What Is Total Patient Care?
Written by:
Jeffrey Grossman
Published:
November 6, 2019
As an adult child with aging parents, you want to ensure that all your parents' needs are taken care of as they age—you need total patient services and care.
But what is total care? And, how can it help my loved ones and improve their quality of life?Total patient care is a model of care overseen by a registered nurse who provides one-on-one care to patients. These RNs work with you to create a personalized, whole-person care plan for your loved one. With nursing-patient care models, your loved one will receive physical, mental, emotional, and medical care.Are you ready to learn if total care is the right level of care for your loved one?Keep reading to get expert information about the total patient care model and who provides total patient care in your area.
Types of Care
Different situations require various types of care to support physical needs like ambulation, or patient-specific conditions, such as those suffering from mental health decline. Total care is a high-touch level of care, sometimes providing 24-hour monitoring. As with most care models, the necessity of total care depends on the patient’s health.Some of the different care models that exist to support patient needs based on special situations or health concerns include:
Total care
Hospice care
Hospital-to-home
Post-surgical care
Respite care
Understanding the right level of care your loved one needs is important when choosing a home care agency. At Commonwise Home Care, we provide an extensive list of care services to support the needs of aging adults. To determine the right kind of care a client needs, we work with family members to create a personalized care plan. Every person is unique, and an individual’s care plan is no exception.All the care services above are valuable. However, for our discussion today, we'll focus on total patient services and care.
In-home elder care solutions in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC.
What is Total Patient Care?
Total patient care is a model of care designed around a registered nurse overseeing personal care to one patient during a specific period of time. Bonnie M. Jennings, D.N.Sc., R.N., F.A.A.N., retired U.S. Army colonel, and health care consultant, says,
“Total patient care and primary nursing are patient-oriented and rely on registered nurses (RNs) to deliver care.”
This model of care can take place in-home or in a hospital setting. The delivery of care varies for total care models depending on the setting it’s being provided in (i.e., a group of nurses may rotate between patients to provide care around the clock instead of one, dedicated nurse). As discussed in our comparison of medication management vs medication reminders, caregivers have two proficiency levels: certified nurse assistants (CNA) and registered nurses. RNs can assist with medical, home care, and care management needs, such as oversight of health services. CNAs provide personal care and companionship services, such as transportation.Together, RNs and in-home CNA caregivers work to provide total patient services to clients in the comfort of their homes.
The Benefits of Total Patient Care Nursing
In general, the greatest benefit of total patient care is the one-on-one attention and monitoring a skilled nursing professional provides. The drawback to total patient care is the price. A dedicated nurse providing medical assistance is more expensive than a professional caregiver who is hired for companionship services. Unlike hospice care, total care is not provided indefinitely, but rather assists a patient for a short period of time or longer if needed. Total patient care relies on a good, patient-nurse dynamic. When it comes to senior care, a compassionate, relational caregiver is essential.Providing the highest quality of care is our goal at Commonwise Home Care. If the one-on-one caregiver we provide to your loved one is not a good fit, we will replace them with another member of our care team.
The Best Total Patient Care in Virginia and South Carolina
When it comes to caring for loved ones in their old age, most people aren't ready or prepared. Care may start out simple, but a loved one's level of care can change quickly. Family caregivers may not have the skills or experience necessary to provide increasing levels of care.Fortunately, there are in-home care companies that provide total patient services. These nursing-patient care models provide each client with a registered nurse and a qualified in-home caregiver. The nurse and caregiver work together to ensure every one of the client's needs is met.At Commonwise, we have both certified nurse assistants and registered nurse care managers on hand. When it comes to total care services, we provide one-to-one, registered nursing oversight in the comfort of an older adult’s home.Convenient, compassionate care should not be a commodity, but the standard. Our goal is to make clients as comfortable as possible. Our professional caregivers are trained to support both you and your loved one with expert care. Whether your loved one needs home care services for a few hours a day or around-the-clock attention, we are here to help. For more information on the Commonwise Home Care difference, call 434.202.8565.Disclaimer: Please check with your physician before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or medication routine.
In-home elder care solutions in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC.