Northumberland News article published October 9, 2019
By John Campbell, Brighton Independent.
TRENT HILLS — Trent Hills Family Health Team (THFHT) has been recognized for its support of families living in rural areas.
In announcing the winner of its Spotlight Award, the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario said nurses at Trent Hills created the Well Baby program after realizing new mothers weren't receiving the proper support or teaching many of them needed.
Extending beyond the post-partum period to when the children are ready for school, the program enables mothers “to learn the numerous skills that are required to be parents,” and provides them “a safe place to ask their questions.”
Mothers and babies are seen by the same nurse for each visit and for a longer period than they would with a physician, “which allows trust to build and offers mothers a chance to discuss their concerns,” the association said.
It also frees up more time for family physicians and nurse practitioners “to see other patients with acute and chronic conditions.”
The nurses provide breastfeeding support as well, and “work within their full scope of practice.”
“We were very pleased to get that award,” said Carole Robichaud, a nurse practitioner and nursing supervisor at THFHT.
The four-year-old program “is working really well ... It's something that's really appreciated.”
The program's three registered nurses — Tammy Haig, Amy Clarke and Jo-Elle Nelson — work out of Campbellford, Warkworth and Colborne, and see their patients usually every two months (less frequently as the children get older).
Visits last about 40 minutes.
Brighton council challenged to take part in...
The families “quite prefer seeing a nurse (because) they get that continuity of care,” and can use us as a resource until they require a doctor, Clark said.
“It's a very nice interaction that we get to have with families,” Haig said.
“There are so many topics (that) come during a visit (at) different stages (of a child's development),” Nelson said.
The program has resulted in an uptick in immunization rates and “early recognition of issues, problems, abnormalities,” which leads to referrals to pediatricians and other specialists sooner, Clark said.
“It makes a big difference for a rapidly growing child,” the association said.
Parents “trust the nurse's opinion, with regards to vaccinations (and their) importance,” based on the relationships that develop, Haig said.
“It's health insurance that your child will not get that disease and not die from that disease,” Nelson said.
“It's nice to be recognized for the work that nurses (do) and how much we contribute to the family health team,” Haig said.
Sarah Fields is an enthusiastic supporter of the program, which she says is “fantastic.”
She began using it following the birth of her oldest child, Emma, five years ago, and continued with her next two — Olivia, 3, and Madelynn, two months old.
The program offers “a fountain of information by people who are just so knowledgeable and friendly,” she said. “They just get it.”
It isn't just about the child, added Fields.
If she's “struggling with something they have lots of connections to people they can set you up with, to make sure you're OK as well,” she said.
“Also, if there is anything that requires next level care they are very quick to make it happen, so there’s no delays or waiting.”
THFHT was up for two other awards: For continuous care (it helps patients manage their chronic respiratory disease through each stage of their illness) and comprehensive team-based care (it offers a nutrition program for people to prevent or reverse lifestyle disease).
To read the complete Northumberland news article, click here.