The Role of Adaptive Sports in Holistic Nursing Care

The Role of Adaptive Sports in Holistic Nursing Care

As nursing professionals, we know that regular physical activity is one of the most important things we can do for our overall health and well-being. It helps with weight management, bone and muscle strength, and reducing the risk for chronic health issues like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, but it can also boost our brain function and has psychosocial benefits. It’s been proven that physical exercise, in any capacity, can improve self-esteem, build self-confidence, decrease symptoms of depression, reduce stress, improve mood, and increase energy.

For those with physical or intellectual disabilities, physical activity is even more important to help them build and retain quality of life. But it’s often overlooked, especially for those with severe disabilities.

Home healthcare nursing is a collaborative team approach to patient care. From private duty for long-term care of adults and children with neurodegenerative and motor disorders to rehabilitative and therapeutic nursing for those recovering from an injury or illness, we take a holistic approach to treatment.

The biggest struggles we see with our clients who are seniors, people with disabilities (PWD), and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are isolation and feeling disconnected. We must consider how physical activity can be adapted to the individual’s needs and abilities.

Combining Physical Activity with Social Events

I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with physical therapist and senior program manager Kathleen Forrest, who oversees Senior Living Solutions for 11 independent and assisted living communities. Seniors who’ve gone from owning their own homes to losing their independence can often feel isolated and depressed, and we try to find ways to get them connected.

Kathleen’s team brings adapted fitness classes taught by physical therapists to these facilities. It’s important to get these seniors moving in any capacity, regardless of their limitations. Fitness helps improve balance and mobility, boosts self-esteem and mood, reduces falls, and helps them build confidence and stay independent. The classes allow therapists to monitor and evaluate the residents and see where improvement is needed through individual physical therapy.

Getting Creative and Innovative

You wouldn’t think of an ax throwing competition as an activity for a senior community, but one of our physical therapists devised a way to do it safely with plastic axes. She told me about a gentleman who thought he couldn’t participate because he was in a wheelchair. However, they moved his chair five feet closer to the target and adapted the activity for his limited range of motion so he could participate and feel connected to the group. We also sponsor social events like cornhole competitions. You can see the joy in the participant’s faces as they connect with the staff and each other.

Another example is cardio drumming, a cardiovascular workout combined with a drumming movement using exercise balls and pool noodles for the sticks. It’s easily adapted for residents with disabilities and is done safely in a chair. The biggest benefit that Kathleen witnesses is “the socializing and overall fun that the participants express at the end of the class. There never seems to be an empty chair in the group.”

Combatting Isolation 

While getting physical activity can be more challenging for those in home healthcare, people with limitations are often the ones who can benefit from physical activity the most, which is why adaptive, therapeutic movement is an important skill for clinicians to develop. For clients of all ages and abilities, we incorporate positive social and physical activity into their daily lives.

For a child, riding a bike is a rite of passage. Adaptive bicycles are an excellent way for people with conditions like cerebral palsy to exercise physically and get out in their community. Like a regular bicycle, adaptive bikes take into account the individual’s physical needs and offer features such as synchronized hand and foot petals, training wheels, and head support to help with coordination and balance.

As nursing and rehabilitation professionals, getting creative and seeing the sometimes life-changing benefits of exercise, goal setting, and social connection for our clients is gratifying.

How Can Adaptive Sports Help?

Adaptive sports allow people with disabilities to participate in recreational and competitive activities and events, from dancing to rowing to skiing, with accommodations like sight dogs or special or modified equipment.

Adaptive rowing clubs around the globe accommodate those with physical and intellectual disabilities to introduce them to the world of competitive rowing. Our company has partnered with our local adaptive rowing organization for four decades to sponsor the annual BAYADA Regatta along the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. We invite those with disabilities at all levels, from beginners to Paralympians from all over the country and world, to come together.

