Lisa is the Oconee Heart Life Coordinator. She is committed to running a cardiac rehabilitation program that not only meets AACVPR guidelines but consistently exceeds standards for program certification. She continuously focuses on program improvement to get the best patient outcomes and satisfaction scores.
She is currently leading two quality improvement initiatives that focus on the nutritional aspect of the program, and the depression scores pre and post program. Lisa saw that our patients' Rate Your Plate scores were improving post program but thought it could be better. She has worked closely with the dietician to create new and innovative ways to get patients to achieve better eating habits for the long-term. The completion plan and evaluation is in progress but we expect to see great gains because of the initiatives involved with his process. Regarding the depression scores, Lisa is collaborating with her co-worker to research support groups and patient education needs regarding emotional aspects of heart disease. While the program does address emotional aspects of heart disease, the satisfaction scores in this area are not perfect, which is what Lisa wants. She and her team have already had one support group meeting and are starting to put evidence into practice based on the research they discover. These are only two examples demonstrating Lisa's professionalism and leadership and how she consistently collaborates with members of the healthcare team.
She also works closely with cardiologists and vocational rehabilitation in order to provide the best care and services for her patients. There are many patients who tell me that Lisa has made a difference in their lives. One individual in particular stands out to me. A patient in the HeartLife program was dealing with depression post cardiac event. One day, this individual came in for exercise and Lisa sensed that he was not himself. She reached out to him at just the right moment because he opened up to her and shared that he had been feeling suicidal and even recently attempted suicide. The department was extremely busy this day with higher than normal volumes. Lisa calmly came to get me to cover for her on the floor while she pulled this patient aside to help get him the immediate care he needed. This was a very involved situation that ended better than we could have hoped. The patient called me a couple of weeks later to tell me what a difference Lisa's intervention made in his life on that day and the days afterward. This patient told me how calm, caring, compassionate, and comforting she was. In a time of such distress and despair, Lisa was so comforting to this patient.
Also, I've seen Lisa provide urgent/emergent intervention for patients who are experiencing cardiac arrhythmias or chest pain during exercise. She always provides care in a calm and reassuring manner. This is invaluable because patients are sometimes traumatized by their past cardiac experience. She communicates effectively with them by calmly explaining her assessment and recommendations for treatment. Her co-workers also tell me, regularly, that this is something Lisa is especially great at. Lisa is not only the nurse to the patients she cares for during their three months in the program, she is their friend. Because of the close interactions she has with patients three days a week, she is able to demonstrate true empathy for them. She remembers small details about each patient and it is evident that patients feel a strong connection because of her vested interest in them. Recently, during the first HeartLife support group meeting, almost every patient in the room (15 people) thanked her for her genuine care and commitment to them. Many of them attributed their success to her. Patients said things like, "Because of Lisa, I was able to get stronger and put my life back in order. Now I golf and hike regularly and that's something I thought I would never do again."
This past year Lisa has added two additional classes to our HeartLife program that focus on heart failure and diabetes. These classes were added because Lisa recognized the education needs of these patients varied slightly from the general education given to the majority of the patients. By offering specific education to these groups, the patients are better able to manage their condition and improve their overall health specific to their comorbidities. Exercising after a cardiac event or cardiac surgery can be intimidating and scary. Lisa is a registered nurse who has gone the extra mile to get certification as an exercise specialist. This allows her to not only provide excellent clinical care but also to provide our patients with specific exercise prescriptions based on their abilities. Her friendly demeanor along with her professionalism makes this healthcare environment a pleasant one. Our patients literally do not want to leave (graduate out of the program).