The Messenger, 2006 (2-5. szám)
2006-05-01 / 3. szám
Bethlen Communities Contact Information www.bethlen.com Central Offices: 1 25 Kalassay Drive Ligonier, PA 1 5658 724-238-2235 Fax: 724-238-6101 Rev. Imre A. Bertalan, Executive Director revimre@bethlen.com Rev. Csilla Tóth, Pastoral Care Lara Provance, Director of Marketing Bethlen Home: 66 Carey School Road Ligonier, PA 15658-8758 724-238-6711 Fax: 724-238-3175 Michael E. Walker, Administrator Ann M. Donovan, Director of Nursing Pat Armel, Director of Development Deb Gehlman, Admissions Coordinator Ligonier Cardens: 201 8 Route 30 East Ligonier, PA 15658-8770 724-238-3517 Fax: 724-238-3777 Julie Skovira, Administrator Paula Hudson, Nursing Supervisor Cultural Center: 724-238-2032 Edith Szép Magdalene J. Ujvági Medical Directors: David P. Anto, MD; Hugh W. Brallier, MD; Vincent J. DeCosmo, MD ctom/ tA& Arm Donovan Bethlen Home, Director of Nursing Pain Management: A Top Priority Bethlen Home is honored to be part of a major nursing home quality improvement initiative. The initiative was launched by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and is known as the Nursing Care Facilities Best Practices Project. Because of our Department of Health survey results and the quality indicator data from our facility's Minimum Data Set (MDS), we were Bethlen's Core Pain Management Team selected to participant in the third phase of this exciting initiative. More than 200 nursing care facilities in Pennsylvania volunteered to participate in the project, in which a total of five best practice protocols were developed and implemented. The five Best Practices protocols include Self-Care for Seniors, Managing Depression, Prevention of Pressure Ulcers, Management of Urinary Incontinence and Managing Pain in Nursing Home Residents. Only 21 facilities were selected to be a part of the test sites during the third phase of the initiative, with the Bethlen Home fortunately selected to be one of them. The Nursing Care Facilities Best Practices Project was created to scientifically study, measure and provide proven best practices to aid Pennsylvania long-term care facilities in providing the best possible quality care to residents. Bethlen Home was able to select the "best practice project" of our choice. The nursing staff chose to participate in the Pain Management Protocol. Our decision was based on the knowledge that comfort is an integral part of wellness and that the nursing staff needed a better approach to assessing pain. Recognizing many of our elderly residents grew up both valuing the ability to "grin and bear it" and heavily influenced by the "Just Say No to Drugs" campaign. Sandy Midlo, Assistant Director of Nursing and the Pain Management Project Coordinator, states that through this protocol we are applying the most current standards in care related to pain. The objective being to identify pain and ensure optimal comfort. Ms. Midlo states pain is not a natural outcome of growing old and that the "grin and bear it" philosophy can often lead to more health problems including but not limited to a decrease in mobility, personality changes, depression, eating disturbances, sleep disturbances and anxiety. Sandy is fast becoming the facility's nursing expert on pain, as well as being recognized outside the facility as a role model. At a recent Best Practices Workshop, Sandy administered a presentation on how the facility implemented the pain management protocol. There were over 100 attendees representing 75 nursing homes in Pennsylvania, as well as the Secretary of Health Dr. Calvin Johnson and the Deputy Secretary of Quality Assurance Richard Lee. Mr. Lee and Dr. Morrison of Morrison Informatics, Inc., the healthcare consulting company who is leading the project for the Department of Health, visited the facility on April 6, 2006. (see picture at left) 2 The Messenger
