Texoma Living Well Magazine Spring 2015 | Page 21

Nurse Practitioners: Your Partner in Health Courtesy Grayson Home Health N urse practitioners are quickly becoming the health partner of choice for millions of Americans. Because these caring professionals blend clinical expertise in diagnosing and treating health conditions with an added emphasis on disease prevention and health management, they offer a unique blend of nursing and medical care––skills that help guide patients to smarter health and lifestyle choices. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who work closely with patients, conducting basic examination s, diagnosing illnesses, prescribing needed medications, and educating patients. In our changing healthcare environment, the option is a welcome alternative for cost-effective, accessible care. For Grayson Home Health, having a nurse practitioner is a valued benefit, enhancing the comprehensive range of services available to patients in their homes. “For many of our patients and their families, it’s more than a convenience that eliminates extra trips to the physician’s office or the ER,” says Kelly Sexton, LVN, owner of Grayson Home Health. “Early intervention by our nurse practitioner may help resolve problems before they become major health issues. It’s a tremendous advantage to be able to deliver this level of expertise right to the patient’s door.” The added layer of expertise offers peace of mind for family members as well, many of whom live far away or work demanding schedules so that they can’t be present as often as they would like to be. It’s enormously reassuring to know that Grayson Home Health has a practitioner who can help manage so many aspects of patient care. Additionally, sons or daughters can stay connected with advanced technology, which allows them to log in at home or work and monitor a parent’s progress. “This agency was built on the philosophy passed down from my mother, who was also a nurse,” Sexton says. “We go the extra mile. We treat every patient as though he or she were family. We work with great skill and great care. And there’s no such thing as an e ѡ