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Leadership, Professional Development Key in Providing Quality Patient Care
Leaders in the health care industry are focused on providing patients with safe and quality care. A 2001
Institute
of
Medicine
report illustrated the need for redesigning faulty health care systems to provide better care and suggested improving systems by “developing high performing patient centered teams.” In the new column “Management Focus,” debuting in the August 2005 issue of Dermatology Nursing, Pamela Matheny discusses what health care leaders can do to keep high-performing employees within the organization. The Management Focus series will be written by members of the Association of Dermatology Administration/Managers (ADA/M). For more information about ADA/M, visit www.ada-m.org.
Matheny suggests health care organizations invest in leadership by creating a Leadership Development Institute (LDI). According to Matheny, the LDI will offer appropriate training to identify high, middle and low performers within the organization and ways to improve the quality of employees. Matheny also recommends leaders become involved in professional medical societies to help develop management skills to attract and retain high-quality employees, who in turn will support quality patient care.
The new “Management Focus” column will explore issues health care managers face related to patient care as well as nonclinical topics and will emphasize the benefits of collaboration in providing patient care. “In a collaborative environment everyone wins: the patient, the physician, and both the clinical and nonclinical personnel,” says Marcia Hill, MSN, RN, editor of Dermatology Nursing. “It is my hope that this column will be beneficial to all DNA members and journal readers.” (Evaluating the Performance of Health Care Employees; Pamela Matheny; Dermatology Nursing; August 2005; www.dermatologynursing.net)
Nurses Need Greater Knowledge of Psychosocial Impact of Rosacea
Rosacea is a chronic, progressive dermatologic condition that typically manifests on the face, cheeks and neck. When a patient’s face is altered by rosacea, he/she may develop body image issues as well as feel embarrassed, frustrated, anxious or depressed. In the August 2005 issue of Dermatology Nursing, Karol Burkhart Lindow, MSN, RN, C, CNS, and co-authors examine the human dimensions of rosacea to determine if the condition affects one’s self-concept.
The authors report no significant alterations in self-concept, but do acknowledge a logical pattern of self-concept based on severity of the condition. According to Lindow and co-authors, as the condition becomes more severe, patients’ self-concept rating decreases in such areas as moral, family, social and work. The authors note the small sample size and cannot generalize their results but suggest further study of changes in self-concept to determine statistical conclusions.
In addition, Lindow and co-authors suggest nurses take a more active role in educating patients with rosacea and promote a more holistic approach to treatment. Most of the study participants received care instructions from a physician, not a nurse. A nurse’s assessment of the condition and also the patient’s feelings about his/her rosacea could identify psychosocial effects early on, say the authors. (Perceptions of Self in Persons With Rosacea; Karol Burkhart, Lindow, MSN, RN, C, CNS; Deb Shelestak, MSN, RN; Joan Lappin, MSN, RN; Dermatology Nursing; August 2005; www.dermatologynursing.net)
New Treatment for Psoriasis Requires Dermatology Nurses to Lead Patient Education Efforts
Patients suffering from limited psoriasis are typically treated with topical medications. However, approximately 25% of patients suffering from psoriasis may develop moderate or severe disease at some point in time, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation, and these patients require more than topical treatments. In the August 2005 issue of Dermatology Nursing, Daniel J. Pearce, MD, and co-authors discuss injectable medications called biologics, a new psoriasis treatment that specifically targets the immune mechanisms that cause psoriasis, as well as address common concerns of patients undergoing biologic therapy.
After beginning treatment with biologics, patients may call with questions about administering their treatment, how quickly results will appear, known risks and side effects and out-of-pocket and insurance costs. Dermatology nurses and others on the front lines of care in the dermatology community must lead patient education efforts to ensure the best care for those suffering from psoriasis, say the authors.
Pearce and co-authors contend that despite a lack of long-term safety data and high cost of this treatment, biologics are altering the face of psoriasis care and have the potential to improve psoriasis patients’ quality of life. (Biologic Therapy for Psoriasis: Telephone Triage; Daniel J. Pearce, MD; Ann Boles, RN; Heather M. Greist, MS; Steven R. Feldman, MD, PhD; Dermatology Nursing; August 2005; www.dermatologynursing.net)