January/February 2016
The Kenmore Kronicle A Newsletter for the Nursing Staff at Kenmore Mercy Hospital
Kindness is like snow ... it beautifies everything it touches. A Note From Cheryl
Where are we going in 2016? Just follow the dots, that’s our “Big Dots,” and you’ll know.
•Associate Engagement: Continue the Move with Care program, Voice of the Associate initiatives, and enhancement of wellness program.
•Patient Safety & Experience: Support patient
experience, infection control initiatives, restful environment, medication side effects, the culture movement, Responder 5 and pain management.
ICU Receives Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence Kenmore Mercy’s Intensive Care Unit has been granted the Beacon Award for Excellence - Silver Level, for exceptional nursing and patient care in the critical care setting. Created by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), the award is intended to recognize individual units that distinguish themselves by improving every facet of patient care. The award is given for a three-year period at gold, silver and bronze levels. Kenmore Mercy Hospital has maintained its silver status for two consecutive periods. The ICU associates are already working on their goal to receive gold status during the next cycle.
•Surgical Services: Work toward the opening of
”As a bedside critical care nurse, I am very proud we have received the Beacon Silver Award. We are blessed with an outstanding interdisciplinary team within our unit. I feel each and every individual on our team is a champion of care, contributing and promoting the standards of excellence this award denotes,” said Mary LaMartina BSN, RN CCRN.
•Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal Campus of
Beacon criteria include: leadership structures and systems; appropriate staffing and staff engagement; effective communication; knowledge management and best practices; evidence-based practice and processes; and patient outcomes, according to the AACN.
our new Ambulatory Surgery Unit in mid-April and the remodeled of Post Ansthesia Care Unit in late 2016. We also recently added a the da Vinci robot which will be a huge asset for our surgical team. Excellence: Working towards growth in orthopedic surgeries and excellence in orthopedic care and outcomes.
LaMartina
•Nursing Excellence: Continue on our Magnet
According to the AACN’s website, there are only twelve hospitals in New York State that have received the Beacon award, and Kenmore Mercy Hospital is the only one in Buffalo. Recipients of a silver-level Beacon Award demonstrate excellence in sustained unit performance and patient outcomes, according to the AACN.
•
“We are committed to working together, and across other disciplines, to achieve evidence-based excellence in patient care, training, mentoring, recruitment and retention at Kenmore Mercy Hospital, for the best possible outcomes for our patients,” says Kristen Parisi, BSN, RN, CCRN, nurse manager for the Intensive Care Unit. “I am extremely proud of our entire ICU staff for their continuous dedication to our patients, and each other.”
journey, working towards and growing excellent care and outcomes for our patients, improved safety and nurse satisfaction. We have also set a goal to increase the number of certified staff and individuals obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Clinical Integration: An interprofessional team is working on initiatives to reduce length of stay.
•Operational Effectiveness: Improve processes
in the Emergency Department to reduce wait times, and enhance the discharge process 3 East by improving documentation and communication effectiveness. ~ Cheryl
Parisi
Heros at Zero - How Nursing is Championing Pressure Ulcers
Congratulations
We’re pleased to share that several of our nurses have recently achieved certifications. Amber Mazurek, RN, BSN, patient care services project advisor and Christine Reaser, RN, from 2 South/ 2 East, achieved the credential of orthopedic certified nurse (OCN).
Mazurek
Pressure ulcers have been a major curse of hospital caregivers for as long as hospitals have existed. Therefore, Kenmore Mercy’s recent record, of zero hospital acquired pressure ulcers from October 2015 to December 15, is reason to celebrate! The hospital saw a 200 percent reduction in pressure ulcers since January 2015,
KMH Pressure Ulcers
Reaser
Amanda Kramer, RN, BSN, nurse manager for the Emergency Department received Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) certification.
250%
Melissa Kowalski, RN, Surgical Services, recently earned the credential of CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room).
100%
Christopher Dowd, RN, and Kristyn Durick, RN, from the Intensive Care Unit, achieved the credential of CCRN (critical care registered nurse). Many of the fees associated with certification are covered by Kenmore Mercy funding. Check with your manager to see if you qualify.
