Our Changing Role In Integrated Care
Robin Correll, Vice President of Nursing at RHA Health Services and Alena Davis, Corporate Director of Nursing recently presented “The Changing Role of the IDD Nurse in Integrated Care” at the North Carolina Provider’s Council Conference, held in Greensboro, NC.
“It was a privilege to partner with the NC Provider’s Council to help fulfill the mission of the Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA) to foster the growth of nursing knowledge through support, education, and advocacy for Intellectual and Development Disabilities (IDD) nurses throughout the state,” said Correll.
“RHA nurses are trained to perform integrated care with our Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF), but many other providers and states don’t have on-site 24/7 nursing staffs. This can become a challenge because the IDD nurse needs to serve as a gatekeeper and educator with the local physicians, hospital networks, and communities.
There is also a challenge nationwide in even training young nurses to serve people with IDD. Most nursing schools in the United States don’t have specific tracks dedicated to the IDD field so it becomes essential that those of us trained in IDD nursing help these young nurses. It is important that we serve as a visiting professor to our local universities and community college nursing programs and participate in local and national forums, conferences and teaching webcasts. RHA Health Services also currently provides specific training and mentoring supports to our nurses when they join the RHA team.
A third very real challenge is the national nursing shortage which we expect to go well into the 2030’s. Nurses in the IDD field don’t always get paid like other fields due to the state’s reimbursement model making training our direct support medical technicians even more important.
“Anytime you get the opportunity to promote the excellence of our profession and share the RHA culture of care and compassion… it allows us to improve the quality of services for those we support,” said Davis. “All while continuously building upon and growing our network of support through other people, providers, and leaders.”
For More information about RHA Nursing Jobs go to RHA Careers.