Regatta Director Sandy Brown sees amazing transformations in participants. Rowers compete against others with the same disabilities, allowing them to focus on the competition and camaraderie and not their disability. She sees participants smiling, laughing, and encouraging each other. They tell her that adaptive rowing has taken them from helpless to hopeful. They have freedom on the water. One participant said their favorite part of Pararowing is “hopefully inspiring other disabled athletes to give rowing a shot and to enjoy the sport as much as I do.” She sees hope and inspiration in all of these athletes. Many were introduced to rowing through rehabilitation or a friend. Adaptive sports like competitive rowing connect them all in lived experiences and spirit.

How Nurses Empower Patients

Nurses and therapists can challenge our patients through physical activity despite their limitations. Even small accomplishments can help patients become more independent and improve their overall outlook and quality of life. Whether customizing their medical equipment or introducing them to a new activity or adaptive sporting event, nurses have a unique opportunity to make a huge difference in our patients’ lives.

How Nurses Can Take A Holistic Approach to Patient Care

How Nurses Can Take A Holistic Approach to Patient Care

There’s no doubt that the medical industry has faced some significant challenges over the last few years. COVID-19 has been particularly disruptive in a variety of areas. Among the most notable effects is the pandemic has exacerbated burnout to the extent that healthcare personnel are leaving the industry en masse. This means there is a shortage of experienced medical professionals in a number of fields. Nurses are among those roles in which there is an urgent need for skilled leaders who are able to provide the care most relevant to contemporary patients.

As such, this challenge can also be seen to offer opportunities. On a wider scale, the industry must make cultural changes to create a more supportive space for staff. For nurses, however, this also presents chances to demonstrate they have the agile skill sets to provide the more rounded care and patient management practices that are growing in demand.

We’re going to take a closer look at how nurses can take a holistic approach to patient care.

Considerations for the First Point of Contact

Nurses are in a position of both privilege and pressure. They are always on the front lines of any medical situation. It also means they have the chance to gain important early insights into a patient’s well-being and circumstances that can inform a holistic approach to treatment. This can apply in all situations whereby nurses are the first point of contact, whether in hospitals, primary care clinics, or community outreach.

When assessing a patient’s needs for the first time, it’s important here to take the holistic approach. Every medical situation also has knock-on effects when it comes to mental, emotional, and even economic well-being. Utilizing the time of first contact well can also open nurses to information regarding the patient’s cultural needs. Taking notes here on more than simply the strict medical elements can ensure all personnel from first contact onward are fully apprised of the holistic requirements of the patient.

Nurses’ first contact position can also put them at a vital point to identify the most relevant resources. Where patients are being assessed or treated for symptoms that may put additional strain on their mental wellbeing, nurses can offer advice about community mental health services. Where patients have avoided treatment in the past or have some hesitancy now due to money issues, it may be helpful to provide them with information about local organizations or programs that can help. Part of the key here is taking some time to prepare data on such resources in advance so this is easy to access at the times patients need it.

Utilizing Alternative Medicine

There is an increasing willingness by patients to explore the potential of alternative sources of medicine and treatment. Part of this is due to a desire to be less reliant on harsh prescription drugs, particularly opioids. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in opposition to traditional treatments. Rather, it’s often a method to support their other treatments and take back a certain amount of control during an experience in which many patients feel helpless. It’s also worth noting many alternative treatments are focused on the whole self rather than individual symptoms.

As such, nurses can take a more holistic approach to patient care by providing patients with their support in respect of alternative treatments. The first consideration here is to interact with the patient from an empathetic position. It can be too easy to respond to questions about non-traditional treatments with immediate dismissal (“Oh; that’s ignorant ‘woo” science.”). Rather, nurses should seek to understand why the patient is keen to explore alternatives to mainstream treatment. Being open in communication here is an especially powerful tool for nurses. It not only shows the patient that the medical professional respects their perspectives — it can also reduce the anxiety they may be feeling.

It’s also important to recognize how certain forms of treatment previously considered to fall under the “alternative” banner are being adopted as part of mainstream care. As such, nurses can be effective in providing holistic care by keeping up with research into not just traditional treatments but alternative therapies, too. This enables nurses to give the most relevant and safe advice to patients when there are inquiries into different treatment options.

