NURSING ANNUAL REPORT 2009 NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL NURSE. Collaborative Compassionate. Patients First NURSING EXCELLENCE

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1 NURSING ANNUAL REPORT 2009 NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL NURSE Advocate Autonomous Collaborative Compassionate Dynamic Knowledgeable Patients First NURSING EXCELLENCE Shared Leadership Continuous Learning Contribution PATIENT CARE TEAM Integrity Teamwork Safe and Effective Care

2 Annual Report 2009 Northwestern Memorial Framework for Practice* This pictorial representation guides our nurses as they provide care to patients, collaborate within multidisciplinary teams, and contribute to the profession of nursing. Each circle depicts an essential component of nursing practice at Northwestern Memorial. All components intersect at the center, illustrating our commitment to our Patients First mission and patient centered care. * Based on the work of nursing theorist Virginia Henderson Excellence Sharing Leadership Continuous Learning Contribution Northwestern Memorial Nurse Advocate Autonomous Collaborative Compassionate Dynamic Knowledgeable Patients First Patient Care Team Integrity Teamwork Safe and Effective Care Dear Colleagues, I am pleased to report the significant accomplishments of the Division of during 2009, accomplishments that have been guided by our nursing and organizational strategic plans. The Northwestern Plan for Advancing Excellence closely links the goals of the nursing division with the strategic goals of Northwestern Medicine : Deliver Exceptional Care, Advance Science and Knowledge and Develop People, Culture and Resources. In addition, our Plan for Excellence encompasses five areas of strategic focus: Innovation; Workforce Supply and Performance; Healthy Work Environment; Leadership; and Research and Evidence- Based Practice. Our 2009 Annual Report frames the accomplishments of Northwestern Memorial nurses in each of the five areas of strategic focus. Within Innovation, we significantly advanced patient and family centered care this year by further embedding the Patient Centered Model of Care throughout all areas of the organization in which care is provided to patients. While adapting the model to the many and diverse environments of care, evidence-based tactics shown to increase patient safety have been preserved. Consistent application of these tactics was integral to the achievement of significant reductions in adverse outcomes, such as pressure ulcers and patient falls. The Northwestern Plan for Advancing Excellence This table highlights how the goals of the Division of at Northwestern Memorial align with the strategic goals of Northwestern Medicine. Northwestern Medicine Goals Goals Deliver Exceptional Care Innovation Our Workforce Supply and Performance goals were supported by focused initiatives to promote scholarship and increase specialty certification. Seventy-three percent of Northwestern Memorial nurses now are prepared at the baccalaureate level as compared with an average of 47 percent baccalaureate preparation for Magnet hospitals overall. The percentage of certified nurses at Northwestern Memorial increased by 24 percent in 2009 and 43 percent of eligible nurses have achieved certification in their specialty. This compares with 28 percent for Magnet hospitals overall, as reported by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in Leadership goals were advanced in 2009 as hundreds of Northwestern Memorial nurses impacted nursing positively through participation in shared leadership committees, involvement in professional nursing organizations or by providing presentations regionally and nationally. Advance Science and Knowledge Research and Evidence-Based Practice Organizational initiatives in the past year to reduce blood and body fluid exposure, support caregivers following adverse events and create a socialization program for newly hired nurses enhanced our Healthy Practice Environment. Finally, Northwestern Memorial nurses participated in an increasing number of research studies and projects this year, achieving significant progress toward advancing new nursing knowledge. Develop People, Culture and Resources Workforce Supply and Performance Healthy Practice Environment Leadership To all of our nurses, thank you for the work you do every day on behalf of our patients and families and to advance our profession. The achievements highlighted in this report demonstrate how Northwestern Memorial nurses embody the Northwestern Framework for Practice, which is centered on the Patients First mission of our organization. Index Innovation 2 Sincerely, Workforce Supply and Performance 5 Healthy Practice Environment 8 Leadership 10 Michelle A. Janney, RN, PhD, NEA-BC Senior Vice President and Wood-Prince Family Chief Nurse Executive Northwestern Memorial Hospital Research and Evidence-Based Practice 12 1

