Social Determinants of Health: How seeing the bigger picture can improve patient outcomes
On May 24, 2022
The importance of social determinants of health My first job as a nurse was in the progressive care unit, often caring for patients with chronic conditions like COPD, CHF, and diabetes. There was much to learn as a new nurse, but it didn’t take me long to recognize repeat patients. They had just been discharged a few weeks or days before in stable condition with a plan for follow-up appointments, new medicines, and dietary changes. On their second admission, it would surface that they didn’t go...