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Patients' transfer records may not even include a diagnosis of altered mental status. During times of COVID-19, oftentimes family members are not present to share the most current mental presentation prior to admission. This is very common, especially, if the transfer includes a recent ICU stay which can certainly shade the underlining mental change. Many older patients come to rehabilitation in a weakened state and this also can hide the need for more in-depth mental assessment.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore both the physical and mental health changes that commonly occur later in life.
• Describe the challenge of rehabilitation nurses of distinguishing between dementia and delirium
• Implement a cognitive assessment process to provide the most appropriate care for a patient who appears confused.

About the Speaker

Betty Clark brings more than 45 years of neurological and rehabilitation nursing expertise to her courses and seminars. She started as a bedside neuro nurse after graduating from the University of Virginia. She developed a passion to teach patients and their families how to live with a disability. She expanded her teaching to nurses after completing her M.Ed. at the University of Virginia. Her career path includes academia, home health administration, staff development, consulting, and research. Her last full-time position before semi-retirement in 2017 was as the nurse researcher and educator for a CMS grant on Delirium in the Geriatric Patient. She became a CRRN in 1989 and she has taught many CRRN review courses nationally and internationally over the last 30 years. Betty has also presented at ARN national, state, and local conferences on sexuality issues for persons with a disability, CRRN review, Delirium management, and numerous other rehabilitation topics. She has received recognition as both Rehabilitation Educator and Administrator of the Year. Betty was chosen as one of the top 10 nurses in Houston, Texas in June 2016.

About the Speakers

Chelsee Wood is a BSN-trained CRRN and is the Chief Nursing Officer at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Colorado Springs. She received her Bachelor's Degree of Science in Nursing at Purdue University in 2007 and began her nursing career on a medical/surgical unit at St. Vincent’s hospital in Indianapolis. Chelsee was introduced to rehabilitation nursing when she moved to Colorado and joined the team at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Colorado Springs in 2009. Chelsee quickly fell in love with rehabilitation and became a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse in 2011. Chelsee has worked with rehabilitation patients and clinicians for the last 10 years in the roles of Nursing Supervisor, Wound Care Coordinator, and Nurse Manager. Chelsee is currently the Chief Nursing Officer at Encompass Health in Colorado Springs. In this role, Chelsee works with her team and hospital leadership to provide high-quality rehabilitation nursing care to their patients. She is active in the education of the nursing department and works closely with the clinical team to meet outcomes and improve quality. She is an active member of the Stroke Team helping to achieve and maintain Joint Commission Disease-Specific Certification in Stroke Rehabilitation. In 2016 Chelsee became a STOP hospital trainer, which is Encompass Health’s safe patient mobility program. In 2017 she became a regional trainer for the STOP program and co-leads two-day boot camps for CNAs, nurses, and therapists to become hospital-based trainers. Chelsee’s passion for education and safe patient mobility continues to grow as she seeks out new opportunities to share this important consideration of rehabilitation nursing.

Rachel Woodruff OTR/L MHPE. received her Occupational Therapy degree from Boston University and began working for Encompass Health in 2004. Obtained a Master’s degree in Health Professions Education from Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ. She began working with the STOP program in 2013 by implementing and sustaining the program at Valley of the Sun. Her interest and passion for safe patient handling grew and she was able to become a regional STOP 2 trainer. This opportunity allowed Rachel to speak at the American Occupational Therapy Association on the topic of Safe Patient Handling and Mobility in 2017.

This presentation will discuss the nursing care of patients with, cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, and neurological disorders and how these disorders impact the interdisciplinary team's management of the patient. The unique needs of the patient presenting after COVID 19 infection will also be addressed. Evidence-based care from both the rehabilitation and medical-surgical fields of nursing will be woven into the presentation. Challenges to patient and family education and possible solutions will be addressed. Case studies will be utilized and participants will be encouraged to share their patient care experiences. The normal physiologic changes of aging will be identified and adaptation of nursing care discussed.

About the Speaker

Sally Strong has worked in the fields of neuroscience and rehabilitation nursing for over 35 years. She has held positions as a staff nurse, nurse educator, and Clinical Nurse Specialist. In her current role, she provides consultation and mentoring to staff nurses caring for patients with a variety of rehabilitation diagnoses and medical co-morbidities. She was also heavily involved in educating and supporting the staff who cared for patients recovering from COVID 19. Ms. Strong has been an invited speaker on the local, state, and national levels for both nursing and interdisciplinary conferences. She has participated in multiple projects for both ARN and the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses.

About the Speaker

Raquel Neves is a specialized rehabilitation nurse with 15 years of experience and practice in 3 different countries. A passionate person for nursing rehabilitation and stroke survivors. At the moment is the Director of Nursing in a 70-bed rehab facility with inpatient and outpatient services. ARN Board of Director member, ARN ambassador across the world, and active with European Stroke Organization.