Independence Plus Blog
“There is nothing like being at home.”
José Solorzano was just a teenager when he made a decision that changed his life forever. He says he was “young and dumb,” and found himself involved in gangs.
Are you up for the challenge of high acuity specialty home care?
For nearly 30 years, Independence Plus, Inc. has been providing people with complex medical and respiratory needs the opportunity to live fulfilling lives at home.
One thing that makes IPI unique in the home health care field is that caring for our patients is extremely challenging. Our nurses become trained specialists in directly caring for adult and pediatric ventilator-dependent patients at home, many with rare diagnoses.
Being Mindful About Grief-Related Stress
Not until witnessing many of the people surrounding me experience deaths in their family and recently experiencing a patient death of my own, did I understand how powerful grief can be. It also brings to my attention various stressors that are affiliated with the passing of a patient or loved one.
Someone You Should Know: Sandy Scannell, RN MS, IPI’s Director of Quality Improvement
Those of us in home healthcare in Illinois already know Sandy Scannell. She first worked as a med-surg nurse and then a pediatric nurse. Later she joined the University of Illinois’ Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) as a case manager. For a dozen years, we at Independence Plus, Inc. (IPI) knew her as the nurse who meticulously audited our patient records—and she was particularly exacting! Eventually in 2012, she retired from the State, took the summer off, and then “jumped the fence” and joined IPI’s staff as Director of Quality Improvement. It was great to finally have her sit on “our” side of the table! We sat down with Sandy earlier this week to find out a little more about her career before IPI, as well as what she plans to do next.
Let’s get social!
There is no doubt that social media is an important communication vehicle for individuals and businesses alike. At Independence Plus, Inc., we use it to help others experience what healthcare at home means to us.
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.
Not Your Average Home Care Nurse
Home care nurses play a multifaceted role in their patients’ lives. When people are asked about their definition of home healthcare, the answers vary greatly. So what exactly is it?
In Support of ALS
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.
Raising Awareness of Rare Diseases
Rare Disease Day is an annual observance day focused on raising awareness about rare diseases and their impact on the lives of patients, caregivers, healthcare, and public policy. Those diseases affecting less than 200,000 Americans at any given time are considered rare. Approximately 80% of rare diseases have genetic origins and 50% affect children.
Tips from Nurses on Staying Heart Healthy
Heart disease has been the leading cause of death among Americans for over 15 years. It’s important to remember that stress is a crucial component that can jeopardize a healthy heart. Nurses encounter countless psychosocial risk factors that can lead to occupational stress – a type of stress that is work-related and affects many professionals daily.
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.
Grow With Us
We’re expanding our services and offerings. We want you to be a part of the team that is delivering personalized, individual, people-focused skilled home healthcare to those in need. Come join us.