In 2017, Wesbury’s Grace Rehabilitation and Health Center was named one of St. Vincent’s Cardiac Centers of Excellence within the Allegheny Healthcare Network (AHN). At that time, the Wesbury Nursing staff on Grace’s short-term rehabilitation neighborhood was trained for the program’s implementation during the summer of 2018.

Almost two years later, the program has been very successful, and those AHN cardiac patients are receiving excellent care. The training also extends to those residents who are not within the network.

Upon admission, there are phone meetings with the CRNP (Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner), where medications and other assessments are discussed. This ensures that all proper medications and dosages are appropriate.  Things that occurred while the patient was in the hospital are also considered among the team.

Once rehab begins at Grace, telephone meetings occur three times per week, and the other two days, email communication is used. This direct line of communication is so helpful to the staff and cardiac rehab residents. Wesbury Medical Director, Dr. John H. Bailey III, is also working along with this program and has been involved with monitoring the condition of the patient, medications, and labs.  There is a direct line of communication with him that also allows quick response to situations.

AHN has recently added more to the program so the nursing staff can now monitor post-coronary artery bypass patients as well as those with congestive heart failure, and/or have had a heart attack. Quite a few of these patients have also had valve replacements and/or stent placement.

Thorough assessments on cardiac rehabilitation residents are done every morning, which includes listening to heart sounds and rhythm, lung sounds, swelling, etc.  Nursing staff monitor the resident’s weight daily and make comparisons.  This monitoring allows early detection and intervention if the patient’s condition changes.

To find out more about Wesbury’s cardiac rehabilitation programs and services, contact Admissions at 814-332-9233 or email admissions@wesbury.com.