Coleman Connect is led by Heidi Martin-Coleman, RN, a Nurse Educator with more than 20 years of experience as a teacher, service coordinator, and advocate.
EDUCATE
Heidi
provides private tutoring services for adolescents and adults in the
local Deaf community, focusing on the development of English Literacy
skills for native signers. As an approved vendor for the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Heidi is qualified to tutor
Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission clients as part of their
vocational plan. Please contact your MRC Counselor for more
information. Heidi is also available to tutor on a scheduled or on
an as-needed basis.
ADVOCATE
Coleman Connect offers lectures and interactive workshops, for educators, health care providers, and families of people with disabilities
Transition to adulthood
Bridging the gap between health care costs and insurance coverage
Safety measures for children, adolescents, and young adults with Autism
Home and/or vehicle modification
Caring for the caregiver
Service dogs
Support for the families of children who are blind, deaf, or deafblind (social, emotional, financial, and academic)
FACILITATE
In addition, I speak to professionals during workshops and college classes on a routine basis. This is a list of topics geared towards health care professionals, support staff, and teachers/paraprofessionals working with children with significant health care needs:
Chronic Illness in the Acute Care Setting (with an extensive discussion and demonstration related to "accessories" such as home enteral/parenteral feeding, invasive and noninvasive respiratory support, home monitoring, ostomies, orthotics/prosthetics) **This lecture is primarily presented to nursing, respiratory therapy, and radiology tech students. However, I could modify the presentation to reflect issues encountered in a school setting.
Mitochondrial Disease and other rare disorders: the impact of the illness on the family and child's quality of life, and resources to support the child and family (I recently completed writing a continuing education course for EI clinicians and other professionals caring for very young children with these disorders. If there is an interest, I could work with the school system to develop lecture objectives appropriate for their needs.)
Disability Etiquette
Professional Boundaries:
Establishing and Maintaining boundaries with patients in different settings and stages of illness,
Professional use of social networking tools
HIPAA considerations for nurses working in traditional and non-traditional settings
Providing Care for Children with Chronic, Life-Threatening, or Terminal Illnesses (to include Early Intervention, Community Case Management/DPH, home block nursing, 1:1 school nursing, hospice/palliative care, and other non-acute roles)
Effective Communication: role-playing and other activities exploring the following situations:
"Parents with Developmental Disabilities
Motor-based expressive aphasia (with age-appropriate cognitive skills)
Sensory impairments
Communication facilitated by translators/interpreters
Illiteracy and its impact on patient education and care
Communication disorders S/P CVA
"Elder Speak
Hospice and Palliative Care throughout the life span
Transition between levels of care (will include family resources and support systems)
Providing Care for Children with Chronic, Life-Threatening, or Terminal Illnesses (to include Early Intervention, Community Case Management/DPH, home block nursing, 1:1 school nursing, and other non-acute roles)
CELEBRATE
Heidi’s passion for her work as an advocate, is due in part to her own experiences with chronic illness and disability. Her unique skills set along with her breadth and depth of knowledge
COLEMAN CONNECT
Educate, Advocate, Facilitate, Celebrate!