Dowd
2.16
200% 150%
Kramer
50%
0.75
0.99
0.85
0.78
0.00
0.00
0.00
1.04
0.00
0.00
0.00
0%
Hospital Acquired Pressure Ulcers
Kowalski
Durick
Welcome to our new hires from December & January Kayleigh Covell, NA - 2 West Ashley Heim, RN - 2 East/2 South Marissa Nuhfer, UC - 2 West Jennifer Woods, NA - 2 West
2015 Target = 1.29
Kenmore Mercy’s nurse’s addressed the ageless problem of pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores through standardization of pressure ulcer specific interventions, working with multidisciplinary teams and leadership, addressing accountability and celebrating success, designating skin champions and providing education. According to Cheryl Hayes, MS, ANP, NEA-BC, vice president of Patient Care Services, “We were able to present a significant amount of education in 2015, which benefited our associates and their patients.” Mary Applegate, RN, CWON, wound ostomy nurse and skin care educator, expanded, noting that skin care education was increased from one hour to four hours for all newly hired nurses and nursing attendants. In addition, an all-day pressure ulcer continuing education session was offered for all current staff. Nursing also designated skin champions who helped further educate staff on a monthly basis. In addition, 2015 ushered in the Move with Care program. While the program’s key goal was safe moving of patients and reduction of associate injuries, a bonus was helping to reduce the risk of shearing and friction. Incontinence associated dermatitis protocols were also put into place to reduce the risk of pressure ulcers. Over the past year, patients also benefited from new Isoflex Air mattresses on all beds, which provides pressure redistribution and shear management through a memory gel material.
Crista Rodriguez, Marissa Nuhfer, Ashley Heim, Heathe Becker, Ashley Territo, Kayleigh Covell, Jennifer Woods, and Shontoya Greene attended training in January.
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Mary added, “Great teamwork across all of the hospital was a significant contributing factor.” The Intensive Care Unit contributes through their ABCDE bundle protocols; while the operating room has new beds and gel pads for positioning. Pressure ulcers can become painful, infected and foul-smelling, reduce health related quality of life and increase length of hospital stay. Congratulations Kenmore Mercy nurses. By working together, you put our patient safety first, prevention and healing pressure ulcers.
Get Back to the Basics at the Bedside Working with patients requires a fine balance of quality clinical care, basic communication skills, and a little bit of kindness. To maintain the quality of your communication in today’s fast paced hospital industry, be sure you continue to listen empathetically and watch for nonverbal behaviors. But, do so by not reducing your talk time or omitting pleasantries. This isn’t just a nicety. Building a good rapport with patients make a difference in how they listen to you. Despite the fact that patient care areas are busy places, don’t appear rushed, even if you are. One simple way to accomplish this is to avoid looking at your watch, the clock, or your phone. Non-verbal cues like this imply that the patient in the room isn’t as important as someone else. Lastly, once you’re in the patient’s room, show them that you are there for them. Stop yourself from being preoccupied with what’s happening across the hall. Instead, take a minute to sit in the chair next to the patient. Remember, when you sit, you are heart to heart. Listen without interrupting. Really look at patients. Your eye contact should be direct and sincere, while conveying interest.
Surgery Nurse Received DAISY Award
Congratulations to Tracy Meinhart, RN, from Surgical Services, who received DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing in December 2015.
He specifically noted that, “The most nervous patients get calmed when Tracy talks to them in pre-op and on Anne Hedges-Creighton, Surgical Services the way to the OR. She is very comNursing director, Dr. Sherban, and Tracy passionate and caring.” gathered for the LOVE Award presentation in December.
Unit Clerk Receives LOVE Award
Unit clerk Khalid BenSalem was recently recognized for his dedication to Catholic Health’s mission and values with the 2015 4th Quarter LOVE Award.
Benefits of bedside reporting include: • Integrates patient into the care team • Promotes safer patient handoff • Fosters patient and caregiver trust • Supports a “warm handoff” • Encourages a successful transition to practice environment for nurses
Shared Governance Peer Review Recommendations Remember Everyone Must Stop what they are doing to participate in a Time Out. A foley was left in after it was ordered to be removed. Please remember to check your alerts prior to going home.
Peer Review Form The peer review form is available on all nursing units. When completing it, please be as detailed as possible by following SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation).
