NURSING UPDATE
Transcription
NURSING UPDATE
NURSING UPDATE THE WORK OF T HE NURSE AT YAL E-NEW HAVEN HOSPITAL 2007 – 2008 81539.indd 1 5/29/08 9:33:51 PM conTEnTs 1 leadership …2 2 Evidence-based practice …6 3 innovation …8 4 community outreach …10 5 research …12 6 growth and development …14 7 recognition …16 Editorial Board: Sue Fitzsimons, R.N., Cathy Stevens, R.N. Editor: Leah Colihan Photography: Leah Colihan, Terry Dagradi, Jerry Domian, Ray Paige Writers: Leah Colihan, Katie Fischer, Kathy Katella Contributor: Bev DeCato Design: Jeanne Criscola | Criscola Design Yale-New Haven Hospital is an EEO/AAP employer © Spring 2008 www.ynhh.org Yale-New Haven Hospital 20 York Street New Haven, CT 06510-3202 Recruitment and Staffing: (203) 688-5083 81539.indd 2 5/29/08 9:33:52 PM M AY 2 0 0 8 Dear Colleagues and Friends of Nursing: Yale-New Haven Hospital has a long tradition of nursing excellence and innovation. Our nursing model – founded on the principles espoused by Florence Nightingale and Virginia Henderson – provides the basis of this blend of caring and commitment to patient safety. Each day there is evidence that you – our nurses – find ways to make these concepts real. You do this through a commitment to research, a dedicated search for best practices and an appreciation for how innovation can help you deliver better, safer care to the almost 52,000 inpatients you cared for last year. You also delivered care to a record 536,500 outpatients. In this first Nursing Update, you will read about initiatives to improve how we care for our patients – from hourly rounding through the use of evidence to guide practice to the important work of the rapid response teams. Your work with patients and families is purposeful and aimed to achieve safe, efficient, effective and equitable care. It is my privilege to share just a few stories of your remarkable accomplishments with you and others interested in the work of the nurse at Yale-New Haven Hospital. I hope we convey our excitement as we continue to institute the changes that promote and elevate nursing practice in our fine institution. Sincerely, Sue Fitzsimons, R.N., Ph.D. Senior Vice President Patient Services 81539.indd 1 5/29/08 9:33:55 PM 1 Leadership Leadership is key to the success of any organization. In an academic medical center like Yale-New Haven Hospital, strong, confident nurse leaders impact the excellence of staff and the quality and safety of patient care. Nurses at all stages of their professional careers increasingly find opportunities to shape the future of nursing. The hospital’s embrace of collaborative governance will continue to ensure its reputation as a national employer of choice and a provider of choice for patients who choose YNHH for their care. 2 81539.indd 2 N URSIN G U P D AT E 5/29/08 9:33:59 PM Nurses create collaborative governance After a tradition of top-down nursing management, YNHH nursing leaders are implementing a collaborative governance structure in partnership with the nursing staff. Over the past year, a new model that will involve YNHH’s more than 2,000 clinical nurses has been initiated. This new professional model places accountability and authority for practice decisions at the level of the clinical nurse. It creates a framework that engages clinical nurses in decision-making and brings leaders organizationally closer to the nurses they manage. ABOVE Members of the Nursing Cabinet meet regularly and work closely with the Staff Nurse Council. Shown in the first row (l-r) are: Diane Vorio, R.N., vice president, Patient Services; Sue King, R.N., patient service manager, Critical Intervention Unit; Bertie Chuong, R.N., director of nursing, Temple Recovery Care Center; Sue Fitzsimons, R.N., Ph.D., senior vice president, Patient Services; Maribeth Hayes, R.N., coordinator, Nursing Performance Management; and Leslie O’Connor, A.P.R.N., administrative director, Psychiatry Services. In the second row (l-r) are: Francine LoRusso, R.N., director of nursing, Medicine; Stephanie Bilskis, R.N., practice administrator, Community Health; Catherine Stevens, R.N., director of nursing, Women’s and Infants Services; Cheryl Hoey, R.N., director of nursing, Pediatrics; Ena Williams, R.N., director of nursing, Perioperative Services; and Tahiry Sanchez, R.N., director of nursing, Oncology. Missing from photo are: Mariane Carna, R.N., executive director, Heart and Vascular Center; Carol Just, R.N., director of nursing, Surgery; and Patricia Span, R.N., director, Professional Practice, Research and Education. Nursing Cabinet and Staff Nurse Council Evolving from “Striving for Excellence,” the first step in this model was the establishment of the Nursing Cabinet, whose membership includes all nursing directors within the YNHH network. The second phase was building the 14-member Staff Nurse Council. In the first year, the members were selected by managers based on criteria of leadership. In 2008, nurses will nominate themselves to serve on this important body and the Staff Nurse Council will review nominations and choose their successors. The Staff Nurse Council is key to collaborative governance because it assures the nurse at the bedside a place at the decision-making table. In the past at Yale-New Haven, decisions were made by managers, policies and procedures were written by mid-level nurses, and staff nurses implemented decisions and processes that did not necessarily reflect their best thinking. Now, with a robust and vibrant Staff Nurse Council fully responsible for representing all nurses, ideas, questions, solutions and problems have a place to go – and that’s up. The goal is increased and productive communication that will further strengthen the delivery of safe, high quality care to Yale-New Haven patients. YA L E - NE W 81539.indd 3 HAV E N HOS PITA L 3 5/29/08 9:34:04 PM Cluster committees and standing committees In anticipation of the questions and issues they will work through, the Nursing Cabinet and the Staff Nurse Council have developed cluster committees in 11 areas, which will serve a valuable and efficient information-sharing function for groups of units. To date, the clusters represent pediatrics, medicine, surgery, heart, ambulatory, psychiatry, ambulatory services, women’s, adult ED, perioperative services and oncology. In addition to the Nursing Cabinet, Staff Nurse Council and cluster committees, standing committees deal with work directed from the Staff Nurse Council. The four standing committees are: clinical