Kelsey Lynn's Profile

Heart Failure Program Experience:

This program was designed to give clients with heart failure more individual attention and an individualized plan. Many patients, after leaving the hospital, have very little contact with any medical personal and develop more problems due to lack of communication and knowledge. About 25 to 30% of heart failure patients readmit to the hospital due to complication that could have been prevented. This program looks to prevent this situation and is considered a transition program between the doctor and the hospital and their home life after they return. Many patients feel overwhelmed with the information of having "heart failure" and the drastic means on how this new diagnoses will have on their life. The goal of this program is to help the client with cope with this life change. This includes the use of health promotion by providing clients with a new resource. The program designed to help clients adapt to a new diet and exercise plan but to also to increase their self-efficacy and self-esteem. By providing someone that the client can call with questions, plan goals and outcomes, and help keep them accountable, this program will increase their health promotion activities and lower their chances of readmission.

Each student was assigned a client in the area. We made a initial phone call to introduce ourselves and to set up a home visit. At our home visit we interviewed our client to get a full personal and medical history. In addition, we assessed their functional abilities and level of ADL's (activities of daily living), their concerns and problems. We also collaborated together with our client to come up with short and long term goals. Throughout the rest of the semester, every week we were required to call and do a quick assessment over the phone that was established to check for warning signs and overall health. Furthermore, we were to assess problems and progress towards the goals that were set, and readjusting them if needed. After each call, we did a write up and sent it to the manager of the program as well as our professor. Lastly, a home visit at the end of our semester would include a full 10 minute assessment, that we learned in Nursing 270, and reassess ADL's, overall health, any problem areas and their progress toward goals set. This has been a great experience for me and I look forward to continuing to build a professional relationship with my client.

Future Goals:

One of the great things about this new program is that our client will stay with us throughout the rest of our nursing program at PLU. As we continue to learn in our classes, so will our involvement with our client. This allows us to apply and practice new abilities. Personal goals for me include better understanding my clients fears and anxieties, continue on her long and short term goals and provide her with more of a sense of knowledge, self-efficacy and self-esteem. In addition, I plan to implement and improve my nursing charting and use of the nursing process.