Mays believes education is key in helping patients, families thrive

This article was originally published in the Week of October 12, 2009 issue of Oklahoma City's Nursing Times (okcnursingtimes.com), by Cheryl Schuman. Reprinted with permission.

Mays Home Health is a large company originating in Antlers, Oklahoma. It now has thirty-three branches throughout Oklahoma and Texas. Okmulgee is fortunate to have one of those branches, along with a caring and well-trained staff, under the management of Ynona Burdine, RN.

Okmulgee’s Housecalls employs eight RN’s, six LPN’s and four certified home health aides. These professionals care for approximately 180 patients.

Burdine pointed out that home health is really about teaching-instructing the patient how to take care of their disease or injury.

“We also work closely with the family members, teaching them how to properly care for their parent or grandparent,” said Burdine.

Mays has four different branches of health care. Burdine explained that not only does the care include the Medicare program which is a provider/Advantage program, but also a hospice program, a pediatric unit and Housecalls, which is the Medicare home health. The pediatric unit is located at the Antlers office.

“Should we get a pediatric referral from a hospital, we direct them to the Atlers branch,” said Burdine. “They know what they are able to do, just like I know what we can do here in Okmulgee.”

Burdine said the Okmulgee Housecall has had one pediatric patient. “It just touched our hearts so much, everyone here in the office as well as the community, became involved in helping this special little girl,” Burdine said.

The staff of Mays Housecall are very diverse in their training and skills, stated Burdine. “Each nurse has a specific skill that maybe another one is not quite as proficient in,” said Burdine. “Maybe an IV therapy or wound vac care, whatever the patient requires, I send the nurse that is the most skilled in whatever the patient has the greatest need.”
Continuing Burdine said, “I have an awesome group of nurses that work here. I have one male RN and one male LPN and I can put them in a position where maybe a male patient is uncomfortable with a female nurse. I have that opportunity to match the patient with the nurse. Same goes with female patients that aren’t comfortable with a male nurse”.

Burdine said the home health aides must be certified to work for Mays.
“They do an awesome job,” said Burdine. “Our patients are truly homebound. They aren’t able to get out and our staff brings the world into them. Besides the fact that we are helping them with their needs and comforts.”

Burdine said the patients look forward to the visits from the home health care professional. Burdine said she has been in home health care for 20 years and has learned much from her patients through the years about life.

“So many of our patients are elderly and know so much about the world,” she explained. “You learn so much from them and it’s a two-way street. They get the support from us and we get the knowledge from them.”

Burdine said she has worked in a hospital environment, but prefers the home health care field.

“I feel we do so much more for the patient and their family as a whole,” said Burdine. “When you go into the home, you have to teach them they can help mom or dad, or the grandparent, whomever the patient may be. You teach the whole family.”

Burdine said she has taught children how to test their mother’s blood sugar or what to look for if there is a change in the patient’s condition.

“I’ve had teen-agers call me and say, ‘Mom’s feet are really getting swollen again’,” stated Burdine. “That gives us a warning to stop something before it gets out of hand and they have to go back to the hospital.”

Burdine said that is one of the goals of home health care, to keep the patient from having to return to the hospital.

“This is a set-back to them, if they have to go back into a hospital facility,” said Burdine.

Home health nursing is a specialized field and offers a rewarding career for those with an abundance of love and caring to share with those in need.

“This is where my heart is,” said Burdine. “Mays covers so many areas of life, from the beginning, the care in-between and the end of life. Our patients are so special to us, we get so attached to them. This is truly a very special field of nursing.”