implementation team, and how to establish a pilot program to roll out the documentation system effectively.

Objectives:

• Identify benefits of adopting the use of a standardized clinical documentation system.
• Describe the system requirements to support a successful transition and timeline for adopting a standardized documentation system.
• Discuss the steps necessary to prepare and support your staff in a successful implementation of a standardized clinical documentation system.

Faculty: Kate O'Neil, MBA, BSN, Chief Operating Officer, VNA of Boston, Charlestown, MA; Karen Martin, RN, MSN, FAAN, Health Care Consultant, Martin Associates, Omaha, NE; Karen Utterback, RN, MSN, CHCE, Vice President of Clinical Strategies, McKesson, Springfield, MO;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Hospice, Clinical & Disease Management, Physician

Management of Non-Pain Symptoms

Inadequately treated non-pain symptoms can reduce the quality of life of dying patients, and foment a request for physician-assisted suicide. This presentation will utilize didactics and case presentations to discuss the management of dyspnea, hemoptysis, cough, the death rattle, nausea and vomiting, and hiccups.

Objectives:

• Discuss implications of inadequately treated non-pain symptoms for the dying patient.
• Discuss medications used to treat non-pain symptoms.
• Cite non-pain management modalities for specific symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, nausea and vomiting.

Faculty: Paul Rousseau, MD, Palliative Care Physician, Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center, Glendale, AZ;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);