Wound Care

Our team of wound care trained clinicians understands the holistic approach in providing the needs of patients with acute and chronic wounds. Our clinicians are trained to perform wound care on pressure ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, surgical wounds, and other types of wounds. The Premier Point team, in coordination with the patient's physician, work to promote appropriate wound care and healing, and ensure monitoring to prevent infection.

Ostomy

It takes time to become comfortable with an ostomy. At the time of discharge, many patients experience a significant number of technical, emotional, social, marital/family, and sexual difficulties. Concerns include doubt of their ability to properly care for the stoma, questions concerning their ability to return to work or school, engage in sports or recreational activities, and the stigma associated with pouching systems.

The Premier Point nursing staff can help. Our clinicians will develop the plan of care to promote the appropriate care holistically in maintaining their quality of life. Most importantly, provide assistance to the patient and caregiver on how to inspect the stoma and surrounding skin for any infection indicators, identifying the appropriate ostomy supplies, and monitoring to prevent hospitalization.

Post-Orthopedic Surgery Care

Knee/Hip Replacement - Partial or full hip or knee replacement - the most common types of joint replacement surgeries, can relieve pain, and also improve gait, balance and overall quality of life.

The Premier Point Approach

Premier Point clinicians can help joint replacement patients manage daily living activities and minimize the risk of infection during the recovery process.

Our customized care plans, developed with your medical provider could include:

• Inspecting the wound site for signs of infection, taking size and depth measurements, and monitoring the healing process
• Teaching the patient how to care for the surgical staples or steri-strips including cleaning and changing the dressing
• Appropriate deep breathing exercises to prevent a respiratory infection and how to use a spirometer, if instructed to do so by the physician
• Techniques for reducing swelling around the surgical site including elevation, ice packs and compression stockings
• Ensuring strict compliance with anti-coagulant medication dosages to avoid improper blood clotting, instructing patients on how to properly take all prescribed medications, and how to recognize the side effects of improper dosages
• Performing blood tests to monitor medication levels, if appropriate
• Working with the dietitian to develop a customized dietary program to avoid drug interactions and promote healthy healing
• Pain management techniques
• Supporting patients in incorporating their occupational and physical therapy training into their daily routine including standing, sitting, walking and performing grooming tasks
• Identifying and removing trip hazards and other safety concerns that could impact rehabilitation progress and reinforcing instructions provided by the therapist to allow proper joint healing

Prosthetics and Orthotics

Whether through trauma, disease, or other circumstances, the loss of a limb or use of a limb is a life-altering event. Patients experience a broad range of emotions including grief, blame, self-doubt, and depression. The recovery process can also offer many challenges as patients manage post-surgery pain and relearn daily living activities such as getting out of bed, personal hygiene and grooming, and household chores. The experienced team at Premier Point can help.

The Premier Point Approach

Our nurses, occupational therapists and physical therapists have extensive experience working with complex amputation cases, and work as a team with referring physicians and the prosthetist, when applicable, to develop customized medical care and therapy plans that address pain and proper wound healing, prevent muscle weakness, contracture, and other immobility related problems, and help the patient to establish a new normal, healthy, and active lifestyle.

• Closely monitoring the wound for signs of infection, scrapes, cuts, sores or any other abnormalities that could compromise the healing process
• Monitoring swelling, fluid build-up, and indicators of poor circulation; administrating medications, and helping the patient to manage post-surgery phantom pain
• Teaching the patient desensitizing techniques to loosen any scar tissue that may have developed
• Teaching the patient to manage bathing, shaving, toileting, dressing, hair care, oral care, and other daily living activities
• Teaching family members and caregivers how to maintain a supportive role without enabling patient activity
• Teaching lower limb amputee patients to safely manage various objects, prepare meals and perform job-related tasks
• Coordinating with a medical social worker to assess the home environment, and secure community available support for adaptive tools and home modifications, identify referrals for crisis intervention if necessary and assist with long term planning