Helping Patients Help Themselves

One of the most vital ways nurses can take a holistic approach to patient care is to consider beyond the supportive structure of the clinic or hospital. Specifically, with regard to how the patient is able to be their own best advocate for their health and handle the conditions they’re living with.

It’s important to establish tools and practices to empower patients in taking control of their holistic care. This not only helps the whole patient stay healthy, but it also ensures their lifestyle both minimizes exacerbation of a condition and supports the treatments they receive during direct care.

A prime example of this is in substance abuse treatments. Medical professionals in this field are increasingly aware of the need to treat the whole patient. This is particularly important given how experiences of stress and the presence of mental health comorbidities can trigger reliance on harmful substances. Away from rehabilitation facilities, patients need to be able to manage these elements independently to prevent falling back into addictive behavior patterns. As such, nurses can guide patients to utilize helpful tools here. Daily meditation practices, journaling activities, and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques can assist patients in taking control of their holistic well-being.

Conclusion

A holistic approach to nursing is not just relevant to contemporary medicine. It can also demonstrate patient-first skills in healthcare leadership at a time in which there is a clear gap here. Nurses can be effective in this regard by creating impactful experiences at the point of first contact with patients. It’s also wise to act in an empathetic and well-informed way to provide advice on how alternative medicines can support traditional areas of care. To best attend to the whole patient, it’s vital to empower them to take control of their well-being away from supervised care, too.

Holistic Health Nurse

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BASIC DESCRIPTION

Holistic nursing involves all aspects of wellness and healing of a holistic nature, with holism defined as the mind-body-spirit connection. Holistic nurses treat the whole person, not just a disease or symptom. Working as a holistic nurse is a chance to be a part of a growing specialty, but because the field is new, some skepticism still exists. Opportunities for employment exist in health care facilities, holistic health and wellness centers, spas and health clubs, private practices, and pain management centers.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Registered nurse preparation is required. Certification in holistic nursing is available from the American Holistic Nurses’ Certification Corporation.

CORE COMPETENCIES/SKILLS NEEDED

■ Interest in—and commitment to focus on—wellness, healing, and illness prevention from a more spiritual and natural perspective
■ Commitment to a holistic philosophy
■ Knowledge of complementary and alternative therapies
■ Openness to go beyond the conventions of traditional medicine and health care

RELATED WEB SITES AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

■ American Holistic Nurses’ Association (www.ahna.org )
■ American Holistic Nurses’ Certification Corporation (www.ahncc.org)

Nursing Certification: Achieving Excellence and Professionalism

Nursing Certification: Achieving Excellence and Professionalism

In the world of nursing, certifications and their corresponding designations carry with them the concepts of excellence, professionalism, and focused dedication to career growth . Not all nurses pursue certification during their years of service in healthcare, but many hear the call and take inspired action to achieve such a goal.

Making an effort to become certified in your nursing specialty is like doubling down on your skills and knowledge. Doing this takes discipline and forward-thinking, demonstrating that you care enough to show the world that nursing excellence and professional mastery matter.

Every year on March 19th, we celebrate National Certified Nurses Day to honor the nurses who take their careers to the next level by becoming certified. This celebration encourages us to take a moment to acknowledge the role that certification plays in strengthening the nursing profession while improving care and patient outcomes. Being certified is meaningful, and we make meaning by pausing for the cause of reflection and recognition of the nurses who choose this path.

Nursing Certification 101

According to the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), the first nursing certification was issued in 1945 to recognize nurse anesthetists. Certification boards began to be created in the 1960s, and the number of available nursing certifications continues to grow to this day.

Many nurses choose to pursue certification of their own volition, while some employers may encourage or even require nurses in specific specialty areas to become certified. Having your employer pay for and support your certification goals can be a desirable benefit, especially if your certification process has a financial cost you’d rather not bear yourself.

The American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers various certification pathways, as do the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC), the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), and numerous other nursing organizations and associations.

