The Graduate School has chosen Grace Reyes as its November student GradBird Fellow RECIPIENT. GradBird Scholar is an initiative to recognize graduating students for their academic efforts at Illinois State University.
Currently in her 30th year as a nurse, Reyes graduated from St. Paul University Iloilo in the Philippines as a proud member of the Fidelis Christ Mariae Class of 1993. She began her nursing career as a tribute to her parents and embarked on a journey to complete her doctorate in nursing practice to honor them even today.
Reyes’ current role in nursing informatics stems from her passion for merging technology and efficient workflows to improve the quality of care nurses provide to their patients. When she is not busy with school and work, she enjoys traveling domestically and internationally with her husband, Ranie. They always explore nature, historical sites and local cuisines. Additionally, they are fur parents to a sweet and affectionate Great Pyrenees named Mico.
What is your favorite part of your program?
I enjoy exchanging ideas with my classmates and teachers. The different perspectives I get through these engaging discussions in different courses help me grow professionally and personally. I apply the lessons I learn in my daily role as a clinical informatics consultant.
Do you work with a specific faculty/staff member to help you with your research? What was your experience working with them?
Although I am only in the preliminary stages of my proposed project, Dr. Carla Pohl has helped me refine my PICOT practice and questions. She gave me thought-provoking feedback by identifying the focus of my study, choosing relevant literature, and bringing together my diverse ideas into a coherent and focused study proposal. Dr. Pohl is always ready to give me insightful ideas and constructive criticism. I appreciate that she is very flexible and accommodating in answering my seemingly trivial questions; some may even be unrelated to my proposed project.
Can you explain your research and its importance to your field?
Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency that affects millions of people worldwide each year. This occurs when the body’s defenses are unable to fight off the advancing infection, leading to multiple organ dysfunction and other adverse effects, including death. Studies show that one in three deaths in hospitals today is caused by sepsis. Those with severe cases were more likely to be readmitted. The project I am proposing aims to reduce the number of people readmitted due to sepsis.
Sepsis does not only occur in patients admitted to hospital. There are many cases of undiagnosed sepsis in the community. The majority are racial/ethnic minorities, of lower socioeconomic status, and often lack access to health care. The same group also tends to present late to clinicians, with more severe symptoms and a higher risk of readmission or death.
For this reason, I began to identify stakeholders within my healthcare organization and community partners to streamline discharge planning and the transition home process to help reduce the number of readmissions. for sepsis. We all agree that healthier communities mean better patient outcomes and fewer cumulative costs for patients, health care organizations and society.
Why do you like researching this topic and what more do you hope to learn about it?
Sepsis does not discriminate. I have seen it cause intensive care unit admissions among my nursing home residents and neonatal deaths in the NICU. While these facts may seem morbid to some, they make me want to know more about how to best manage it and prevent long-term adverse effects or death.
Since I have a background in inpatient nursing, I hope to learn more about community programs available to improve care and minimize sepsis-related admissions. Knowing my stakeholders and the respective work they do with the patients we care for, I have a renewed appreciation that health care is indeed a “team sport.”
I also hope to leverage technology to care for these vulnerable populations within the community. However, as cliché as it may sound, it will take a village to make it happen. For example, how can I encourage patients who lack transportation to see their primary care provider via telehealth if they do not have a cell phone or mobile device, internet access, or money to pay for these services?
How do you hope further research into this topic will benefit more of society?
Although my proposed project is focused on sepsis, the primary goal is to streamline the transition of care from hospital discharge to self-care or assisted care at home. I believe that successful implementation of this cohesive transition process will not only reduce readmissions among patients with sepsis, but will also apply to patients diagnosed with other illnesses. If patients are aware of available community resources, regardless of their status in life, they will not hesitate to seek help quickly. Preventative care is best, followed by early diagnosis and treatment.
Is there anything else you would like to highlight about your research or promote something specific you are involved in?
I am very grateful to all my stakeholders for expressing their willingness and enthusiasm to collaborate with me, not only to meet my academic requirements but, more importantly, to make a difference in the lives of our patients. Completing this research project confirmed that my parents dreamed of the right career path to pursue. I hope I continue to make them proud.