Associate Forums Anyone who did not attend the Fall 2015 Associate Forum sessions, please be sure to complete the NetLearning version now available on the intranet. Under “Enroll in CBL,” enter the word “forum.” Associate Forum sessions are held twice a year to provide associates with up-to-date information about hospital changes to benefit the staff and community.
Acknowledge the good work of your fellow nursing staff?
The LOVE Award (Living Our Values Effectively) is a quarterly award designed to recognize employees who demonstrate our values in their daily work. It was noted in his nomination, Khalid is “Loving and compassion. His empathy for people is unlike anything I have seen from others. He is not afraid to share his heart.”
During shift to shift handoff challenge yourself to learn something new about your patients that is not on their chart.
When you have a peer review referral please complete the background information and submit this form to the Manager or a member of the Peer Review Committee.
Tracy was nominated by Ross Sherban, MD, who said that she, “goes above and beyond to create a very positive environment in the operating room.”
Thank you Tracy for your dedication to nursing and our patients!
Benefits of Bedside Reporting
BenSalem with Joseph Mazzawi, vice president of Mission Integration.
Anyone can nominate an associate for the LOVE award – patients, visitors, family members, physicians, volunteers and co-workers.
Say thank you at least once per day. Use the “Kudos” forms to recognize someone who has gone above and beyond. Nominate staff LOVE Award or a nurse for the DAISY Award. Forms for the LOVE Award and DAISY Award are available online.
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Nursing Tips & Reminders
Unit Clerks Taking Role in Patient Experience
New Great Catch Form We want to hear about your Great Catch or one made by your co-workers. A Great Catch is an event that has the capacity to cause harm but did not reach the patient. Forms are available online and in each patient unit.
New Icons In Soarian
Unit clerks Helen Rovillow, Tina Attea, and Katie McCann, meet with other member of their team monthly.
There are new census icons in Soarian Clinicals to notify providers and staff if a patient is a high risk for readmission and if the patient is an active Roswell Park Cancer Institute patient.
Despite their title, unit clerks are responsible for much more than clerical duties. In fact, they play a significant role in patient experience, acting as the “Grand Central” of nursing station.
On the census screen, there will be two new icons next to the patient’s name. CMP (Catholic Medical Partner) High Risk Patient is when the patient is high risk for readmission. RPCI (Roswell Park Cancer Institute) is for a patient that is currently an active patient at RPCI and has a green card.
Unit clerks are an essential part of every patient care floor at Kenmore Mercy. From answering the telephone to speaking with patient families, communicating important messages to getting supplies and scheduling repairs, they are who everyone on the floor turns to for help. Often times, they also the ones who have all the answers and know where everyone is at all times too.
Skin Integrity Reference
Excellent people skills are essential to their job. Unit clerks are the first people most visitors see. Therefore, they become the go-to person for families seeking answers.
There is a new pressure ulcer body site reference guide in Soarian. Specifically, there is an image of the body on the last page of the pressure ulcer documentation that will show the areas of skin integrity issues to ensure that the areas are documented correctly.
OR Checklist Prior to sending a patient to the operating room, please be sure that the items on the inpatient preoperative/pre procedure checklist are completed. Recently a patient was sent to the OR dressed. Please pay special attention to ensure dentures, glasses, contacts, jewelry (body piercings), cosmetics, hair pins, wigs, extensions, prosthetics and all other personal effects, including clothes, are removed prior to sending the patient to the OR.
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These individuals are highly organized also. Be it processing doctors’ orders, booking tests, booking ambulances and procedures, ordering supplies and equipment, setting up services after discharge, making sure pre-operative testing is done and results are available, and maintaining confidential medical records, unit clerks are champions at balancing priorities. Thank you to all of our unit clerks for their dedication to this unique, everevolving job. Don’t forget to recognize them too, especially, on August 23, 2016, Health Unit Clerk Recognition Day.
Dates to Remember Certified Nurses’ Day Breakfast - March 18 from 6:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. 2 South Conference Room Nurses’ Week Luncheon - May 11 Lunch - 10:45 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. in the Community Room Dinner - 4:45 p.m. - 7 p.m. in the Community Room Meals will be delivered to night shift nursing staff from 11 p.m. - midnight on May 11.