3 Innovation Annual Report 2009 From the Patient s Perspective The nursing shift change occurred in my room in front of me. The nurse going off duty introduced the nurse coming on duty and they talked about my schedule. The personal connection, the face recognition and recording the name of the nurse and the technician coming on duty on the white board next to my bed all contributed to making me feel that they knew me and were focused on me. Dan Kowalsky, patient in Cardiology Innovation We aspire to develop and implement innovations in patient and family centered care that foster quality, safety and effectiveness and serve as a model for nursing care nationally. Patient Centered Model of Care To ensure exceptional patient and family centered care at Northwestern Memorial, we continued to advance our Patient Centered Model of Care during The model provides our nurses with a means of directly applying concepts from our Framework for Practice in their work with patients and families in all areas of patient care. Within the model, patients and families are viewed as the center of care delivery and recognition is given to the importance of interdisciplinary coordination of care. In each specialty area, the model is tailored to meet the unique needs of patients. Evidence-based tactics shown to support effective teamwork, inclusion of the patient in the plan of care and patient safety have been retained in all adaptations of the model. Performing nursing reports within the patient s room is an essential component of this model. Including of patients and families in change of shift discussions increases their involvement in goal setting and establishing the plan of care. Whiteboards in patient rooms are used to communicate names of caregivers and elements of the care plan, such as pain management and daily goals. Hourly rounding allows our nurses to proactively address common patient concerns, such as pain management, positioning and toileting needs. Safety huddles, another evidencebased tactic, are conducted every shift so the care team can discuss patients at high risk for adverse events, such as falls, and implement appropriate preventive measures. Interdisciplinary rounds foster collaboration among nurses, physicians and others to assure coordination of the plan of care. Our nurses continue to identify further enhancements to the model. We believe this sustainable model of care delivery creates a culture of team collaboration and provides structure and processes for critical thinking and individualized interventions to meet the unique needs of our patients. Pressure Ulcer Prevention Through consistent application of a bundled group of always practices, we achieved a significant reduction in the incidence of pressure ulcers in The implemented always practices address the root causes of pressure ulcers and include: Skin assessment in the Emergency Department and Ambulatory and Same Day Surgery Units A thorough skin assessment immediately upon admission and every 12 hours thereafter In addition to these always practices, we have developed skin management experts to provide unit-based coaching and oversight of skin care practices and pressure ulcer management. Sixty-two nurses have received special training in skin management. Under the direction of wound and ostomy clinicians, these nurses serve as resources for our caregivers in directing skin care practices. They also collect data during quarterly skin prevalence days, during which skin assessments are performed on all eligible inpatients Left: Ann Amaefule, RN, BSN, MSN, and Lynette Janetzke, RN, conduct bedside report on the Antepartum unit. Including patients in the discussion outlining the plan of care is an essential part of the Patient Centered Model of Care. Above: Multiple perspectives are shared during safety huddles, helping the team identify patients at high risk for adverse events and to develop a plan to personalize and enhance patient care. Prevalence 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Prevalence (Lower is better) FY08Q1 FY08Q2 FY08Q3 FY08Q4 FY09Q1 FY09Q2 FY09Q3 FY09Q4 Prevalence Benchmark: National Database of Quality Indicators Weighted Mean The rate of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers decreased from 7.8% in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2008 to 4.3% in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009, outperforming the benchmark for the National Database of Quality Indicators. Additionally, there were no Stage 4 pressure ulcers during the 2009 third and fourth quarters and 11 patient care units reported no pressure ulcers during this period. 2 3

