Bethany Nock's Recent Posts

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3 Things the Best Child Life Specialists Do Every Day

By: Bethany Nock | On: November 23, 2016

While the position of certified child life specialist is relatively new in the healthcare field, more and more hospitals are recognizing the positive impact child life specialists can have on patient satisfaction.

Every child life specialist performs certain duties—for example, providing emotional support to pediatric patients during their hospital stay and advocating on behalf of the patient in discussions with the healthcare team. But there are those child life specialists who go above and beyond to ensure their patients have the best possible hospital experience.

Here are three things the best child life specialists do every day to help pediatric patients feel more comfortable while they’re in the hospital.

5 Ways to Make Your Hospital Stay Better

By: Bethany Nock | On: November 22, 2016

Hospital stays aren’t something many people look forward to—you don’t get to sleep in your own bed, you have strangers coming into your room at all hours of the night and you have to spend all of your time in a hospital gown.

The one benefit of a hospital stay is that once it’s over, you usually feel a lot better than when you went in.

Many times an extended visit in the hospital is unexpected, but for patients who have the opportunity to prepare, here are five ways to make your hospital stay better.

Implementing Patient-Centered Care in Orthopedics

By: Bethany Nock | On: November 10, 2016

Regardless of your industry or position, it can be easy to miss the forest for the trees. In medicine, that usually means viewing the procedure or the medication or the therapy as the totality of medical care. But patients perceive their experience holistically—from the first appointment to the final post-op evaluation.

Orthopedic surgeons who focus on the patient rather than their condition can provide more comprehensive, patient-centered care. They are adept at building personal, empathetic relationships with their patients, resulting in better communication and, in turn, increased patient satisfaction.

Read on to discover how to implement patient-centered care in orthopedics.

Patient Communication: A Guide for Orthopedic Surgeons

By: Bethany Nock | On: November 8, 2016

After four years in undergrad, orthopedic surgeons dedicate almost another decade of their lives to medical school and residency. When they’ve completed their residency, they’ve amassed a wealth of clinical knowledge to help them provide the highest quality care to their patients. However, in some instances there may not have been enough emphasis placed on an important aspect of care: patient communication.

Orthopedic surgeons are certainly skilled in the technical aspects of care, but some struggle seeing the patient experience as a whole, instead concentrating on the treatment. In this article, we’ll discuss some helpful tips orthopedic surgeons can use to improve their patient communication skills.

9 Reasons Providers Should Take Part in Clinical Research

By: Bethany Nock | On: October 27, 2016

Here’s an interesting fact: In 2015 alone, the FDA approved nearly 70 new medications and over 40 new medical devices. Just five years ago, the number of medication and device approvals was 56, about half the 2015 total.

Because the sum of FDA approvals (and, in turn, the amount of clinical research trials) has surged in the last several years, there has been a dramatic increase in the need for qualified physicians to be a part of these trials.

While participating in clinical trials represents a significant time commitment, the benefits to medical institutions, patients and the physicians themselves are numerous. Here are nine reasons providers should consider participating in clinical research.