A Flin Flon-based nurse practitioner (NP) has been assigned to work with home care clients, a move health officials hope will ensure timely care while relieving pressure elsewhere in the system.
Amy Sapergia Green is the community’s first NP for long-term care, personal care homes and home-care-based services.
An established NP in the community, she will also continue her work with the local cancer care program.
“I’m excited to deliver innovative primary care to the home care population in addition to my current responsibilities with the community cancer program and long-term care,” said Sapergia Green. “My hope is that this role will improve both accessibility and continuity of care to care among these populations.”
Sapergia Green’s duties follow the scope of practice of an NP, a highly educated nurse with virtually the same authority as a general-practice physician.
She sees patients who receive home care services, going to their homes if they are housebound or welcoming them to her office at the Northern Health Region (NHR) building at 50 Church Street.
Sapergia Green also works with seniors in the two personal care homes, and area residents who are undergoing cancer treatment.
“The goal of this position is to provide the right care in the right place at the right time and provide timely access to health services,” said Twyla Storey, communications coordinator for the NHR.
Storey said the new position will help alleviate pressure on the local clinic and other primary care centres and programs, including public health, long-term care and home care.
“To our knowledge, this service is the first of this kind in northern Manitoba,” she said.
The new position was created following an 18-month trial run that Storey said generated high client satisfaction and a reduction in client medication use at the Personal Care Home.
Until recently, Sapergia Green maintained a family practice at the hospital-based clinic. Her departure leaves two NP positions at the clinic.
One of the clinic NPs is full-time, while the other will work there part-time in addition to teaching an LPN course for UCN.
Storey said the NHR is recruiting to try and fill the remaining half-time NP position.
