The Nursing clinics of North America
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Organizational endorsement for a dynamic, comprehensive pain management program began in the early 1990s, and included assessment, education, interventions, and reassessment. Based on study findings and pain management recommendations from national guidelines and authoritative resources, retooling and updating of the pain management program was shaped to include a multidisciplinary team approach, principles of Total Quality Improvement, and outcomes management. ⋯ The end-point goal of a comprehensive pain management program that demonstrates positive patient outcomes along the care continuum provides an opportunity for merged health care organizations at two sites. This challenge will be supported by the model and the principles of continuous quality improvement, two processes that are complementary in assuring best practice.
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Nurs. Clin. North Am. · Jun 2000
Establishing a mobile health and wellness program for rural veterans.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem, Virginia provides mobile access to health care for over 4000 veterans in southwestern Virginia. This innovative program has joined community outreach with increased use of advanced practice nurses to provide health screenings, risk identification and stratification, education, and enrollment to veterans living in the facility's predominantly rural primary service area. Concurrently, veterans are placed within a comprehensive continuum of care through nurse practitioner intake and assessment clinics, primary care, or routine care every 4 months, with follow-up using the mobile program. Salem's mobile program is extremely effective in its clinical management and fiscal outcomes.