quality, research, education, and nurse award and recognition. Succession planning Collaborative governance places responsibility on the staff nurse whose first job is caring for patients. Active participation in governing provides significant opportunity for nurses to learn about the working of a complex medical institution, gain exposure to nurses outside their area of practice, and improve or strengthen important communications skills. Over time, collaborative governance will give YNHH staff nurses the involvement they need to become tomorrow’s nurse leaders. ABOVE The Staff Nurse Council draws nurses from many practices who provide an important voice for the more than 2,000 nurses who work at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Seated in the front row (l-r) are: Mary Weir, R.N., Perioperative Services; cochairs Rick O’Connor, R.N., Surgical Intensive Care Unit, and Nora O’Keefe, R.N., Diagnostic Radiology; and Jane Buglione, R.N., Pediatric Emergency Department. Standing (l-r) are: Sybil Shapiro, R.N., Temple Recovery; Kelly Baran, R.N., Gyn/ Oncology; Erin Radocchia, R.N., Maternal Special Care; Melanie D’Amato, R.N., School-age/Adolescent; Mary Kelly O’Shea, R.N., Infants/Toddlers; and Kelly Poskus, R.N., Neuroscience. Missing from photo are: Shelley Harrigan, R.N., Primary Care Center; Heather Miska, R.N., Children’s Psychiatric Inpatient Service; and Jeramy Tabuzo, R.N., Hospital Research Unit. “ Collaborative governance is a history-altering departure for staff nurses at Yale-New Haven. The nurse at the bedside sees what works and what doesn’t, and we now have a system that examines practice so patient care is evidence-based.” — Nora O’Keefe, R.N., Diagnostic Radiology and Staff Nurse Council Co-chair 4 81539.indd 4 N URSIN G U P D AT E 5/29/08 9:34:11 PM YA L E - NE W 81539.indd 5 HAV E N HOS PITA L 5 5/29/08 9:34:17 PM 2 Evidence-based practice As nursing evolves with advances in knowledge and care protocols, nurses seek out ways to provide the most informed, thoughtful care for their patients. At YNHH, evidence-based practice is an increasingly important guide for clinical decision making. As nurses address each patient’s unique situation, they want to deliver the best practices based on the latest, most conclusive research. In 2007, nurses at YNHH implemented new evidence-based practices in several areas as they worked to meet the specific needs of diverse patients and families. Their efforts have contributed to a carefully focused, assured level of nursing care. Three examples are nurse rounding, rapid response teams and new safety standards. 6 81539.indd 6 N URSIN G U P D AT E 5/29/08 9:34:20 PM Rapid response teams keep patients out of ICUs Hourly rounding boosts satisfaction all around Last summer, YNHH began hourly rounding by nurses and patient care associates on pediatric and medical units. Marcelle Applewhaite, R.N., patient service manager for the Infants/Toddlers Unit, and Francine LoRusso, R.N., director of nursing, Medicine, spearheaded the effort after a presentation last summer by a nationally known healthcare consulting company. The Studer Group had studied hourly rounding in 14 hospitals across the country, and found the protocol reduced monthly call button use by 38 percent, patient falls by 50 percent and skin breakdowns by 14 percent. At the same time, satisfaction scores soared. Studer Group staff instructed YNHH nurses in eight key behaviors, including making an initial introduction to a patient with a description of role and experience, and documenting each visit so patients who are sleeping will know the caregiver has been in the room. Each hour, nurses also ask their patients about the four P’s: pain, positioning, placement and personal needs. Patient satisfaction scores rose at YNHH last year, and LoRusso and Applewhaite believe the new hourly rounding initiative contributed. In fact, early results of hourly rounding are so promising that the practice is being implemented hospital-wide this year. When a nurse at YNHH notes a trigger sign in a patient such as a drop in blood pressure or simply has a hunch that a patient is deteriorating, she or he may call in a rapid response team—essentially an “ICU at the bedside.” The team will arrive in less than ten minutes to stabilize the patient. Rapid response teams were among six evidence-based safety interventions included in the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI)’s campaign to prevent 100,000 in-hospital deaths. In 2004, IHI recognized Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital as one of the first pediatric hospitals in the country to implement a rapid response team made up of critical care nurses and physicians. Use of the teams at YNHCH resulted in a dramatic decrease in cardio-respiratory arrests outside of the pediatric ICU. Adult units at YNHH began using rapid response teams, which consist of critical care nurses, physicians and respiratory therapists, to provide urgent and emergent care in 2006. For both adults and children, the teams have been so successful in identifying early warning signs, avoiding the ICU and saving lives that the hospital is now planning pilot programs that will allow families who sense a loved one is deteriorating to activate the teams directly. Nurses dedicated to safety set new standards YNHH actively protects its patients from prevent- able danger through the work of two Yale-New Haven Health System patient safety registered nurses—one for obstetrics, one for Perioperative Services. Working under the umbrella of Performance Management, the safety nurses’ primary role is to educate peers about safety, explains Jean Zimkus, patient safety nurse for Perioperative Services. They review literature on safety topics, talk to physicians and staff about unique challenges at YNHH, and spearhead improvements. They collaborate with other healthcare professionals to promote communication such as briefings and “hand-off communication,” essentially memos for new caregivers with pertinent information about patients who have been transferred from other units. They installed white boards in surgery suites for practitioners to make checklists about such concerns as allergies and fetal heart rates before an operation begins. A safety attitude questionnaire conducted among OB staff in 2004 and 2006, and in Perioperative Services in 2006 and 2007, showed a statistically significant improvement in attitude toward safety and teamwork since their safety nurse was hired. Patient safety