Clinical Pathways

[a-rose]

Can you talk about "Clinical Pathways"?

[a-rose]

Can you talk about "Clinical Pathways"?

[renerian, BSN, RN]

We used clinical pathways in home health. Basically it was a manual full of suggested ways to process someone through the health care "maze" for certain disease processes. It also define what you would do based on each visit. For example if a new CHF patient was admitted to your care, you would need a minimum of 10 visits to educate on diet, meds, physiology or other specific issues. Visit one you would teach pathophys. Visit two you would check knowledge retention and teach one medication. So on and so forth. Like a precise care plan. YOU always customize it to the client. The pathways usually are disease specific and applicable to anyone regardless of payor source.

Does that help?

renerian

[renerian, BSN, RN]

We used clinical pathways in home health. Basically it was a manual full of suggested ways to process someone through the health care "maze" for certain disease processes. It also define what you would do based on each visit. For example if a new CHF patient was admitted to your care, you would need a minimum of 10 visits to educate on diet, meds, physiology or other specific issues. Visit one you would teach pathophys. Visit two you would check knowledge retention and teach one medication. So on and so forth. Like a precise care plan. YOU always customize it to the client. The pathways usually are disease specific and applicable to anyone regardless of payor source.

Does that help?

renerian

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

They are a joke. Some committee and someone with an MSN thought that silly stuff up. Just joking. We have a stroke clinical pathway on our unit. Basically it is a set of standing orders on how a stroke patient is to progress on our unit during his or her stay. For instance day one is general labs, testing like MRI's and Carotid Ultrasound, next day is more PT, OT, and Speech, d/c planning begins early. By day five the patient is discharged.

It has gone by the wayside the last year or so, as we went to computer charting. Plus we have so many doctors writing their own orders and not following the pathway.

It's a good theory. For it to work all staff and MD's should work together.

On other floor, they have a pathway specific to gyn surgeries and hip surgeries.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

They are a joke. Some committee and someone with an MSN thought that silly stuff up. Just joking. We have a stroke clinical pathway on our unit. Basically it is a set of standing orders on how a stroke patient is to progress on our unit during his or her stay. For instance day one is general labs, testing like MRI's and Carotid Ultrasound, next day is more PT, OT, and Speech, d/c planning begins early. By day five the patient is discharged.

It has gone by the wayside the last year or so, as we went to computer charting. Plus we have so many doctors writing their own orders and not following the pathway.

It's a good theory. For it to work all staff and MD's should work together.

On other floor, they have a pathway specific to gyn surgeries and hip surgeries.

[a-rose]

Originally posted by renerian

We used clinical pathways in home health.

Thank you very much!

But why did you use clinical pathways in hospital?

"The pathways usually are disease specific"--It means that you don't use clinical pathways if a patient has a cold, do it?

[a-rose]

Originally posted by renerian

We used clinical pathways in home health.

Thank you very much!

But why did you use clinical pathways in hospital?

"The pathways usually are disease specific"--It means that you don't use clinical pathways if a patient has a cold, do it?

[a-rose]

Originally posted by 3rdShiftGuy

They are a joke. Some committee and someone with an MSN thought that silly stuff up. Just joking.

why? They think that there is some illogicality or impertinency in the theory ?

[a-rose]

Originally posted by 3rdShiftGuy

They are a joke. Some committee and someone with an MSN thought that silly stuff up. Just joking.

why? They think that there is some illogicality or impertinency in the theory ?

[baseline]

It has gone by the wayside the last year or so, as we went to computer charting. Plus we have so many doctors writing their own orders and not following the pathway.

This has happened at our hospital also.....but I always thought they were a good idea. Keeps everyone on the same page.....and if you are dealing with a disease you are unfamiliar with...it helps guide you as to where you should be with this patient. As long as they are kept concise!

[baseline]

It has gone by the wayside the last year or so, as we went to computer charting. Plus we have so many doctors writing their own orders and not following the pathway.

This has happened at our hospital also.....but I always thought they were a good idea. Keeps everyone on the same page.....and if you are dealing with a disease you are unfamiliar with...it helps guide you as to where you should be with this patient. As long as they are kept concise!