The day of a BCNC practice nurse starts at 7 am, accompanying our doctors on their morning ward rounds. Our nurses are an integral member of the multidisciplinary team providing care for patients during their stay. The team includes ward nursing staff, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and pharmacists. During a patient’s hospital admission, the practice nurses are available to answer questions, assist with the plan of care and liaise with the other members of the team and provide important social-emotional support to assist with recovery.
Our nurses provide comprehensive postoperative education tailored to the specific needs of the patient. For our regional patients, they will assist with organizing return travel and other requirements to enable a safe transition home. We value patient education and at our medical centre, our nurses play an important role in building patients’ knowledge, understanding and preparedness for self-management. As Judy Evans, an Associate Professor of Nursing at Colorado Mountain College explains,
Nurses have new and expanding roles. They are patient educators who focus on preventative care in a multitude of settings outside hospitals. And they are leaders, always identifying ways for their practice to improve.
Evans further explains that nurses have more direct patient care and have much influence on serious treatment decisions.
After the morning routine, the practice nurses begin their post-operative telephone reviews with patients who have been discharged home. Our nurses call all patients the day after their discharge and again the following week, to check on their progress. During these calls, patients are able to discuss any questions or concerns that may have arisen since returning home. Our practice nurses maintain close communication with our surgeons to keep them up to date with their patient’s recovery.
Throughout the course of the day, our nurses are also available to answer inquiries from patients or other healthcare professionals involved with a patient’s care. They contact all of our patients the week prior to their surgery to discuss admission and ensure all pre-operative instructions are understood. This is a good time for patients to address any questions or concerns they may have about their upcoming surgery.
Occasionally, patients will have an appointment to see the practice nurse for wound care, which may involve assessment, advice and/or the removal of sutures.
It is always a busy but rewarding day for our Practice Nurses. They enjoy the opportunity to provide quality care to our patients to make their surgical experience more comfortable. Visit our Practice Nurses page to learn more.
