Caregivers

by Lydia A Meyers RN, MSN, CWCN At the start of December, I was looking at graduation from my Master's Degree program and the completion of my final paper. A capstone to the Master's program is much like the dissertation to the doctoral program. My journey has been long and along the way I have increased my base of knowledge. What I have learned on this journey will enhance my practical knowledge of wound care and patient care. I learned that health care must change, and we must look hard at how we are doing business and be willing to challenge the status quo. Health care needs highly knowledgeable leaders to assure patients receive quality care by being good stewards of the money given to promote that care. The provider must be educated to assure the patient's wishes are followed first and always.

By Margaret Heale, RN, MSc, CWOCN I was in the shower getting ready for my day volunteering at the nursing home and my mind bemoaned again how much I miss bathing. Relaxing in a deep hot bath, preferably with bubbles, background music and a cool drink...heavenly! Then I started thinking about how much the process of personal hygiene has changed since I was matron, way back when. As a child we bathed on Sundays which was great because the house was warmer on Sundays. I remember being really surprised when I went into nursing that we washed patients every day. By the time I was matron we had got rid of rubber draw sheets and had plastic ones. The rubber absorbed some of the odor from the urine, quite unpleasant. Linen changes were more frequent and we ran out of linen less frequently than earlier in my career. Most hospitals had their own laundry back then.

By Cheryl Carver, LPN, WCC, CWCA, FACCWS, DAPWCA, CLTC It's November, and most people are thinking about turkey, stuffing, pumpkin spice, and the fall colors. But I think of Worldwide Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Awareness Day (November 19, 2015), National Caregivers Month, and how I can help. I have shared a holding sign video and personal photos on social media to share my story in hopes of educating others. My passion for wound care is driven by my mother dying in my arms at the young age of 47, due to complications of diabetes and stage IV pressure ulcers.

By Margaret Heale, RN, MSc, CWOCN I have been living with my daughter for almost a year and helping out at a nursing home where my granddaughter works. I don't remember having this problem last year but my skin is just on fire at times, itchy, itchy, itchy! I found a cream but ran out and couldn't remember what it was called. When I got to the pharmacy and told the lady there that I was in search of a product whose name I thought sounded like 'Narnia' she pointed me in the right direction. Then, to my surprise, she added, "but remember not to go through the wardrobe door or you might get more than you bargained for." We laughed so much I remembered I best go to the feminine hygiene section. I just wanted a slim little pad, you know for the odd cough or sneeze, but—ohhh—what a choice!

By Paula Erwin-Toth MSN, RN, CWOCN, CNS, FAAN Fall is in full swing. The leaves in Ohio are just past their full glory, the Cleveland Browns are having another disappointing season and the debate about health care reform goes on. In other words, not much has changed from the past several years. Our clients with chronic wounds may feel the same: different day, different year, same problems with no end in sight. One wound may have healed only to recur or another erupt in a different location.

By Terri Kolenich, RN, CWCA, AAPWCA We all have hobbies outside of what we do for a living. At least, we all should have hobbies or interests outside of our careers. Our hobbies are our outlet for stress. I love to draw. I also enjoy painting. What I love most of all is acting and theater. I love being on stage, performing, and getting an emotional response from my audience. Everyone that knows me well knows how much I love acting on stage. Bringing a script to life exhilarates me. Just the thought of performing live, delivering memorized lines, and anticipating the reaction of my fellow actors stirs and motivates me. Most of all I crave the opportunity to use my improvising skills when a scene goes an unexpected direction.

By Paula Erwin-Toth MSN, RN, CWOCN, CNS I hope this missive finds all of you safe and warm. For many, this has been an exceptionally brutal winter. Blizzards, ice storms, avalanches and a drought. All that is missing are zombie snowmen and a plague of locusts.

By Diana L. Gallagher MS, RN, CWOCN, CFCN The new year is here (again). By now, resolutions have been made and resolutions have been abandoned. Most of us make resolutions with the best of intentions. Resolutions are dreams for something better. Perhaps we would like better health and as nurses, we know what we need to do. Perhaps our goal is a secure financial future; or perhaps, we crave better time management to survive our hectic schedules.

By Heidi Cross, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CWON Ms. EB, a frail 82-year-old woman admitted to a long-term care facility, had a complex medical history that included diabetes, extensive heart disease, ischemic strokes with left-sided weakness and dysphagia, dementia, kidney disease, anemia, chronic Clostridium difficile infection, and obesity. Her condition was guarded at best on admission, and she had a feeding tube for nutrition secondary to dysphagia. Despite these challenges, she survived two years at the facility.

By Cheryl Carver, LPN, WCC, CWCA, FACCWS, DAPWCA, CLTC Deciding on a blog topic for this month was simple. August 12th marked 18 years since my 47-year-old mother passed away due to pressure ulcer complications. A flood of memories came rushing through, realizing just how much wound care has evolved throughout the years. A feeling of "if I only knew then, what I know now" type emotions. I cannot help but have a great deal of heartfelt empathy for caregivers and their loved ones with chronic wounds. My personal experiences have led me to my sense of gratification in what I do every day.