CHILDRENS NURSING SPECIALTIES INC dba NURSINGALE
Mission Statement
Supporting families since 2005, Nursingale’s mission is to help medically fragile children and young adults attain the highest quality of life possible by providing in-home, family-centered nursing care with an emphasis on keeping families together.
About This Cause
Under the direction of the clients Primary Care Physician, Nursingale staff provides nursing support to parents/guardians caring for medically fragile children at home in Marion, Yamhill, Columbia, Washington, Clackamas, and Multnomah counties. Known originally as Children’s Nursing Specialties, our name was changed to Nursingale eight years ago to remove the perception that we only care for children. Many of our clients are living well beyond their expected life span because of exceptional nursing care and the love of their families. As a result, nearly 50 % of our clients are now over 18 years of age. The parents of our clients, who range in age from four to 37 years of age, prefer that their child be cared for at home instead of in a long-term care facility or medical foster home. Most of our clients were born prematurely with rare genetic disorders and critical medical conditions such as cerebral palsy, brain injury, degenerative neuromuscular disorders, respiratory insufficiency, chronic lung disease, recurrent pneumonia, and autoimmune diseases. They require technology and ongoing life support including ventilators, oxygen concentrators, airway clearance systems, wheelchairs, feeding tubes and pumps to sustain life. Medicare and Oregon’s Children’s Intensive In-Home Services program support a Nursingale staffed mini-intensive care unit in clients homes. Our in-home nursing services help to maximize the child and young adult’s independence, dignity, sense of empowerment and their potential for a meaningful life within their family. We provide respite for family members, enjoyment at school and ensure life-saving nursing services. Having professional in-home nursing care results in less frequent and severe respiratory and tracheal infections and our quality data shows less unplanned hospital admissions and emergency room visits. The home care nurse can control the home environment at a cleaner level than a hospital setting. Families adjust and find ways to thrive when professional nurses are in the home helping to order supplies, exchange malfunctioning medical equipment, schedule medical and therapy appointments, and provide hands on care to the client during transport to physician appointments. We welcome support from Benevity contributors to help support operating costs not funded by our limited Medicare reimbursement rates. Nursingale staff, our volunteer Board of Directors and the exhausted families under our care, thank you for considering the support of Nursingale through contributions of your time, talents or financial contributions. Contact us for more information about volunteering for our Board of Directors.