Nutrition Care Manual

Did you know that we have a great dietary information resource, right on the computers? Click on the "BCH Web Applications" icon on any unit computer. In the list of applications, you will find the "Nutrition Care Manual". It has information about the diets and how they relate to disease processes. You can navigate the manual via tabs at the top, or by searching.

The hospital and surrounding clinics have 2 subscriptions to this manual. If you find yourself "locked out", it may be due to too many people trying to access it at once. Just try again in a few minutes.

Diabetes Teaching Supply Kit

Beginning Monday, June 22, all nursing units will be stocked with a "ready to go" Diabetes Supply Boxes. Wahoo! Inside each box, you will find tote bags filled with items that your may need for education.

The contents are available in English and Spanish, and they will include:

• Educational video
• Comprehensive diabetes reference guide
• Meal planning guide and carb counter
• Pedometer
• Glucometer and instructions
• Schedule of support groups and meetings

Patients may take these tote bags and their contents home. They are free of charge for patients who begin their diabetes education with us. The boxes are restocked by the flow nurses.

If you have any questions, please contact Emily W. @ ext. 2379.

Diabetes Education Classes for Pts

Starting in April, BCH will hold a bi-weekly Diabetes update class. These classes are informal, taught by a Certified Diabetes Educator. They are open to patients, families, and healthcare providers. Registration is not required and you may attend as many classes as you want. The classes will be held throughout the year on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. The upcoming schedule is as follows:

• April 13th and 27th, 1-4 pm in Homer Ball
• May 11th and 18th, 1-4 pm in Homer Ball
• June 8th, 4-8 pm in Gene Wilson A
• June 22nd, 1-4 pm in Homer Ball
• July 13th, 4-8 pm in Gene Wilson A
• July 27th, 1-4 pm in Homer Ball
• August 10th, 4-8 pm in Gene Wilson A
• August 24th, 1-4 pm in Homer Ball

Fall and winter classes will be held the 2nd and 4th Monday per month at the Broadway campus. Please encourage your patients to attend these classes. If you have any questions, please Mox or call the Nursing Education Coordinator, Emily W., at ext. 2379.

Policy Update: Post-Cardiac Cath care

This policy was reviewed this past January, and while it looks pretty much the same, I thought it might be good just to put remind us what needs to be done.

Monitoring:

• Catheter site: continuously for 5 minutes post transfer. VS q 15 min x 4, q 30 min x 2, q 1 hr x 2, then q 4 hrs. Check catheter site with VS. Don't forget to document this :).
  

Pt Education:

• Remain on bedrest per MD order.
• Intake fluids PO or IV (or both)
• Hold pressure on groin when: coughing or sneezing, raising head off of bed, while shifting hips in bed.
• DC instructions: Procedural sedation, groin management, management of complications that may arise, med reconciliation, physician follow-up.

DC criteria:

• VS stable
• Catheter site stable, no signs of bleeding or hematoma
• Pedal pulses are at pre-procedure state
• Pt meets DC criteria for procedural sedation (policy #13.016)
• Pt ambulatory has returned to pre-procedure status

Reference: Cardiac Catheterization: Post-Procedure # 7.013

Links to Rx discounts for patients

Let's face it, our patients take a lot of meds! Many of the national pharmacies are offering generics at $4 for 30-day supply or $10 for 90-day supply. Most of the common heart failure meds are discounted. In the "Links" section of the blog (on the right side of the page), I've added links to the pharmacies offering discounted medications. You can print these out to give to patients if they are interested.

Free Cardiac Education for Patients

If your patient wants or needs more education about cardiac disease, you can now refer them to the Cardiac Rehab lecture series. The series covers a variety of topics such as diet, exercise, and emotional support. And the best thing of all is that it's free!

The lecture series is held 4 times a year (3 sessions are left for 2009). A schedule is posted in the bathroom and education room. Patients who are interested may attend while an inpatient, or their family may attend if the patient is too sick to travel.

For now, we are doing this on a trial basis to see how many people will actually attend. The goal is to refer one or two patients per class. If you need extra fliers to give patients or families, please see Melissa.