1) Kaiser Permanente in Northern California developed a new stroke education curriculum that incorporates Caring Science and the 10 Caritas Processes. 2) The goal was to not only teach medical content but also address patients' emotional and spiritual needs by inspiring hope and motivation during their recovery. 3) Feedback showed the new approach helped patients feel more encouraged and comfortable with their recovery process compared to the previous informational-only class.

1. Kaiser Permanente, Northern California
Caritas in Action
How Caring Science informs and inspires KP caregivers and affirms our commitment to provide our
patients and their families exceptional care
Honoring Health, Healing & Wholeness
Caritas Consortium 2014
Inspiring Hope:
Integrating the Caritas Processes into Stroke Patient & Family Education

2. Introductions
Page 2
Kaiser Foundation Rehabilitation Center
A Center of Excellence
for Individuals with Disabilities
empowering stroke recovery

3. Inspiring Hope
 Despair
 Patient engagement
 Turning towards ourselves
 Opening our hearts
Page 3
Hope – “A feeling of Trust”

4. Background: Stroke Education Class at KFRC
Page 4
911

5. Open to mystery and Allow miracles to enter.
Page 5
Hopein a
medical
culture

6. Caritas Practice: It’s How We Do Things
Page 6
Use creative scientific problem-solving
methods for caring decision making.

7. A Nurse “Owns It”
Motivation to teach
Page 7
Response to patient and family members’
concerns
Fear
Need for information
Overwhelm
Witnessing the effect of Hope

8.  Authentic presence
 Celebrating wholeness
 Loving-kindness
 By example
Modeling self-awareness
Recognizing our capacity to heal
Demonstrating self-compassion
Trusting ourselves
Page 8
Teaching Hope

9. Page 9
Mr. T’s Story

10.  “That it gives Hope and
understanding what has
happened.”
 “Importance of
encouragement, intention for
healing. Patients participation is
most important.”
 “Thank you so much for taking
good care of my sister and
thank you for having such a well
informed class on stroke.”
 Inspired”
 “Very comforting”
 “Groups of people who know
what you are going through.”
 “The personal stories shared
on the video were best.”
 Very encouraging with “I can
improve” perspective.
 “Very informative with
sincerity and compassion.
 “We got to have courage &
talk to our own self that we
can do it. Don’t give up.”
Page 10
Listen to the Voices of our Patients and Families

11. Michelle Camicia MSN, CRRN
Director, Rehabilitation Operations
Kaiser Foundation Rehabilitation Center
Michelle.camicia@kp.org
(707) 651-2414
Alison Shapiro, MBA
www.healingintopossibility.com
info@healingintopossibility.com
Tara Williams, RN, MSN
Staff Nurse III
Kaiser Foundation Rehabilitation Center
Tara.x.williams@kp.org
Page 11
In Gratitude

12. Inspiring Hope: Integrating the Caritas Processes
into Stroke Patient & Family Education
Intent to Contribute Statement:
Overview of a new stroke education curriculum that incorporates Caring Science and the 10 Caritas Processes.
Stroke education is required by The Joint Commission and The Commission on Accreditation for Rehabilitation
Facilities (CARF) for patients at Kaiser Foundation Rehabilitation Center. An opening for a new way of teaching
was created and a staff nurse, former patient/stroke survivor and director collaborated to develop a new
curriculum. The goal of the curriculum was to teach content but also to incorporate the 10 caritas processes.
The nursing staff identified that it was important to incorporate patient input and key lessons from the
rehabilitation team. Firstly, nursing staff identified that many patients and families were asking similar questions
about stroke. Secondly, the patients and families were struggling with similar challenges in finding the
motivation to work hard. Thirdly, the patients that had seen the hope inspiring video, What Now? Sharing Brain
Recovery Lessons by Alison Shapiro seemed to improve faster and demonstrated better adjustment to the
challenge of recovering from a stroke. Fourthly, it was identified that the prior stroke education class provided
patients good information on stroke but did not meet the emotional or spiritual needs of the patients.
Page 12

13. Page 13
… Continued
It was desired for the new program to inspire patients to be more positive and motivated about their recovery
and reduce resistance to recovery. For example, when asked to eat breakfast in the chair or encouraged to be
taken to the bathroom for bladder training they would refuse. The patients would then be at risk for stroke
complications such as pneumonia, incontinence or urinary tract infections. Patients would be stuck in thinking,
“Why me?”, “Why did I have this stroke and why can’t I move one side of my body”. Patients appear to struggle
with the loss of their previously held life dreams.
The new stroke class was developed to address the question in the room that everyone was wondering….
 What is my life going to be like?
 Can I do what I love again?
 Can life be full again and what are the possibilities?
 How much will I recover?
The stroke class emphasizes that the tool to success lies within the individual. The facilitator discusses the
frustration and fear that comes with the uncertainty, timeliness and degree of recovery.
Inspiring Hope: Integrating the Caritas Processes
into Stroke Patient & Family Education

14. Page 14
… Continued
The facilitator emphasizes that most recovery takes place over time and to focus on learning as much from the
Rehabilitation team as a phase in the ongoing journey of stroke rehabilitation recovery. The facilitator inquires
about what patients love in life, what brings them joy, and how to begin to find meaning and purpose again. By
addressing these issues, we are providing a caring environment. The class recognizes and offers ways to ease
pain and suffering from a stroke. It is authentic care that incorporates what is important to the individual patient
while nurturing their growth and recovery. Information is provided in a caring healing environment that allows
the presenter to connect to individuals and empower them to recover from a debilitating stroke.
Inspiring Hope: Integrating the Caritas Processes
into Stroke Patient & Family Education

15. Inspired Contributor(s) :
 Michelle Camicia
 Tara Williams
 Alison Bonds Shapiro
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Service Area: Napa/Solano
Medical Center: VAL
Affiliation: PCS
------
Year Shared: 2014
Venue: Caritas Consortium
Format: Podium, Poster
ID #: N/A
Keyword TAGs:
Identifier
 Consortium2014-June, Napa
Solano, Vallejo, Podium, Poster,
Patient Care Services, Adult
Services
 Education & Staff Dev, Hospital
Initiatives, Patients/Families
Descriptor
 Resilience, Total Health, Stroke
Page 15
Inspiring Hope: Integrating the Caritas Processes
into Stroke Patient & Family Education

16. Page 16
Inspiring Hope: Integrating the Caritas Processes
into Stroke Patient & Family Education
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