Monday, August 2, 2010

Nothing Plain About Planetree Hospitals

The Planetree model of care, founded by Angelica Thierot in 1978, named her model after the tree that Hippocrates (founder of modern medicine) taught his students under in Ancient Greece. Angelica, who herself has a name that is connected to a healing image, is probably an angel to numerous patients since initiating her all-encompassing model, which is both patient-centered and holistic by promoting the mental, emotional, spiritual, social and physical healing of the patient. Not only does the patient benefit, but the family as well is empowered with information. Anyone becoming a LVN/LPN or seeking a LVN/LPN job will be glad to know that this health-care model also encourages healing partnerships with caregivers, and provides a working/healing environment that includes art and nature.

The Planetree model of care can found in both small-rural to large-urban hospitals, long-term facilities, out-patient clinics, and community health centers. In self-care guru Tom Ferguson, MD’s article “Planetree: The Homey Hospital” posted in www.healthy.net, he takes us into a Planetree-embraced hospital as the patient. Ferguson describes the environment decorated with hand-painted borders on his door, soft classical music, full-spectrum lighting, and subdued-colored walls.

He also describes how the patient’s home is brought into their hospital experience by wearing PJs from home or having family cook a meal in a private kitchen, visit in a private room to view your favorite movie, and if desired family can stay around the clock. If that is not enough, Ferguson states, “… interested family members are trained to give routine and advanced nursing care—changing dressings, caring for permanent intravenous lines, flushing out IVs and suctioning family members who are on respirators.”

This both supports their loved one as an in-patient, and the newly learned skills can be continued at home. Nursing students at a LVN/LPN school know firsthand the importance of practicing skills during their skills lab practice prior to performing them in the hospital. The complex Planetree model continues to branch out from its origin in the United States to both Canada and Europe. More information about the Planetree model can be found at www.planetree.org

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