Nurse navigator serves as guide
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s orthopedic surgery services includes the unique position of nurse navigator.
Krystal Taylor, the hospital’s nurse navigator, guides patients completely through orthopedic surgery, working with their surgeon.
“Krystal is the person with you from the very start, before surgery, before you even come into the hospital,” said Brynn Ladoniczki, the hospital’s orthopedics nurse manager, in a news release.
“She’s also with you during pre-op, post-op and after discharge. You’ll have your very own person who’s with you each step of the way to make sure you have everything you need,” Ladoniczki said.
Taylor added, “I’m the patient’s advocate. I’m there to help you maneuver through each stage, prior to admission, while they are in the hospital and when you go home. I’m here to prepare, educate, inform and help you know what to expect.”
Taylor also has the advantage of being an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). This special designation allows her to do things similar to a doctor and beyond the role of a traditional nurse. She can write orders for physical therapy or home health care, prescribe medications, order nutrition and diet consultations or order equipment like a rolling walker. She can also speak on a surgeon’s behalf and facilitate a discharge so a patient can go home faster.
“Patients appreciate the work of our nurse navigator,” Ladoniczki said. “They like that familiarity and consistency of having that same person with them the whole time.”
Learn more about St. Joseph’s orthopedic services at BayCare.org/hospitals/st-josephs-hospital-north.
Count the Kicks campaign
The Florida Department of Health is partnering with Count the Kids, an evidenced-based stillbirth prevention public health campaign, to educate and empower pregnant women about the importance of tracking fetal movement in the third trimester of pregnancy.
One out of every 147 pregnancies in Florida ends in stillbirth, according to Florida vital statistics, in a news release.
The campaign was launched in April 2020, near the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research shows the benefits of expectant moms tracking their baby’s movements daily and learning how long it normally takes the baby to get to 10 movements. After a few days, moms will begin to see a pattern.
If the baby’s “normal” changes during the third trimester, it could be a sign of potential problems and an indication that the expectant mom should call her health care provider.
Maternal health providers, birthing hospitals, social services agencies, childbirth educators and other providers in Florida can order free Count the Kicks educational material, at CountTheKicks.org, to help them have the kick-counting conversation with expectant parents.
Since the launch of the campaign last year, more than 313,000 educational pieces have been distributed throughout the state.
Count the Kicks also has a free app available in the iOS and Google Play app stores, and is available in 12 languages.
It also features a kick-counting history, daily reminders, and the ability to count for a single baby and twins.