nurses expect to see continued improvement when they analyze the results of a 2007 survey in both their departments. “ Our soon to be hospital-wide hourly rounding initiative is a perfect example of something we often find when we seek out the evidence and take a hard look at how it fits with our needs at YNHH. Often a simple solution can bring greater rewards for less effort, and keep the focus where it matters most – on providing top-notch care for the patient.” — Francine LoRusso, R.N., Director of Nursing, Medicine YA L E -NE W 81539.indd 7 HAVE N HOS P ITA L 7 5/29/08 9:34:22 PM 3 Innovation Yale-New Haven Hospital continuously develops new ways to improve patient care, and nurses are a major factor in steering practice in positive new directions. Nurses may recommend an investment in a technology such as simulators that enhance the process of learning new practices, or they may develop a creative solution to a more organized medication delivery system. In the past few years, a number of innovations have significantly impacted patient care and patient safety, and resulted in changes in the way nurses care for patients. 8 81539.indd 8 N URSIN G U P D AT E 5/29/08 9:34:27 PM Pediatrics streamlines medication delivery Simulators enhance nurses’ learning One of the challenges for nurses caring for pediatric inpatients is to ensure that patients receive the correct medications they need in a timely manner. With a pharmacy department that fills 3,800 orders a day, the staff wanted to make the process of medication dispensing and delivery as efficient and timely as possible. Since her arrival at the Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital last spring, Noelle has given birth hundreds of times. A life-size mannequin, Noelle can simulate the normal human birth process and be programmed to mimic birth complications. She comes complete with monitors that display maternal, fetal and newborn vital signs, and her simulation baby lets staff know its health status by its color: a healthy baby will be pink, while a baby experiencing oxygen deficiency will turn blue. Kim Carter, R.N., patient service manager for the School-age/Adolescent Unit, formed a committee with Lorraine Lee, Pharmacy Services manager for medication safety and regulatory compliance, and members of both staffs. Last June, the group dedicated one week to pioneering a new medication delivery system using the “Lean” process improvement tools, a manufacturing process Toyota popularized and healthcare systems—including YNHH—have used to trim waste and inefficiencies in their processes. They developed eight interventions and launched them on the School-age/Adolescent Unit. They standardized time windows for delivery of various medications, now posted in the unit’s medication room, and created a dedicated area on the unit where all medications must be delivered. The committee also redesigned the medication room with a wall-mounted computer nearby so staff can easily look up information such as proper dosage and allergies. Due to the work of this unique collaborative committee, the School-age staff has seen significant benefits in accuracy and efficiency of medication delivery, and the new delivery system interventions are being implemented in all of YNHH’s pediatric units with eventual plans for the adult units as well. Wireless phone service speeds up care delivery ™ “For nurses, the simulators are an excellent training tool,” Cheryl Raab, R.N., perinatal patient safety nurse, Performance Management, says. “Simulators give our nurses the opportunity to learn correct interventions in a risk-free environment, and provide them with information and feedback about their individual performance.” Raab is currently using Noelle to help train nurses, physicians, midwives and PCAs from both the Women’s Center and Labor and Birth, as well as medical and midwifery students. Meanwhile, in the Pediatric Emergency Department, SimBaby, Yale-New Haven’s first interactive infant simulator, is used to train emergency healthcare professionals in the care of seriously ill infants. Simulation has become such an important training tool for nurses at YNHH that the hospital is looking at a future simulation center in partnership with Yale School of Medicine and Yale School of Nursing. When Yale-New Haven Hospital equipped all of its nurses and patient care associates with “SpectraLink” wireless telephone service last year, telephone tag and noise from front-desk employees paging nurses became annoyances of the past, and patient satisfaction scores rose across the board. Every nurse and patient care associate (PCA) has a SpectraLink phone, which can be used for two-way communication throughout the hospital without the interference common with high-powered cellular phones. Patients may press the call button for assistance, or dial their nurse or PCA directly. The wireless phones also allow nurses to quickly connect with other staff to discuss pertinent information, treatment protocols, medication orders and time-sensitive information. “Equipping nurses and staff with wireless phones turned out to be a very positive innovation for caregivers,” said John Sward, R.N., patient service manager of the General Medicine Unit on 9-7, who trained nurses throughout YNHH in the use of the phones. Nurses hear about their patients’ needs more quickly and are better able to set priorities and serve them, he said. “The phones are speeding up the process of caregiving and make communication easier and quieter for everyone.” “ Innovations can change the way nurses practice in ways they don’t anticipate. For example, using wireless phones has made nursing more efficient in some ways. Now nurses don’t have to leave the bedside of one patient to take a phone call about another patient, and they are able to stay with a patient in crisis while communicating with the physician.” — Sue Arbo-Givens, R.N., Patient Service Manager, Orthopedics YA L E - NE W 81539.indd 9 HAV E N HOS PITA L 9 5/29/08 9:34:29 PM 4 Community outreach Since its founding in 1826, one of YNHH’s most enduring missions has been its commitment to serving the community. This service takes many forms, including YNHH’s primary care, women’s and children’s centers and seven school-based clinics. Educating the public on health and nutrition, exposing high school students to careers in health care, and performing preventive screenings round out some of YNHH’s community efforts. Our nurses provide specialized care to the needy in our community. They are top-notch educators who are skilled at explaining complex medical conditions and role models for high school students interested in a nursing career. 