SKILLED NURSING

Skilled Nursing

Gallagher Home Health Services’ skilled nurses have over 300 years of collective health care experience.

We use a Primary Care Model that means you will have one nurse assigned to you to ensure that your care is well coordinated. We believe that you will recover quicker if the care you receive is performed by the same professionals consistently and competently.

We are available as your home health resource 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Your physician may order home health for you after a hospitalization, an office appointment, a change in condition, new medications or a need for any of the following services (click on the headings to read more):

Obseration & Assesment

Observation and assessment is generally covered by your insurance company for about three weeks and while there is reasonable expectation of complications, a need to change your current medications or treatment plan, or the likelihood of change in your condition.

• Your medical and nursing needs are assessed and discussed with you and your physician.
• A nurse will evaluate your vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, respirations and temperature.
• We can check your pulse oxygen levels and evaluate your use of oxygen or need for oxygen.
• We will review your medications with you to make sure you are taking your them correctly.
• We work closely with you, your physician and any family members or friends whom you identify to make sure you are reaching the goals we have set together.
• Our nurses will also assess the following:
  • Your nutritional needs
  • Your risk for falls
  • Any changes in your medications
  • Any changes in your ability to care for yourself
  • Any need for assistance with bathing, dressing or grooming
  • Any needs for other disciplines including:
    • Physical therapy
    • Occupational therapy
    • Speech therapy
    • Medical social services
    • Home health aides

Performance of Skilled Procedures

When a physician has ordered skilled care to be performed by a nurse, then usually your insurance company will pay for these services until you or a caregiver are able to perform them yourself. These services can include but are not limited to any of the following procedures:

• Administration of vitamin B12 injections with certain diagnoses
• Administration of insulin
• Administration of other intramuscular or subcutaneous injections
• Administration of IVs
• Administration of inhalation treatments
• Changing indwelling catheters
• Bladder instillations
• Performing wound care
• Application and management of wound vac dressings
• Infusion therapy services
• Care and management of your PICC line or port
• Pain management
• Care of new ostomies, ileostomies and stomas

Teaching and Instruction

While we are providing education to you or your family member regarding your care that is ordered by your physician, your insurance company will generally cover these services. Our nurses will teach and instruct you and the caregiver or family member of your choice about your medical and nursing needs. We will guide you step-by-step through the process and make sure that your are independent in your care before we discharge you. Activities that we often teach our patients include but are not limited to the following:

• New or changed medications
• Proper administration of medications
• New use or reinforcement of use of oxygen
• Wound care
• Care for a recent ostomy, ileostomy or reinforcement of previous training
• Care and maintenance of peripheral and central venous lines and administration of IV medications through your PICC line, PORT or other venous access
• New procedures or treatments ordered by your physician
• New disease processes or diagnoses
• Any questions related to your health condition
• Bowel and bladder programs
• Gastrostomy or enteral feedings