Here’s the first line of one of my favorite songs.  “First I was afraid, I was petrified…..”. Do you recognize it?  It’s Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”, an anthem for many of us of a certain age.  The first line of this song is so good at summing up our emotions when a big change is thrust upon us or when we’ve been unlucky in love.  I sing it to myself at work, sometimes at home or at other times when the Serenity Prayer just isn’t enough!  “I Will Survive” can be an empowering anthem!

So, why am I humming this tune now?

Whether you’re a fan of health care reform or not, you know that change is coming.  Home care has always had to be more responsive to changes in health care.  Think the enactment of Medicare in 1966 or the arrival of HMOs in the 90’s. Those of us on the frontlines of clinical care who have the ability to meet the challenges of the ever changing health care landscape will not only survive but will thrive!

As home care nurses, we need to be knowledgeable about the latest in evidence-based practices and how to effectively use them. The CHAMP website hosts a wide variety of home health care resources to help you strengthen your practice.   Take a look at the tools in the Resource section.  There’s a presentation on the process of change and a tool to help you organize and implement small tests of change. Very timely, huh?  Of course, there are many resources dedicated to the ‘meat and potatoes’ of clinical practice.  How about a best practice intervention program for fall prevention or a review of pain intensity scales to name a few?

With over 35 years of nursing under my belt (along with a meno-pot , I’ve learned three basic things:

1.  I’ll never ever know all I need to know.

2. When you don’t adapt to change you’ll be left behind!

3.  Home care will survive AND thrive!

Debra Bertrand, CHAMP Facilitator