Avoid readmission to the hospital by paying more attention to your discharge

The last thing anyone wants to do when they come home from a hospital stay is to return to the hospital. Readmission rates seem to be on the rise, especially readmissions within 30 days. It is estimated that approximately 20% of patients admitted over the age of 65, will be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. Although some of these readmissions are planned, many of them are not and can be avoided. 

Giving Thanks for a Bountiful Harvest: Celebrating Caregivers.

Many years ago in Europe, festivals were held before and after the harvest cycles to give thanks for a plentiful crop. This was also a time for the community to celebrate the hard work done by all. The people sacrificed their individual needs for the good of the community. These celebrations were combined into what we all know as Thanksgiving Day. It’s one day for each of us to reflect and give thanks for a plentiful “harvest”.

It is during this Thanksgiving week, that we can celebrate the hard work done by the many caregivers and the sacrifices they make for the good of their families – their “community". Caregiving can sometimes be a thankless job, one that isn’t often recognized as important and vital to sustaining a community. But it is the quintessential selfless role that many play, ensuring a plentiful harvest for years to come.

How can you support and celebrate caregivers during this Thanksgiving week?  Consider the following:

•  Offer to stay with their loved one for an afternoon to allow the caregiver a few hours to themselves
•  Offer to cook a meal
•  Run errands, i.e. post office, dry cleaners, or grocery shopping, etc.
•  Hire somebody to clean their house, shovel their snow, rake their leaves or cut their grass
•  Do their laundry
•  Take their kids out for the day
• Sit with their loved one while they attend church

Not sure? Just ask. “What can I do for you today?”

The key is to recognize their sacrifices and hard work by celebrating and supporting what they do. They take care of those that worked hard to give us the plentiful harvest we enjoy today.

May you all have a healthy and joyous Thanksgiving Holiday. Take care and be well.

R.Thompson, MSN, RN

To find out how advocacy can help you or your loved one, please contact the advocates at Uppta at www.uppta.com

Every Patient has a Story: Putting your story together when you need it most.

Illness doesn’t discriminate. From the very young to the very old, people may find themselves faced with an unexpected illness or injury.  When this occurs, they seek medical care.  To enable health care providers to make good decisions regarding diagnosis and treatment, they rely on a full understanding of a patient’s “story” or medical history. 

A Common Purpose: Celebrating Veterans Day

On October 8 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" which stated: "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.”  Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans, living or deceased, but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime. This day honors the men and women that have served our country under a common purpose, as Eisenhower stated. It is this common purpose that joins a diverse group of people together in times of need. This common purpose is also the heart and soul of advocacy.

Speaking the Language of Medicine. Do you need an interpreter?

Nursing schools and medical schools teach students everything there is to know about the body; how it works, what could potentially go wrong and how to treat it. A part of that learning seems to involve learning a whole new language; NPO, infarction, ostomy, ectomy, itis, and ischemia are common words. At first, students often struggle learning the language but over time, just like learning Spanish or Italian, it becomes a part of who you are. Even when playing the role of patient or caregiver, health care providers speak the language of medicine and are easily identified by other health care providers. I can remember when my daughters were little and had to have tubes in their ears having conversations with the nurses, physicians and anesthesiologists in the pre-op area. As soon as I said a word only spoken by health care providers such as NPO, or conscious sedation, they would immediately recognize me as a colleague. “Oh. Are you a nurse or doctor?” they would ask. Funny, I didn’t even realize that I was using the secret language!

Prepare for the Winter Virus Attack!

The change in season from summer to winter can be a wonderful time of year. It brings dramatic color changes, marks the beginning of the holiday season, and inspires warm home-cooked meals.  However, the colder weather also brings the dreaded cold and flu viruses.  There is nothing worse than when you feel the first indication of a virus; scratchy sore throat, runny nose, and just feeling blah.  For many, we think it’s inevitable; that we are sure to get a cold no matter what we do. But, you can minimize your chances.

The key is to minimizing your chances of getting a virus this season is to understand how they are spread from person to person and how to improve your immune system’s ability to fight them off.

Avoid exposure

Viruses are lurking around every corner, waiting for an opportunity to invade your body. The key is to know where they lurk and avoid them.

 Beware of the sneeze:  Viruses hide in secretions from the mouth, nose and eyes. Whenever somebody infected with a cold virus sneezes, the viruses can travel into the air and land on surfaces, like a doorknob, counters, or tables where unsuspecting victims can then touch them. If those secretions get to your mouth, nose or eyes, they can enter your body.  When out in public, make sure you wash your hands frequently and when possible, avoid the onslaught of the sneeze.

Every time my dad witnesses somebody in my family sneeze into their hand, he says, “What are you going to do with that hand now?”  Do everyone a favor, sneeze into your elbow or tissue even if you don’t have a cold.

 Avoid public places if you are vulnerable:  If your immune system is already compromised, try to avoid public places. This includes shopping malls, restaurants and movie theaters. If you need to be in a public place, try to go during off hours and be sure to wash your hands before you wipe your mouth or rub your nose.

Arm your immune system

You have an amazing immune system that when functioning at its optimal level, should be able to fight off viruses. The key is to help strengthen it.

 Sleep: Your immune system is working 24 hours a day; overtime in the winter months! Therefore, it’s imperative that you get more sleep.  Sleep allows your immune system to rest and rejuvenate. Most people do not get enough sleep in general which can leave them susceptible to a virus attack. Even getting just an hour more sleep a night can provide a big boost to your immune system. Now you have a reason to sleep in!

 Get plenty of fluids: Maintaining adequate hydration is essential for your immune system to maintain surveillance throughout your body. When we get dehydrated, our immune system doesn’t function as well, which can leave you more susceptible to an attack.  Water is the best fluid for hydration and should be ingested lukewarm or at room temperature.  Try to avoid extreme temperature such as ice cold or very hot as they can irritate mucous membranes.


Note:  People who are susceptible (kids, elderly) may want to run a humidifier (vaporizer using cold water for safety) during cold season.

 Eat healthy foods: Now is the time to focus on improving your nutrition.  Feeding your immune system healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables and lean proteins can help boost function. They are the ideal nutrient sources for your immune system.

The key to minimizing your risk of this year’s virus attack is to prepare and be vigilant in doing everything you can to protect yourself. After all, you want this time of year to be filled with celebrations with family and friends.

Take care and be well

R. Thompson, MSN, RN

To find out how advocacy can help you or your loved one, please contact the advocates at Uppta at www.uppta.com

Switching Hats: Advocacy for Health Care Providers

Illness doesn’t discriminate.  The young, old, highly educated, less educated and even providers in health care can find themselves faced with an acute and unexpected illness. Although health care providers generally play the role of expert advocates, once they switch hats and become the patient or patient’s loved one, continuing the advocate role isn’t always possible or recommended.