Much to Discuss in the Year of the Nurse and Midwife

Welcome to the Year of the Nurse and Midwife! As we told you last month, PointClickCare is enthusiastically joining the celebration. We hope you had the chance to nominate an outstanding nurse for our monthly Spotlight Award; our first winner will be revealed soon.

Besides sharing the stories of these exceptional caregivers, we’ll also explore issues that affect both the professional and personal lives of nurses, such as diversity and mental health. We will look at the impact of the growing nurse shortage on patient and resident care, and try to dispel some of the myths about Long‐Term and Post‐Acute Care (LTPAC) nursing. Many amazing innovations are transforming the nursing profession, so we’ll share some of those with you as well.

Nurses Make a Difference, No Matter Where They Practice

Did you know that if you have a nurse in your life, you’re likely to live longer? Nurses not only provide day‐to‐day care, but also expand the reach and types of healthcare in the long term. They’re helping more patients and residents than ever with preventative, therapeutic and palliative care.

A look at nursing by the numbers shows how the need for these “most trusted” professionals continues to grow. Practicing nurses are dealing with some significant issues – from a lack of time to provide patient care to insufficient training, burnout, injury, abuse, addiction, and suicide. There are additional challenges facing nurses in the LTPAC specialty, such as:

·  Outdated staffing standards
·  Aging population
·  Financial barriers to entry
·  Increased resident acuity
·  Ongoing healthcare reform
·  More stringent regulations and requirements
·  Integration of new technologies
·  Negative image of working in senior care

These issues have been recognized and are being addressed by numerous advocacy groups. Some improvements have been attained, some are well within reach and yet others will take more time and determination.

Nurses Deserve Our Respect and Our Support

In the 20 years we’ve engaged with LTPAC nurses, we’ve seen first‐hand that nursing is a calling and not a job. Nurses are there as long as someone needs them, and many of them think about their last shift long after it’s over. By continuing to study trends and collaborate on solutions, we’re committed to alleviating the stress and other negative factors affecting the nurse population. They absolutely deserve our support! Here’s a more in‐depth look at the “why” and “how” of our Year of the Nurse campaign. Won’t you join us?