Case Study: Trevecca Center for Rehabilitation & Healing (December 2020)

Patient’s Age: 61-years-old
Date of Admission: 11/16/20
Admitted From: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Discharge Date: 12/08/20
Discharged To: Home
Length of Stay: 23 days
Reason for stay: Rehabilitation and Wound Care following 3rd Degree Burns


Details of experience:
Ms. S. Crowe arrived at Trevecca Center for Rehabilitation & Healing on November 16, 2020, following her extensive inpatient stay at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Ms. Crowe had been admitted to the hospital following a house fire, where she suffered 3rd-degree burns over 20% of her body. While hospitalized, Ms. Crowe underwent three skin graft surgeries, where healthy skin and tissue were removed from an unaffected area of the body and used to cover the lost or severely damaged skin. Between the burns and skin graft surgeries, Ms. Crowe had wounds over 40% of her total body surface, which needed to be carefully treated. Due to the high degree of pain from multiple surgical procedures, wounds that required sophisticated treatment, loss of functional mobility, and a reduced ability to safely transfer or execute activities for daily living, Trevecca Rehabilitation was determined to be the best facility to assist her in regaining her strength and independence.

Upon arrival at Trevecca Center, Ms. Crowe was greeted by a dedicated medical team. Within 24 hours, her Physical Therapist, Jessica, Occupational Therapist, Sara, and Wound Care Nurse, Jackie LPN, WCC, began her therapy program at the bedside to evaluate her current state of health and mobility. She arrived in excruciating pain from the skin graft sites, burn sites, and deep wounds from the donor sites, where the skin had been removed, as well as the inability to transfer from her bed and walk.

Ms. Crowe’s first week of therapy focused on balance skills using a walker, with full contact assistance from the therapist. Her wound care nurse implemented very isolated care on each wound, to avoid any further infection. The second week involved Ms. Crowe moving from a sitting position to a standing position, and ambulating 75 feet without experiencing a loss of balance, under minimal supervision from her therapy team. The third week of therapy focused on fall recovery skills, in the event she was to fall after returning home. Additionally, she experienced Trevecca’s first-class therapy gym, where she practiced higher level balancing activities of daily living, utilizing steps to simulate her home environment, changing bed linens, and placing items in floor level compartments.

Each day brought greater mobility, as she was able to rise from a sitting position unassisted and transfer using a walker, as much as 250 feet without shortness of breath or losing her balance! The wound care team resolved her initial infection and was able to keep her from acquiring any additional infection throughout the healing process.

On December 8, 2020, Ms. Crowe was able to discharge from Trevecca and return home. She shared that the team at Trevecca “was absolutely amazing and truly gifted professionals”. Ms. Crowe was very complimentary of the role of the Concierge, a unique position within Trevecca, acting as a patient liaison with staff and family. She stated that the Concierge had made a big difference in the communication of her needs during a very difficult time in her life.

The team wishes Ms. Crowe the best of health and well-being on her continuing life journey.