Breathe easy goal for new service
A new service is being trialled at Whakatāne Hospital designed to support people with respiratory conditions such as asthma to better manage their health at home and reduce the likelihood of them needing hospital treatment .
The Kaupapa Māori Emergency Department Nursing Service ( KMED ) will see Nurse Practitioner Theresa Ngamoki ( Te Whānau-ā-Apanui ) following up patients at home who ’ ve gone to the Emergency Department ( ED ) for treatment for exacerbations of asthma , emphysema , chronic bronchitis and the like .
Dr Tamsin Davies , Clinical lead ED says , “ We frequently see patients who for a raft of reasons come to ED for treatment for these conditions – more so in winter . However very few actually need hospital care . With the right care plan and support , many of these exacerbations can be managed at home .
“ The KMED sets out to do that . Once the patient is treated and discharged , they ’ ll be followed up at home . The goal is that they will be less likely to need hospital treatment in future . It ’ s about supporting people to get well and stay well .”
The initiative , focused on Māori under the age of 65 who live within an hour ’ s driving time from Whakatāne Hospital , follows a Whānau
Ora model of care ; putting the patient and their family at the centre and co-ordinating with other health and support agencies to improve health .
It ’ s a model that Theresa is well versed in having worked in the Western Bay as a Kaupapa Nurse Practitioner , providing care in patient ’ s homes , in the GP clinic , at marae and linking with other support agencies .
“ When you go into a person ’ s home , you not only build a rapport with the patient but you get a real sense of the environment that they live in . You can see things that are having an impact on their health . Sometimes these are really important things that they haven ’ t shared with their doctor or practice nurse .”
As a Nurse Practitioner , Theresa has advanced clinical training allowing her to prescribe medications , order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests .
“ Part of my role is to connect the patient to other community based health services , including a GP if they aren ’ t currently enrolled with one . This is about supporting Māori to access the health services they need in a more timely way .”
The Kaupapa Māori Emergency Department Nursing Service will run for a trial period of 18 months .
Whakatāne Hospital ’ s trialling a new service in ED which will see some patients with respiratory conditions followed up at home . From left to right : Dr Tamsin Davies ( Clinical Leader ED ), Theresa Ngamoki ( Nurse Practitioner ) and Dr Matthew Valentine ( Clinical Leader Whakatāne Hospital ).
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