10 81539.indd 10 N URSI N G U P D AT E 5/29/08 9:34:34 PM School-based nurses keep teens in the care loop Adolescents aren’t likely to go to the doctor on their own, and even parents who have insurance may be too busy to get them there. As a result, advanced practice nurses at seven YNHH school-based health centers (SBHC) in the greater New Haven area provide on-site services, including primary health assessments as well as diagnosis and treatment of major and minor illnesses. In 2007, the YNHH SBHCs treated nearly 9,000 students in elementary, middle and high schools in Branford, Hamden and New Haven. Nurses may treat or advise students on diabetes, obesity, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Lynn Peckham, advanced practice registered nurse in New Haven’s Sheridan Middle School, said the most prevalent problem she sees among students is asthma. She explains that schoolbased nurses make an impact in helping students manage asthma so they can stay in school and out of the hospital. In addition, YNHH social workers work on-site at the SBHCs and help students with anger management, anxiety, depression and phobias. In addition to providing an important link between students and additional community services, school-based nurses establish YNHH as a medical home for those who don’t have one. They also provide health education that gives students a firm understanding of the importance of taking responsibility for their own health. Nurses help detect cancer early in the community If success means convincing women to take responsibility for their health, the Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program for medically underserved women is making its mark. Working out of the YNHH Department of Community Health, the staff has always had to make multiple calls to get some patients in for screenings, but lately more women have been seeking out the program and making appointments themselves. Christine Galla, R.N., case manager, gives credit to media marketing efforts and vigorous outreach. YNHH, one of 18 sites in the state to offer cancer screening through this program, sends outreach workers to churches, hair salons and housing projects to educate women. The program provides Pap smears to women 19 to 64 years of age who have no insurance coverage or prohibitive deductibles, and mammograms to medically underserved women who are 40 and older. The program especially hopes to reach older women, who are likely to avoid mammograms; and African-American and Hispanic women, who have the highest mortality rate among all racial and ethnic groups. In the grant’s fiscal year that ended in June 2007, the Early Detection Program made outreach visits to 902 women at 20 locations in the greater New Haven area, and provided services to 251 women. Last July, YNHH launched a digital mammography van, the first in Connecticut, to provide mammograms to women where they live and work. Stroke team takes the offensive against brain attacks Since YNHH revamped its stroke program, nurses have played a key role in helping the hospital earn the distinction as a Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center, providing acute and recovery care for the more than 600 stroke patients the hospital admits each year. Karin Nyström, A.P.R.N., clinical coordinator, said the stroke program and neuroscience units at YNHH offer rich opportunities for nurses interested in research or clinical nursing. They can participate on multidisciplinary teams specially trained to evaluate and treat stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases. Nurses also collaborate with the YNHH Emergency Department to enhance the effective use of the clot-dissolving agent tPA. YNHH was the first hospital in southern Con- necticut and the fourth in New England to become nationally certified as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. In addition, YNHH nurses are actively involved with the program’s Stamp Out Stroke (S.O.S.) team, which educates people in the community to recognize symptoms of stroke and get to the hospital by calling 9-1-1 within the three-hour window when treatment is most successful. While the program has yet to measure the clinical outcomes of these efforts, Nystrom believes outreach, close teamwork and cutting-edge treatments are making a powerful impact in the diagnosis and treatment of stroke. “ Every woman in New Haven should make appointments for annual mammograms and cervical screenings. Unfortunately, needy women have incredibly difficult lives – they have to get past economic and transportation barriers, not to mention the fear barrier. At YNHH, we are reaching these women and letting them know we can help. Their health is important to us.” — Christine Galla, R.N., Case Manager, Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program YA L E -N EW 81539.indd 11 H AV E N H OS PI TAL 11 5/29/08 9:34:36 PM 5 Research Nurses do their most important work at the patient’s bedside, and are often in the best position to question the many ways to care for patients – which approaches are working and which areas need closer scrutiny. At YNHH, research projects conducted by nurses have prompted changes that have raised the bar on patient care and improved patient outcomes. Through their questioning and analysis, nurses help the hospital develop more effective practices and procedures, control quality and improve patient satisfaction across the board. 