Mount Auburn Healthcare Connection

Learn More:

• Related Links
• Quiz

Heart surgery at any age can be a very difficult and frightening experience, both physically and emotionally. Often times a patient must stay in the hospital for at least five days, under the watchful eye of physicians, nurses and physical therapists. Although a weeklong stay in the hospital doesn’t exactly compare to a week’s vacation, going home and getting acclimated again can be an even more trying experience for heart surgery patients. But with the help of a homecare nurse, that transition from hospital to home is much easier.

Kelly Marsden is a registered nurse specializing in homecare. She works with CareGroup HomeCare, a patient-centered program offered by Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. “We’re the bridge between the hospital and the home and make it possible for the patient to go home,” says Marsden. “We do a significant amount of teaching and try to make the patient as independent as possible.”

Marsden says her main priorities as a homecare nurse are making sure her patients are taking their medication correctly and educating them. Her teaching role covers a broad range of topics, including how to care for surgical incisions, and signs and symptoms of infections.

There are a few things to remember when recuperating from surgery. Make sure the incision stays clean and dry. An incision might be infected if:

· You notice an increased amount of drainage or discharge from incision

· The incision line opens

· The skin around the incision becomes discolored or feels warm

· Your body temperature rises above 100.4°

Following a well-balanced diet will also aid in recovery. A well-balanced diet also means patients should be monitoring their weight. Marsden advises patients to weigh themselves at the same time everyday. She also says their temperature should be taken twice a day. Patients should tell their nurse if there are any changes in their health.

Marsden also teaches her patients about the different services available in the community and within Mount Auburn Hospital. Homecare also offers many services and brings them right to your home. “If a patient needs physical therapy, I’ll bring in a physical therapist. Or if they are elderly and need a home health aid, we’ll bring that person in. Once we discharge, if we feel the patient needs more support, we bring in other services from the community.”

CareGroup HomeCare at Mount Auburn Hospital provides a continuum of seamless care and services including:

· Immunizations and other preventive care

· Skilled nursing care

· Medical social services

· Physical, occupational and speech-language therapy

· Nutrition services

· Certified home health aide services

· Maternal child health

· Patient and family education

· Behavioral health

· Telehealth

“It’s the connection with the same health care team and hospital that makes the difference,” Marsden says.

CareGroup HomeCare works not only with patients, but their families and caregivers as well, because many times a family member assumes care when the patient returns home. “When patients know we’re there to help, they relax more. We know the surgeons and nurses; we’ve worked with them over a number of years. We know what to expect post-operatively as well. So if something’s unusual, we’ll recognize it,” explains Marsden.

On average, heart patients can expect to make a full recovery in two to three months after surgery. Recovery time is different for everyone, and can vary substantially depending on a variety of factors including age and what type of surgery is performed.

For a free Mount Auburn Hospital healthy heart pocket slider, please call us at 617-499-5094.