Hospital Corner: Orthopedic Nurse Navigators provide guidance
Like their physician counterparts, nurses specialize in areas of medicine. Emergency nurses assess, triage and treat trauma and acute illness. Birth centers come equipped with dozens of capable hands to assist with the labor and delivery of newborns. You may never meet or remember them, but the nurses in the OR are specifically trained to take care of patients pre, during and post-operative surgery.
Logan Health orthopedics is endowed with a small team of nurses who you will get to know very well if you need total joint replacement surgery. Their specialty is navigating patients through every step of the joint replacement program from beginning to end.
If joint pain in your hips, knees or shoulders limits your ability to do the activities you love or live a normal life, you may be a candidate for joint replacement. Once one of Logan Health’s orthopedic surgeons determines you are a candidate for surgery, you will be assigned a nurse navigator who will provide proper education, support and guidance in your joint replacement journey.
Ally Wilson, RN and Rebecca Denning, RN work out of the orthopedic clinic in Kalispell and navigate patients having orthopedic surgery at Logan Health Medical Center or Logan Health – Whitefish. Ally and Rebecca get to know each patient on an individual basis and ensure they receive the proper education, answer questions and make the arrangements needed to meet the patient's needs. They work closely with orthopedic physicians to prepare each patient for their day of surgery and follow up in the days afterward to ensure that the patient has what they need.
“I strive to make an impact in each of the patient’s lives that I have the opportunity to be a part of by listening to their concerns, taking an active role in advocating for their needs, and educating patients about their care in a way they understand,” Ally said. “I feel that our role matters, because people matter, and being a part of their healthcare matters.”
If a patient decides to have their surgery at Logan Health - Whitefish, they can also reach out to Sue Conners as their navigator. Based inside the hospital, Sue has been certified to care for orthopedic patients for more than 10 years.
On the morning of surgery, Sue meets the patient and takes them back to get prepped. After surgery, she will see them again before they leave. Some patients can go home the same day of their joint replacement surgery, while others may need to stay in the hospital overnight. Either way, Sue will see them before they leave the hospital. She will also meet with the spouse or family members to answer their questions. She calls within a day or two after surgery to see how they are doing.
“I have a lot of interaction with the patient and their family because I want everyone to feel more comfortable,” Sue said. “It’s the little things that make their journey easier.”
Logan Health values the team approach. Alongside your surgeon works an experienced team of orthopedic professionals. Logan Health’s trained nurse navigators give patients direct access to a knowledgeable medical professional. Everyone involved in the Total Joint Program is continually trying to be innovative in how to educate patients before and after surgery so there is an understanding of what to expect.