12 81539.indd 12 N URSI N G U P D AT E 5/29/08 9:34:40 PM SICU nurses take evidencebased approach to care Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) nurses are taking a fresh look at how they provide patient care with the help of an evidence-based practice committee. Quarterly, the committee analyzes the literature on topics selected by SICU nursing staff and then assists the staff in applying the findings to their practice. The SICU’s innovative approach has been so successful it earned SICU nurses Rick O’Connor, B.S.N., R.N., and Zachary Krom, B.S.N., R.N., the opportunity to present the results of the committee’s work at Sigma Theta Tau’s 18th International Conference in Vienna, Austria, last summer. More locally, they are expanding their important work into other YNHH intensive care units. The committee uses the hospital’s chosen model of incorporating research into practice, the Iowa Model, which provides a guide for clinical decision-making and details regarding implementation. The model includes both the practitioner and organizational perspectives. One significant result of the committee’s research in the SICU is further reinforcement of encouraging family visitation during resuscitative and invasive procedures, such as CPR and chest tube insertions. In cases where both caregivers and the family are comfortable, families are invited to stay in their loved one’s room as a nurse or social worker talks them through the experience. Krom and O’Connor’s research found that families who witness efforts to save a loved one’s life are appreciative to be part of the process. In addition, this practice can provide a greater sense of closure for those who are grieving. Study examines charge nurse and decision-making The personality traits of charge nurses do not always mix with those of physicians – in fact, the two can be polar opposites, according to a study conducted by Victoria Dahl Vickers, R.N., M.B.A., who was recently named coordinator of regulatory readiness, and Eija Faulkner, learning and development consultant in the hospital’s Institute for Excellence. They presented their findings last year at the National Nursing Staff Development Organization’s annual convention in Atlanta. Vickers and Faulkner assessed nurses at YaleNew Haven Hospital with the help of the Myers-Briggs personality model, typically used by career counselors. Out of 149 nurses who participated, 98 identified “feeling” as their decision-making preference mode, which is the opposite of physicians, who tend to use a “thinking” mode to make decisions, Vickers explained. The second part of the survey dealt with conflict resolution, using the Thomas Kilman Conflict Mode Instrument, a leading instrument used to assess conflict-handling styles. Asked to describe their conflict resolution style, most nurses expressed a preference for avoiding conflict. Vickers and Faulkner, who are using their findings in training sessions for nurses, say awareness of how nurses relate to colleagues is useful because it can help them make adjustments and perform more efficiently when working as part of a team. Nurses play key role on successful diabetes team For patients with diabetes, the evidence is increasingly clear that aggressive management of blood glucose can reduce complications from illness or surgery, lower rates of infection and shorten hospital stays. At Yale-New Haven, nurses on Connecticut’s first full-time multidisciplinary diabetes team play a key role in keeping glucose levels down. The team—a joint effort between YNHH and Yale School of Medicine—includes physicians and caregivers collaborating with primary care teams to control blood sugar and educate patients about their diabetes before discharge. Last year, the team presented 11 months of data on its work and earned the top prize in research for Yale-New Haven Hospital at the annual 2007 Joseph A. Zaccagnino Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Conference. Among the team’s findings: Glucose is better controlled when patients receive either a continuous insulin infusion with frequent monitoring, or a basal bolus correction regimen, an approach that imitates normal physiology by using a fast-acting (bolus) insulin with each meal and a long-acting (basal) insulin once or twice a day. Two nurses, Helen Psarakis, A.P.R.N., and Gael Ulisse, A.P.R.N., contributed to the project team’s findings and success. “ We developed our evidence-based practice committee because we want nurses to keep searching for the best ways to care for patients. Research turns up new information all the time, and nurses need to have this information available to them. With more data and research behind their practice, nurses can make better choices and that improves care overall.” — Zachary Krom, R.N., Surgical Intensive Care Unit YA L E -N E W 81539.indd 13 HAV EN H OSP ITA L 13 5/29/08 9:34:42 PM 6 Growth and development Professional development for nurses at Yale-New Haven Hospital begins on the first day of employment and spans their careers. As part of their orientation, nurses receive intensive training that continues through their first year of service. Nurses at YNHH also have opportunities for career development as the hospital introduces the latest cutting-edge treatments for improved patient care and safety. As a result, patients who come to YNHH can expect not only the utmost sensitivity and warmth in their care, but also some of the most knowledgeable nurses in their fields. 14 81539.indd 14 N URSI N G U P D AT E 5/29/08 9:34:46 PM Nurses improve practice through transplant certification With the recent appointment of Sukru Emre, M.D., an internationally known transplant surgeon, the Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center has witnessed a growing patient volume, and cutting-edge surgeries such as the first split liver and living donor liver transplant performed in Connecticut. Last year, nurses expanded their knowledge about transplantation in a study group for a new Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse (CCTN) credential exam developed by the American Board of Transplant Certification. Rick O’Connor, R.N., SICU, who led the study group and was the first nurse to take the exam, said research shows nurse certification improves outcomes for transplant patients. The CCTN exam covers heart, liver, kidney and pancreas transplants, in addition to lung and small bowel transplants. The certification also covers a variety of nursing concerns and topics, including vascular complications, infection control and drugs that prevent rejection. This year, three more YNHH nurses are planning to take the rigorous test. Meanwhile, O’Connor plans to begin a new study group and is targeting all surgical ICU nurses to participate to prepare for next year’s test. Nurses standardize the language of fetal monitoring Families who decide to have babies at Yale-New Haven Hospital can feel especially confident that they will have a successful experience thanks to an emphasis on safety in labor and delivery. A perinatal patient safety nurse has instituted some 30 new evidence-based clinical guidelines, and trained all perinatal teams in the proper use and interpretation of fetal monitoring tests. Her work has resulted in a 30-40 percent reduction in adverse events in obstetrics, including stillbirths, birth injuries and low Apgar scores for newborns. Training and certification