Graduation is a time to celebrate a grand accomplishment and reflect on the long journey that led you there. At Princeton Medical Center (PMC), patients graduating from the Jim Craigie Center for Joint Replacement are celebrating a new hip. Or a new knee. Or, in the case of Helen Werremeyer, both of her knees.
Werremeyer was among a handful of patients at a recent graduation hosted by Elizabeth Shokoff, RN, the Center’s orthopaedic nurse navigator. Held the day after surgery for most patients, the ceremony begins with a celebratory toast of sparkling water and a light brunch of muffins and cookies before Shokoff provides a detailed explanation of everything patients should expect in their post-surgical recovery and rehabilitation. In short, the graduations function as discharge education classes for the joint replacement patients.
The graduations are intended to be fun and interactive, Shokoff said. Patients may bring a coach — a friend or family member who will help with their post-discharge care — and they also get an opportunity to meet fellow patients, share common experiences, and prepare to transition from hospital to home. The information covered in the presentation is also provided to patients in book form, along with Shokoff’s contact information for any follow-up questions or concerns.
The graduation ceremony ends with patients receiving diplomas and t-shirts bearing the joint center’s “I Reclaimed My Life” tagline. “The graduations are a fun twist on patient education,” Shokoff said. “They also give us a way to thank patients for choosing Princeton Health.”