A 2021 Journal of Nursing Administration study states, “Nurse specialty certification is ’a mechanism for validation or formal recognition by documenting individual nurses’ knowledge, skills, and abilities specific to their specialty’. It is a form of individual credentialing above and beyond entry-level education and licensing. By pursuing specialty certification, nurses exhibit a commitment to professional growth and lifelong learning while establishing competency in a specialized area of care such as oncology or medical-surgical nursing. The intended outcome of certification in nursing is to improve safety, quality of care, and health outcomes for those using healthcare services.”

Popular certifications include:

No matter what certification you choose to pursue, rest assured that being certified is something to be proud of and to clearly and proudly document on your resume as a mark of nursing distinction and professional mastery.

Why Should You Consider Becoming a Certified Nurse

As mentioned above, certification is a demonstration of dedication to your area of specialty nursing practice. Being certified can serve many purposes and brings with it a variety of benefits, including:

  • Marketability: Being certified can make you a stronger candidate in the job market, especially if it sets you apart from non-certified applicants for the same positions.
  • Career mobility: Some employers may value nursing certifications very highly, with certified nurses more likely to advance on the organization’s clinical ladder or into positions of greater responsibility, including nursing leadership.
  • Respect and recognition: Certification can elicit in others a sense of respect for and recognition of your professionalism, expert knowledge, and skill.
  • Personal/professional pride: Certification may elicit pride in your expertise, mastery, and accomplishments as a dedicated nurse.

Certification is a feather in your nurse’s cap. It marks you as a nurse focused on career growth and expert skill and knowledge. By being certified, you benefit not only your career but also inspire others to follow in your footsteps and contribute to the improved quality of patient care, not to mention strengthen your employer’s organizational profile.

Certification Speaks Volumes

Having one or more nursing certifications speaks volumes about your professionalism and desire to develop yourself as a nurse of integrity and mastery. Being certified says a great deal about you, and your certifications can enhance your ability to advance your career in any direction you’d like to go.

Some nurses may sit on their laurels and do the bare minimum, while others may seize the day and take every opportunity to develop themselves professionally. Only you can decide if the path to certification is right for you based on your perception of the benefits of certification and the value of that process to your career.

In recognition of Certified Nurses Day, let’s acknowledge those nurses who’ve stepped up to the plate and taken on certification as a prospect worthy of their attention and hard work. And if you’re already certified, give yourself a pat on the back for going the extra mile and showing the world that you’re a nurse who wants to be the best you can be.

National Burn Awareness Week and Specialized Work of Burn Nurses

National Burn Awareness Week and Specialized Work of Burn Nurses

February 4th to 10th is National Burn Awareness Week , and Daily Nurse is recognizing the specialized work of burn nurses. Burn nurses are known for their exceptional skills, commitment, and unwavering dedication to patient care. They work tirelessly to treat individuals who have been affected by burn injuries and to advocate for burn injury prevention within their communities.

Meet Emily Werthman, PhD (c), MSN, RN, CBRN, the Burn Program Manager at The Johns Hopkins Burn Center. She is also a member of the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) board of directors for the 2024-2025 term and shares her insights on burn nursing as a specialized nursing practice.

-What are your title and credentials at The Johns Hopkins Burn Center?

Burn Program Manager

PhD (c), MSN, RN, CBRN

-How long have you worked there?

13 years

-What do you enjoy most about your role as burn program manager?

I love the detective aspect of my job: finding a problem, discovering its root cause, and then developing a plan to fix it. I also work with an amazing interdisciplinary team that makes it exciting to come to work every day.

-Talk about how you ascended to that role.

I started as a BICU nurse and loved our burn program’s research and quality aspects. I knew that burn nursing was where I wanted to practice, but I also wanted to further my career options by pursuing an advanced degree. After about 10 years at the bedside, the burn program manager position became available while I was obtaining my MSN in nursing education. I was so happy to be able to combine my love of research, quality, and bedside burn nursing knowledge into this role. I am also incredibly fortunate to work for a health system that encourages and supports its nurses’ continuing education so I can continue with my PhD.