in the use of fetal monitoring alone made an especially significant impact in the department. “Historically, doctors and nurses trained separately in fetal monitoring, and learned different terminologies,” said Cheryl Raab, R.N., the perinatal safety nurse. In the late ’90s, standard terminology was developed to provide a common language pertaining to variability and rates of acceleration and deceleration of fetal heart rate. Staff members on units that perform fetal monitoring have taken and passed the fetal monitoring training. Raab said the 223 obstetricians, nurses and midwives who trained at YNHH and took a national certification test had an initial 99 percent pass rate, compared with a national 87 percent pass rate. Residency provides support for new nurses The hospital’s Post-Baccalaureate Nurse Residency Program provides important support for new nurses as they make the transition from nursing students to acute-care professionals. That support—unique among hospitals in New England—has also become a draw for nurses who choose to start their careers at YNHH. In three years, 137 new nurses have completed the year-long program developed by the University Health System Consortium and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Residents cover such topics as clinical judgment and leadership development. They meet monthly in small groups with a resident facilitator who may be from Southern Connecticut State University, Yale School of Nursing or Yale-New Haven Hospital. In addition, 29 new associate degree and diploma nurses have completed the New Graduate Associate and Diploma Nurses First Year Development Program, a parallel program to the Nurse Residency Program. Every new graduate nurse at YNHH is required to participate in one of the two programs. Graduates report that the programs gave them the direction and support they need at a critical time in their careers, giving them confidence and introducing them to nurses who address their questions in an encouraging environment. “ Critical care nurses are feeling the impact of the increased volume of transplant patients, so it is becoming increasingly important for us to enhance our knowledge as we set up nursing guidelines and follow these special patients through their ICU course. Advances in medicine at YNHH are challenging nurses to challenge themselves to keep improving upon the way they provide care.” — Rick O’Connor, R.N., Surgical Intensive Care Unit and Staff Nurse Council Co-Chair YA L E -N E W 81539.indd 15 HAV EN H OSP ITA L 15 5/29/08 9:34:49 PM 7 Recognition In a busy environment that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year, it is sometimes easy to forget to take a step back and recognize the extraordinary women and men who are direct care givers to the tens of thousands of patients who choose YNHH for their care. While its nurses have historically been highly regarded in Connecticut and beyond, the hospital has intensified its effort to develop opportunities to find and honor its finest nurses. Below are just a few of the ways in which YNHH nurses have been honored for their contributions to patient care. 16 81539.indd 16 N URSI N G U P D AT E 5/29/08 9:34:53 PM YNHH named 12 Nightingales in 2007 Each year, Yale-New Haven nominates nurses for the Nightingale Award, an award the honors nurses from greater New Haven area hospitals and healthcare institutions for commitment to excellence in their nursing practice. The Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut, the Hospital of St. Raphael, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and YNHH are founding sponsors of the Nightingales program which raises awareness of the contributions nurses make. The 12 Yale-New Haven nurses honored as Nightingales in 2007 were: Barbara Ackerman (in memoriam) Newborn Special Care Unit ABOVE Nine of the Nightingales honored in 2007 met in the Atrium for their “class” photo with Sue Fitzsimons (right). Shown are (l-r): Gloria Wallace, Elizabeth Miller, Joan Workman, Jill Jolley, Barbara Ackerman, Deirdre Lonergan, Gerri Slowikowski, Millicent Gershon and Earl Hapgood. Laurie Finta Ambulatory Surgery Millicent Gershon Diagnostic Radiology Five nurse leaders honored At the 2007 Nurse of the Year ceremony, five nurses were honored with four nurse leadership awards. Shown (below) in Harkness Hall, where the ceremony was held, are (l-r): Surgical Intensive Care Unit nurses Zach Krom and Rick O’Connor, who received the award for research; Shelley Harrigan, Adult Primary Care Center, for practice; Sue Fitzsimons, senior vice Jeannine Bradley Pediatric Emergency Department president, Patient Services; Karen Camp, retired nurse manager for whom the management award is named; and Marie Devlin, R.N., patient service manager, SICU, who received the Karen L. Camp Award for Management. Unable to attend the ceremony was Ann Marie Rausch, R.N., Surgery (6-5), who earned the education award. Earl Hapgood Adult and Pediatric Post-Anesthesia Care Units Jill Jolley School-age/Adolescent Unit Mengqing Lai Winchester Chest Clinic Deirdre Lonergan Orthopedics Elizabeth Miller Maternal Special Care Gerri Slowikowski Surgical Intensive Care Unit Gloria Wallace Acute Care for the Elderly Joan Workman Adult Inpatient, Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital YA L E -N EW 81539.indd 17 H AV E N H OS P ITA L 17 5/29/08 9:34:57 PM Nurse of the Year 2007 Betsy Hine Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Melissa Rafael Surgical Intensive Care Unit Each year during National Nurse Week, YaleNew Haven Hospital takes the opportunity to recognize its nurses in a variety of ways. Each unit nominates a nurse for her or his commitment to patient care. The following nurses were honored as Nurse of the Year from their units. Deb Hollaway Shoreline Medical Center ED Judy Rodriguez Neuro Medicine and Surgery Lynn Irons Adult Primary Care Center Jerrilyn Rosa Express Admission Service/Pre-Admission Testing Terri Johnson Shoreline Medical Center Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Joyce Russell General Clinical Research Center Susanne Koshis GI Procedure Center Jeff Agli Diagnostic Radiology Deanna Arizzi Medical Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant Ann Marie Bautz Cardiac Medical Units (5-2/3) Sandy Lee Medical Intensive Care Unit Pat Capone Acute Care for the Elderly Annelie Lindvall Dual Diagnosis YNHPH Pam Cohane Pediatric Specialty Center Li-Ping Liu Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit