At Independence Plus, Inc., we appreciate our nurses every day! There is one week of the year, however, when the spotlight is completely on them. National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6 through May 12. The end date is significant because it marks the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
This week is a great time to thank all nurses for their integral role in health care, and the important work they do every day. To celebrate IPI’s team of nurses who work diligently to care for our medically complex, technology-dependent patients, we have compiled a list of recent blog posts featuring them.
“I attribute my success to this—I never gave or took any excuse.” – Florence Nightingale
Someone You Should Know: Tori, RN
Caring for medically complex patients at home is extremely challenging—but we at Independence Plus love the opportunities to deliver complex clinical care while our patient is in their own home. We train RN’s and LPN’s to become specialists in directly caring for ventilator-dependent patients, many with rare diagnoses. It takes a special nurse to succeed as part of our team, and Tori, RN, is the perfect example. Now halfway through IPI’s year-long Home Nursing Residency Program*, Tori offers her thoughts on working in high acuity specialty home care, what she has learned from her patients, and her advice for new nurse residents. Click here to read more.
Not Your Average Home Care Nurse
Home care nurses play a multifaceted role in their patients’ lives. The goal of home health care is to treat the illness or injury while helping people regain their independence and become as self-sufficient as possible. Independence Plus, Inc. (IPI) is unique in focusing on high acuity specialty home care. Our patient base is medically complex, and we set the standard in employee training and quality home healthcare delivery. IPI nurses are trained to become specialists in treating patients with some of the more rare ventilator-dependent diagnoses. Click here to read more.
Someone You Should Know: Rowan, RN
Rowan, RN, has always known she wanted to become a nurse. After graduating from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she saw another learning opportunity in IPI’s year-long Home Nursing Residency Program. Now, just two months shy of completing the program, Rowan says she has learned a great deal from caring for medically complex, ventilator-dependent patients at home, and looks forward to a long career in nursing. We recently sat down with Rowan to find out about her time in the program, what she plans to do next, and what she has learned from her patients. Click here to read more.
Home Nursing Residency: 12 Cohorts Strong
Independence Plus is proud to be well into the second year of our Home Nursing Residency Program. This is a hands-on training and education nursing program for new grads. The year-long program gives RN’s and LPN’s the opportunity to be fully immersed in Home Nursing, with an intensive classroom program followed by a pre-employment course, ventilator training, two weeks of educational site visits and up to 64 hours of training in the field with a nurse preceptor. Upon successful completion, Nurse Residents independently care for medically complex patients living at home. 24-hour clinical support is always available. Click here to read more.
Someone You Should Know: Christa, RN, IPI Clinical Educator
One thing that makes Independence Plus, Inc. (IPI) unique is our unwavering commitment to education. Nurses hired at IPI are immersed in a hands-on training and education program designed to prepare them to provide the best possible care for patients with complex medical and respiratory needs living at home. At the forefront of our training process is our Clinical Educator, Christa, RN. In her current role she combines her clinical expertise and sensitivity to what it takes to be successful working in someone’s home, to help nurses new to IPI. She also assists with support and development for nurses already working in the field. Click here to read more.
Someone You Should Know: Karen H., RN
We knew there was something special about Karen H., RN, when we interviewed her for a position in our Home Nursing Residency program. Two years later, she is still getting our attention—and bringing her best self to work caring for our medically complex, ventilator-dependent patients at home. We sat down with Karen to find out where she gets her spark, and why our patients and nurses love working with her every day! Click here to read more.
Nurse Residents Moving On Up!
A couple of years ago, our Founder and CEO, Tami Müller, challenged us to return to our roots by developing an education program that prepares smart, critically-thinking new nursing graduates to work with our medically complex, technology-dependent patients at home. Since the Home Nursing Residency program’s inception, we’ve educated and trained more than 40 new graduate nurses. Now, we are celebrating hiring two of our early graduates into full-time management positions: Ela W., BSN, RN, as a Clinical Manager, and Brittany R., RN, as Home Nursing Residency Manager. Click here to read more.
Succeeding in Nursing with a Little Help from My Son
“We traveled this journey together,” Zandra, RN, begins. When Zandra was 17 years old, she gave birth to her son, Alexander. Since his very first breath, Alexander has given his mom, Zandra, the resolve to follow her heart and tackle her biggest dreams. Zandra graduated from high school a few months after Alexander’s birth. While she was learning how to be a new mom, Zandra made the courageous decision to go to college. “I thought to myself: If I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it right,” Zandra remembers. Zandra wanted the best for her and her son. Click here to read more.
Fulfilling a Dream: Leading and Teaching by Example
Erica, BSN, RN, has worked at Independence Plus for less than one year—and is on the fast track! She started as a field nurse working with some of our most complex pediatric and adult patients. Now, she’s working as a nurse educator and transitioning some of our new ventilator-dependent patients from the hospital to home. Erica’s three children were her inspiration to enroll in college to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. As Erica continues to grow as a nurse, her passion for nursing is stemmed in her determination to make the best life for her children. Click here to read more.