-What inspired you to become a burn nurse?

My mother died in a house fire shortly after my college graduation. Knowing that her nurses were with her, providing the best possible care, inspired me to do the same for all the families and patients we care for here at the Johns Hopkins Burn Center.

What associations are you a member of, and how have they helped your career?

I am an American Burn Association (ABA) member, serving as the lead nurse planner. I volunteer with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), serving as a CBRN Exam Construction Review Committee member, and have just been appointed to BCEN’s board of directors.

These roles have allowed me to work outside of my hospital system to impact the work of burn nurses nationally and internationally. My work with the ABA has allowed me to progress from member to committee member to lead nurse planner. Similarly, at BCEN, I started as an item writer and have continued to work within the organization to support its mission. Both organizations have provided opportunities for professional growth through networking and continuing education.

-What does a burn nurse do?

There is not a typical day in burn. We see patients at their worst on the first day they are injured, their best on the day they are discharged, and everything in between. Burn is unique because we know our patients and their families through one-on-one interactions during daily wound care sessions. A shift in the BICU or BWU will usually involve all your standard nursing interventions but with a healthy dose of specialized wound care, wound vac placement, dressing takedowns, and lots of psychosocial support for our patients and their families.

Burn nurses are more than trauma care. Can you talk about the other types of care they provide patients?

Burn nurses genuinely care for the patient across the entire continuum from admission to discharge and then reconstruction procedures in the years following an injury. In addition to critical care, they provide outstanding psychosocial support to families and patients. Many burn nurses participate in prevention activities like outreach at local schools and partnerships with local firefighters.

-How do you become a burn nurse?

After graduating with a history degree, I returned to school to get my AS in nursing, eventually earning a BSN and MSN. I am currently preparing to defend my PhD dissertation, as well. I knew when I entered nursing school that burn nursing was my calling. I contacted the burn center for my senior honors project to arrange a guest lecture at my nursing school. I kept in touch with them after graduation so that they were aware of my interest in the burn center and to let them know when I applied for an open position there.

Talk about the need for burn nursing and BCEN specialty certification.

I seek to effect change in the field of burn nursing as a subject matter expert, test question writer, and exam content review committee member for the CBRN exam. Specialty certification is an essential part of recognizing burn nurses’ unique work. As more hospitals move toward Magnet certification, standing with other certified nurses offers burn nurses the ability to demonstrate our commitment to quality care.

-What are the benefits of being a burn nurse? 

Burn nursing is a challenging field. But it is just as rewarding as it is difficult. We see patients progress through their recovery, and through our work with the Burn Therapy Program, we continue to see them for years as they return to their lives.

Talk about the reward of being a burn nurse.

The payoff is the outcome. When we see a patient with substantial burn injuries overcome their injuries and go on to live happy, successful lives, it makes all the long, hot days in a tub room worth it.

Talk about being 1 of 12 expert nurses selected by BCEN to serve on the Burn Nursing Role Delineation Study Advisory Committee.

No other specialty provides you with a level of interaction with patients and their families, all while providing life-saving critical care. The burn nurse is truly the best representation of a holistic nurse that I know—integrating critical care with psychosocial care, wound care, focused systems assessments/interventions, and all that comes with the care of surgical patients. Being selected to help define what a burn nurse does was an honor. And to be able to work with some of my role models in burn care (Gretchen Carrougher and Katie Hollowed, in particular) was so exciting. To think that we could work together with burn experts from all over the country to help on our path to certification was life-changing.

How does the committee’s work serve as a roadmap for nurses who sit for the CBRN exam?

In our work, we helped define what the burn nurse does, which helped define the parameters of the CBRN exam.

-Do you have anything else to add for Burn Awareness Week?

This year’s theme is preventing flammable liquid injuries, so I encourage people to check out the resources available at ameriburn.org to ensure they are following all appropriate safety measures!