Amanda Coppola Infant/Toddler Sherry Coyle South Pavilion Operating Room Christine Danilowicz General Medicine (9-7) Jennifer Maddern Surgery (6-4) Susan Marchini General Medicine (10-7) Kate Delossantos Adult Resource Support Unit Marilou Masocol Adult Unit YNHPH Diane Dirzius Medical Oncology Clinic Allyson McManama Temple Recovery Care Center Marcie Durso Pediatric Primary Care Center Sherry Molaskey-Jones Perinatal Maternal-Fetal Medicine Stacy Farago General Medicine (5-7) Shanda Nardelli Gyn/Oncology Unit Allison Febbroriello Maternal Special Care Peggie O’Donnell Apheresis/Transfusion Service Ellen Ferraro Surgery (6-5) Rowena Saga-Abrina Cardiac Surgery Aida Santiago Ambulatory PACU Jenny Scholl Pediatric Emergency Department Jackie Selly Surgery (7-5) Diane Smart-Greene General Medicine (9-5) Mary Ellen Smith Newborn Special Care Unit Nancy Smith Obstetrics (WP 10) Joy Southard Pediatric Resource Support Unit Wynnett Stewart Nathan Smith Clinic Sheila Stranz Temple Surgical PACU Christine Suntheimer Perinatal Maternal-Fetal Medicine Jaime Swartz Children’s Research/Oncology Dennis Uy Ambulatory OR Sally Varghese Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Lori Vogt Labor and Birth Jillian Orlando Pediatric Oncology/Respiratory Care Unit Tracey Frith Obstetrics (WP 11) Paula Pastore Children’s Psychiatric Inpatient Service Toni Frizinia Cardiac Medical Units (5-2/3) Carol Penta Radiation Therapy David Gauley Adult Diagnostic Radiology Megan Gnidula Pediatric Catheter Laboratory Joanne Gorman Women’s Primary Care Center Jill Grillo Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Michael Hayes Surgery (6-7) 81539.indd 18 Deirdre Lonergan Orthopedics Katie Mannochi PACU Chris DeFrancesco Adult Emergency Department N URSI N G Roman Kudrycki Adolescent Unit YNHPH Kimberly La Pia Breast Center Nadine Bruder School-age/Adolescent 18 Debbie Krista Pediatric PACU Marjorie Russell General Medicine (5-5) ABOVE RIGHT Last year, YNHH president and CEO Marna P. Borgstrom (left) personally congratulated each of the 16 employees who were named “I am Yale-New Haven” Service Excellence Heroes. Here she is shown with Anne Summach, R.N., Neuroscience Unit. RIGHT Richard D’Aquila, executive vice president and COO, regularly rounds on patient care units. Nurses take the opportunity to discuss issues with him when he visits. On a recent visit to General Surgery (6-7), D’Aquila meets (l-r): Linda Russell, R.N., Terri Wusterbarth, R.N., and Nancy Hoey, R.N., patient service manager. U P D AT E 5/29/08 9:34:59 PM Service Excellence Heroes for 2007 Recognition and Clinical Advancement Program Sixteen Yale-New Haven Hospital employees were named “I am Yale-New Haven” Service Excellence Heroes. Five nurses were among the first 16 employees to be honored with this significant hospital award. They are: In 1991, Yale-New Haven Hospital introduced an internal clinical ladder called the Recognition and Clinical Advancement Program (RCAP), and more than 2,000 nurses have advanced on it. Nicole Buxton, R.N. Post-Partum (WP 11) to climb the ladder through a rigorous program in which nurses, working with a preceptor, record their experiences with patients in a portfolio of exemplars. Nurses who advance are recognized at a quarterly ceremony. The following nurses advanced to levels II and III in 2007. Earl Hapgood, R.N. Nurse Educator, Adult and Pediatric Post-Anesthesia Care Units Larry Richardson, R.N. Coordinator of Transplant Services, Perioperative Services Anne Summach, R.N. Neuroscience/Acute Care Unit Ena Williams, R.N. Nursing Director, Perioperative Services RCAP has three rungs – Clinical Nurse II, III and IV – and managers consistently encourage nurses Clinical Nurse III ABOVE Nurses attend the Recognition and Clinical Advancement Program to celebrate the advancement of their colleagues on the three-rung clinical ladder. The three nurses who attained Level III and senior managers are shown (l-r): Chong Jumarito-Panaguiton, R.N., CTICU; Sue Fitzsimons, senior vice president, Patient Services; Debbie DiMarco, R.N., Perioperative Services; Leslie O’Connor, A.P.R.N., clinical director, Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital; Kevin Myatt, senior vice president, Human Resources; and Alison Lucibello, R.N., CICU. Evelyn Afriyie Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Jill Azzarone Oncology/Pediatric Respiratory Care Unit Theresa Hyland Labor and Birth Twila Balint Occupational Health Services Katherine Mannochi South Pavilion Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Melissa Barre Surgical Intensive Care Unit Staci McNeil Adult Primary Care Center Janet Battaglia Express Admissions Phyllis Murphy Medical Intensive Care Unit Michelle Bosley Surgery Unit (7-5) Eleanor Myers-Brown South Pavilion PACU Nicole Buxton Maternity (WP 11) Laetitia Nakaar Gyn/Oncology Unit Kathy Caliendo Surgery Unit (4-7) Carol Nockunas GI Procedure Clinic Erin Cavanaugh Labor and Birth Megan Nolan Labor and Birth Christopher DeFrancesco Adult Emergency Department Anne H. O’Connor Hospital Research Unit Laurie Devin Resource Support Unit Danielle Orfitelli Adult Emergency Department Janina Dziurzynski GI Procedure Clinic Victoria Parker Orkins Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Tamar Edelkind Newborn Special Care Unit Jillian Orlando Oncology/Pediatric Respiratory Care Unit Pam Fleming Surgery Unit (4-7) Alaire Perazella Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit Elizabeth Flynn Temple Recovery Care Center Stephanie Piscitelli Oncology/Pediatric Respiratory Care Unit Cindy Fusco Surgery Unit (7-5) Annalisa Porter Surgical Intensive Care Unit Patricia Gray Oncology/Pediatric Respiratory Care Unit Carey Ranz Surgery Unit (4-7) Daniel Hartmann Adult Emergency Department Kelley Reddington Labor and Birth YA L E -N E W 81539.indd 19 HAV EN H OSP ITA L 19 5/29/08 9:35:03 PM Rowena Saga-Abrina Surgery Unit (4-7) Lois Caldrello Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Autumn Foshee Maternity (WP 11) Cristina Santiago Diagnostic Radiology Arturo Capiral Perioperative Services Jill Franco Labor and Birth John Strathy Surgical Intensive Care Unit Tracey Cassese Pediatric Emergency Department Tracey Frith Maternity (WP 11) Tracy Sturrock Medicine Unit (6-5) Tammy Ciuci Surgery Unit (6-4) Heather Gainer Medicine Unit (9-5) Jeramy Tabuzo Hospital Research Unit Maria Lourdes Co Medical Oncology Unit Mary Catherine Gannon Surgery Unit (7-5) Carolyn Thompson Gyn/Oncology Unit Sheryl Combs