Terri Embry-Street RN BS Biography
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Terri Embry-Street is a registered nurse with experience in oncology, critical care, home health, and long-term care infusion. She has worked to prevent the spread of infections, especially multi-drug resistant organisms. As the Director of Specialty Programs at Home Solutions Infusion Services, she developed an e-learning program called Infusion Care University to improve patient care and outcomes. She also works as a nurse investigator and consultant on special projects related to infection prevention and sustainability.
Terri Embry-Street RN BS Biography
- 1. Biography for Terri Embry-Street RN BS Throughout my practice in Oncology, Critical Care, Home and Long-Term Care Infusion, I have had the opportunity to work with many patients who were inherently more vulnerable and at-risk for complications than most. Many of these patients have required intravenous anti-infective therapy to treat life-threatening infections, including multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO's). Five years ago, I began a journey to find infection-prevention options intended to help me to learn how I could avoid the introduction of deadly germs into my own home. As a result of this personal journey, I began to develop a much more thorough understanding of the infectious organisms that we encounter during our respective, daily routines; their protective environments, or “biofilms”; and the impact that cleaning and disinfecting products have on our health as a result of our attempts to combat or eradicate these germs. In early 2013, I volunteered as an EMT with a municipal fire department, in Maryland. During this time, I gained valuable insight into, and an appreciation for, the risk-management and transmission prevention challenges faced by the men and women who work in these types of service-rendering and care-giving environments. As I considered the settings, situations and other variables that are encountered, I observed the practices and processes that were in place that were intended to reduce the dangers to all who might find themselves in a situation that would expose them to these same variables, with regard to infection control. As the Director of Specialty Programs for “Home Solutions Infusion Services, Inc.”, I have the opportunity to trend issues which impact patient care, influence operational challenges and address customer needs. I am able to incorporate my Business and Marketing degree with my registered nurse experience to maximize value. As I develop Clinical Programs I incorporate much more than information about infusion care; they also include practice considerations based on my experience in working with the Association of Practitioners of Infection Control & Epidemiology (APIC) and the Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment (ANHE). Home Solutions encourages my creative side and has embraced an educational program I developed and provided a forum to launch Infusion Care University. Infusion Care University is an “e-learning” program that incorporates evidence-based practice from the Infusion Nurses Society (INS) and Infection Prevention initiatives from APIC. The goals of this education program is to improve patient care, reduce the need for emergency room visits due to infusion related complications, reduce interruptions in therapy, while improving the patients experience as they receive more competent care at home. Infusion Care University offers health care professionals continuing education (CE) courses, clinical considerations for infusion supplies and proper technique videos. The Patient Education Video Library component offers a way to provide education on the infusion therapy our patients are ordered and reinforce training that builds confidence in our patients, and their caregivers ability to participate at home. I continue to dedicate as much personal time as is feasible, in the role of “Nurse Investigator & Consultant” to special projects, as I truly enjoy offering my experience and background. My mission was initially to find safer, more effective solutions related to multi-drug resistant organism (MDRO) eradication and to participate in studies which evaluate the use of chemicals to control MDRO's and how these chemicals impact the health of the general public. My mission and research objectives have evolved to include evaluating Infection Prevention and Sustainability recommendations related to all environments with which a patient comes into contact; medication interactions that cause life-changing side effects as well as adverse impacts on healthcare costs; and, to evaluate perceptions of risks within these areas. My passion to solve issues that detract from a patient's quality of life makes my involvement in forums where creative thinking is encouraged, such as the National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC), the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP) and the National Academies of Science Network of Emerging
- 2. Biography for Terri Embry-Street RN BS Leaders in Sustainability (NELS) extremely rewarding and personally gratifying, on a very high level. As a peer-to-peer educator and coordinator of group educational events in my industry, an infection prevention consultant, a sustainability advocate, a business consultant, an inventor and author I diligently work to share objective, useful, relevant and carefully researched knowledge to care providers, patients and their respective support systems whenever possible. Similarly, as a newly elected APIC Chapter Board Member, I hope that by adding my diverse experience to that of other APIC members in a collaborative effort to make positive and substantial industry-reaching changes wherever, and whenever, possible, the deeply satisfying feeling of being a positive influence within this industry continues.