Is ICARE just letters?

For some people, it is. If you do a little research, ICARE shows up on Google about 535,000 times.

If you're a nurse educator, ICARE is a model for education design.

If you're a business person, it's a way of delivering excellent service based on the Ken Blanchard model.

If you're a cancer researcher, iCARE is a model for building risk models.

In some health care organizations, like VA, it defines a code of conduct.

I care about those who have served.

I care about my fellow employees.

I care about choosing “the harder right instead of the easier wrong.”

I care about performing my duties to the very best of my abilities


It's too bad that at the Hotel, some of our patients have told us:
"I'm not telling your manager anything. He/she is lazy and doesn't care."
"I asked that nurse to do something a different way, and he/she didn't."


However, my rehab nurse heart just skips a beat, when my patient recently said, "I've learned more today in the little time I spent with you today, than I've learned all month." Why? Because I took a few minutes to not just educate this patient about the specialty services of the SU (my job), but of the rehab unit as a whole.  I cared.


When do we realize, that as nurses, "I care" isn't just an acronym. It's a verb. It's actions: not just doing, but listening, being present, and doing right, even when it's hard. Even when you're busy, passing pills, doing dressings. Share the rehab wisdom you've developed (or for newbies, are developing)


ICARE is not I Come And Receive Everything. If you're a paycheck nurse, maybe you need another gig.


I care because I am a nurse and a human being with a conscience. It's my job and my philosophy (thank you grad school and Jean Watson).


Don't let the turkeys get you down today. Keep caring!


Enjoy your weekend wherever you are! 

Learning something new

I've taken care of post-transplant patients, but lately, we've gotten a few pre-transplant patients at the Hotel.

So I went to the library to find some information. First of all, the International Transplant Nurses Association has a wealth of information about transplantation topics and patient education. Like rehab nurses, transplant nurses deal with a wide variety of subjects while caring for patients.

In addition, some things vary for patients based on their rating or score for whether they are eligible (or need) a transplant. Liver transplant patients hear about their MELD scores, heart patients may know what their Seattle Heart Failure Model or other score can affect how and when they get a transplant and how their doctors treat their heart problems before they get transplanted.

Why does this make a difference? Goals, folks, goals. Rehabilitation is big on how patients can (reasonably) meet their goals on admission and discharge. We don't just want them to progress while they are here. They need to continue it as time goes on.

Needless to say, working in rehab is never boring. There's always something new to learn.

Stay tuned!