Pediatric Resource Pool Elizabeth Gernat Maternity (WP 11) Daniel Coraluzzi Temple Surgical Cecilyn Glorioso Medicine Unit (9-7) Robin Corcoran Shoreline Surgery/Endoscopy Kevin Gonzalez Medical Intensive Care Unit Denise Corso Newborn Special Care Unit Erwille Joy Gurdek Labor and Birth Janice Cossette Shoreline Surgery/Endoscopy Carrie Guttman Gyn/Oncology Unit Valerie Curbow Adult Emergency Department Katarzyna Haley Orthopedics Unit Jeffrey Curran Surgery Unit (7-5) Lois Hawken Resource Support Unit Amy Cusano Medical Oncology Unit Stephanie Hays Neuro Intensive Care Unit Heather Daigle Newborn Special Care Unit Robyn Hewitt Adult Emergency Department Melanie D’Amato School-age/Adolescent Unit Stephanie Hinchliff Surgical Intensive Care Unit Debbie Debiase Surgery Unit (6-4) Deborah Hollaway Shoreline Emergency Department Amy Degray Maternal Special Care Unit Jessica Holmes Maternity Unit (WP 11) Roselyn Desiree Medicine Unit (9-7) Megan Homes Medical Oncology Unit Donna D’Eugenio Hospital Research Unit Chelsea Howell Medical Oncology Unit Kathryn Dias Surgical Intensive Care Unit Marie Gael Husmalaga Medicine Unit (9-7) Joan Ecklund Orthopedics Unit Danielle Innis Medicine Unit (9-5) Tricia Eddy Perioperative Services Kenneth Jacobs Shoreline Emergency Department Etsuko Elmammann Orthopedics Unit Nataliya Jatsiv Surgery Unit (6-5) Samantha Emerling Medicine Unit (9-7) Elizabeth Jobbagy Surgical Intensive Care Unit Dolores Errity Temple Surgical Recovery Cheryl Jones South Pavilion Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Carlotta Evans Surgery Unit (6-4) Lisa Jones Medicine Units (10-7/8) Martha Ferreira Surgery Unit (6-4) Lida Jureczko-Russell Urology/General Surgery Unit M. Michele Flowers South Pavilion Operating Rooms Kristine Keller Adult Emergency Department Clinical Nurse II Roxanne Amato Adult Emergency Department Deanna Arizzi Medical Oncology Annette Avallone Acute Care for the Elderly Frank Balisciano Ambulatory Surgery Samantha Bean Maternal Special Care Unit Lisa Berardi Temple Surgical Recovery Filjah Bernardo Acute Care for the Elderly Deborah Bok Temple Endoscopy Center Elizabeth Borges Acute Care for the Elderly Peggy Bouchard Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Jessica Boughton School-age/Adolescent Unit R. Titlope Boyejo Women’s Center Donna Brester Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Erin Brown Medicine Unit (5-5) Maureen Bruce Surgery Unit (6-7) Nadine Bruder School-age/Adolescent Unit Carly Brueggestrat Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Shayleen Brueggestrat Surgery Unit (6-4) Starley Buchanan School-age/Adolescent Unit Heather Bugay Medical Intensive Care Unit 20 81539.indd 20 nursi ng u P D AT E 6/2/08 1:17:33 PM Carol Kennedy Oncology/Pediatric Respiratory Care Unit Sami Merit Neuro Intensive Care Unit Susan Shaw Labor and Birth Shawn King Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Shandi Montiel Pediatric Emergency Department Rachael Soyka Adult Emergency Department Linda Koch Radiation Therapy Diana Moore Maternity (WP 11) Kathryn Standish Medicine Unit (5-5) Maria Koursaris Neuro Intensive Care Unit Jennifer Morgan Surgical Intensive Care Unit Marina Syrax Medicine Unit (9-7) Hope Lamberson Surgery Unit (7-5) Sandra Morgan Temple Recovery Care Cindy Taylor South Pavilion PACU Jay Lano Medicine Unit (5-7) Deann Morin School-age/Adolescent Unit Alyssa Wanat Medicine Unit (5-5) Sara Lantowski Gyn/Oncology Unit Krystal Mozny Pediatric Emergency Department Louise Ward Labor and Birth Liliana Lara Maternity (WP 11) Catherine Mulvey Shoreline Emergency Department Ilene (Dee) Zimmerman Radiation Therapy Elpidio Latorilla Temple Surgical Kathleen Murphy Temple Endoscopy Center Daniel Zweeres Medicine Unit (5-5) Tracy Lee Medicine Unit (5-7) Lindsay Neptune Infants and Toddlers Unit Carolyn Levy Labor and Birth Melane Ninonuevo Labor and Birth Tawnia Lewis Newborn Special Care Unit Vicki Ogbejesi Resource Support Unit Alison Linske Surgery Unit (6-4) Mary Okwusosu-Osakwe Medical Oncology Unit Virach Lotharakphong Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Elaine Ovecka Medical Intensive Care Unit Robyn Lussier Temple Surgical Recovery Maria Paterno South Pavilion Operating Rooms Dawn Lyder Labor and Birth Erin Patton Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Brittany Lyhus Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Alisha Pearson Adult Emergency Department Jennifer Maddern Surgery Unit (6-4) Jennifer Pelletier Oncology/Pediatric Respiratory Care Unit Jena Malchiodi Apheresis Melanie Pipping South Pavilion Operating Rooms Mary Manseau Surgery Unit (6-7) Doreen Prentise Perioperative Services Destiny Massaro Adult Emergency Department Marian Quitain Adolescent/Geriatric Unit YNHPH Stella Mateo Maternity (WP 11) Cathy Rafalowski Acute Care for the Elderly Tracy Mazzella Surgery Unit (6-4) Meighann Recile Medicine Unit (9-5) Christina McCann Acute Care for the Elderly Wayne Rollins Medical Oncology Unit Diane McQueeney Temple Surgical Jasmine Rosales-Anchetta Medicine Unit (9-7) Stacy Mehmet Medicine Unit (5-5) Heather Rosario Ambulatory Surgicenter Alexandra Mena Hertado Medical Oncology Unit Lorien Sargolini Hospital Research Unit above The three YNHH nurse managers chosen for AONE Felice Mennone Maternal Special Care Unit Jaime Sawyer Medicine Unit (5-5) fellowships meet with Sue Fitzsimons. Shown (l-r) are: Denine Baxter; Sandra Watcke; Sue Fitzsimons, R.N., Ph.D., senior vice president, Patient Services; and Marie Devlin. AONE taps three nurses for its prestigious fellowship In 2007, the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) chose three Yale-New Haven nurse leaders for its prestigious 2008 nurse manager fellowship. They are (below): Denine Baxter, R.N., patient service manager, Pediatric ED; Marie Devlin, R.N., patient service manager, SICU and Stepdown and General Trauma Unit; and Sandra Watcke, R.N., patient service manager, Medical Oncology Treatment Center. The AONE Nurse Manager Fellowship is a yearlong professional development program designed to provide in-depth education and development through four fellowship retreats, by applying classroom learning in the workplace and through electronic communications with expert faculty and other fellows. The goal of the program is to ensure the vitality of strong nursing leadership within American healthcare organizations. YA lE - nE w 81539.indd 21 hAv En h osP iTA l 21 5/29/08 9:35:05 PM NURSING 81539.indd 22 UPDATE 5/29/08 9:35:06 PM