Last week, our forum buzzed with insightful exchanges on practical tools and strategies for enhanced patient care. Discussions spanned from optimizing chronic care templates to innovative approaches in NICU settings. Members also shared experiences with deprescribing in skilled nursing facilities and exchanged tips on conducting quick yet effective milestone checks. The forum was a hive of knowledge-sharing, with both seasoned and new practitioners contributing valuable perspectives.
This Week’s Hot Topics
Looking for chronic care templates that work
This thread dives into user-shared templates that streamline chronic care management. It’s a goldmine for those looking to enhance efficiency in patient care plans.
Helping parents feel ready sooner in NICU
A vital discussion on strategies to boost parental confidence in NICUs, this thread offers actionable advice for practitioners looking to improve family readiness.
Go-to tools for quick milestone checks
Members share their preferred tools for rapid developmental assessments, a must-read for those in pediatric care aiming for accuracy and speed.
Deprescribing guides that work in SNFs
Explore practical deprescribing methods tailored for skilled nursing facilities, shared by practitioners with firsthand experience.
NICU parent class bloopers
A lighter thread where members share humorous and unexpected moments from NICU parent classes, reminding us of the human side of healthcare.
When the pinwheel outperforms my stethoscope
An intriguing look at unconventional diagnostic tools that sometimes yield better results than traditional methods.
What’s your quick psych assessment bundle
Discuss your go-to strategies for rapid psychological assessments, an essential read for those in mental health care.
I’ve had good luck swapping the pinwheel for a cheap party blower — it’s mini spirometry with a smile — and I count reps while noting effort and symmetry. If the kid’s shy or post-URI, I skip bubbles and do a 30-second ‘Simon Says’ (touch nose, track a sticker, toe taps) before the stethoscope, building on @j_reyes78’s approach but with less mess.
I keep a pocket mirror and ask kids to “steam up the glass” three times while I watch for symmetry, prolongation, and mouth vs nose breathing. If the fog pattern’s uneven or they compensate with mouth-breathing, I do a quick nasal patency check and then grab the stethoscope if anything sounds off. Caveat: not great with drool/URI days, so I swap in a disposable acetate card and wipe between rooms.
@sturner76 “Caveat: not great with drool/URI days, so I swap in a disposable acetate card and wipe between” — I tape a single-ply tissue flag to a tongue depressor so it’s single-use and watch how cleanly it deflects on three blows for effort and symmetry. If the room’s drafty or the kid won’t blow, I switch to a quick humming 5-count to gauge sustained exhalation.