4 Workforce Supply and Performance Annual Report 2009 and the prevalence of pressure ulcers is documented. Clean Hands Major improvements in hand hygiene compliance were achieved in fiscal year 2009 through focusing responsibility for clean hands performance at the unit level. All personnel entering and leaving patient rooms assume the authority and responsibility for performance of this important patient safety practice. To monitor performance, an electronic peer observation tool on the intranet is used for real-time reporting. Adherence 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Performance: Clean Hands (Inpatient Units) High-Risk All Inpatient Units Only* Units FY08Q1 FY08Q2 FY08Q3 FY08Q4 Adherence to Hand Hygiene Protocol FY09Q1 FY09Q2 FY09Q3 FY09Q4 Northwestern Memorial Goal Patient Falls Prevention Prevention of patient falls continued as a priority patient safety initiative during fiscal year Key components of the Patient Centered Model of Care, specifically safety huddles and hourly rounding, enhanced identification of patients at risk for falls and proactive attentiveness to major contributing factors to falls, were major areas of focus. These initiatives resulted in a 16 percent improvement in the falls rate per 1000 patient days in the third and fourth quarters of Total Falls per 1,000 Patient Days Observational audits demonstrated an increase in compliance with hand hygiene from 57% (first quarter) to 80% (fourth quarter) on medical, surgical and obstetrics units and from 62% (first quarter) to 78% (fourth quarter) in intensive care units, and transplant and oncology units. Falls Rate Per 1,000 Patient Days (Lower is better) FY08Q1 FY2008 = 2.61 FY08Q2 FY08Q3 FY08Q4 Number of Falls per 1,000 Patient Days FY09Q1 FY09Q2 FY2009 = 2.74 FY09Q3 Rate per Year FY09Q4 Benchmark: National Database of Quality Indicators Weighted Mean Workforce Supply And Performance We aspire to attract, develop and retain exceptional nurses and provide them with an environment that fosters excellence through continuous learning. Commitment to Scholarship Continuous learning is a core value of our organization and an integral driver of our vision for nursing at Northwestern Memorial. We advocate the pursuit of baccalaureate education for Northwestern Memorial nurses with associate degrees or diplomas and continuing education for baccalaureate prepared nurses pursuing master s and doctoral degrees. To support our nurses in advancing their education, we provide a tuition reimbursement program, flexible scheduling, scholarship programs and the option of performing a portion of graduate clinical practicum experiences at Northwestern Memorial. During 2009, more than 400 Northwestern Memorial employees received tuition support in their pursuit of nursing-related education. Additionally, we offered 351 continuing education programs for our nurses with more than 100 associated contact hours. As part of our commitment to scholarship, we also worked collaboratively with local colleges and the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council to increase the number of clinical placements available for nursing students. Schools of Partnerships As part of our commitment to scholarship, we work collaboratively with our local colleges and the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council to increase the number of clinical placements for nursing students. Northwestern Memorial Partnerships with Schools and Colleges of Number of Baccalaureate Schools with Affiliations for Clinical Placements 5 10 Number of Student Clinical Placements Northwestern Memorial Nurse Hires from Affiliated Schools of 25% 30% Supporting Certification Supporting our nurses in achieving professional certification is consistent with the continuous learning component of our Northwestern Memorial Framework for Practice. We provide complimentary onsite review courses for our nurses with associated continuing education 4 Northwestern Memorial nurses routinely participate in interdisciplinary rounding with physicians, medical residents, care facilitators and students to share ideas and review each patient s plan of care. Above: David Dizon; RN, Surgical Services, works with technicians and other members of the team to safely prepare sharps and other instruments for surgery. 5

5 Workforce Supply and Performance Annual Report 2009 Thoughts on Certification In the two years that I ve been teaching our Critical Care Review Course, I ve seen an increase in the numbers of nurses attending the course and those becoming certified. It s exciting to see certification becoming more and more a part of the professional expectation for all of our Northwestern Memorial nurses. Paul Langlois, RN, PhD, CCNS, CCRN, CNRN, Manager, CTICU Elizabeth Wengel, RN, DNP, APN, 10W Neurosciences, is a clinical instructor with Chamberlain College of. She works with student nurses like Stephanie Kurth and Rafael Ilagan who do clinical rotations at Northwestern Memorial. hours and tuition reimbursement benefits covering the cost of the certification exam. Medical-surgical nurses can participate in an annual eight-week advanced medical-surgical nursing course designed to deepen nursing knowledge as well as prepare them to take the certification exam offered by the Academy of Medical- Surgical. Approximately 40 nurses have attended this course annually and the number of certified medical-surgical nurses increased to 91 in We offer a 12-week critical care review course, resulting in more than 100 Northwestern Memorial nurses achieving certification in Critical Care. Nurses in Women s Health specialties may attend review courses in preparation for Inpatient Obstetrics, Maternal/Newborn, Neonatal Intensive Care and Advanced Fetal Monitoring nursing certifications. Today, 160 Northwestern Memorial nurses hold one of the Women s Health specialty certifications Number of Northwestern Memorial Certified Nurses Q1 FY07 Q2 FY07 Q3 FY07 Q4 FY07 Q1 FY08 Q2 FY08 Q3 FY08 Q4 FY08 Q1 FY09 Q2 FY09 Q3 FY09 Q4 FY09 Number of Certified Nurses Northwestern Memorial Goal (10% increase each year) During fiscal year 2009, we achieved a 24% increase in the number of Northwestern Memorial nurses with specialty certification. Currently, 46% of eligible nurses are board certified. Northwestern Memorial nurses celebrated their commitment to continuing education and their certification achievements during the hospital s Certified Nurses Day event in Demographic in Fiscal Year 2009 Caucasian 66% Asian/Pacific Islander 19% African-American 9% Latino 6% Northwestern Memorial at a Glance in Fiscal Year 2009 Total Registered Nurses 2291 Certified Nurses 793 Advanced Practice Nurses 49 Caucasian 66% Nurses with Associate Degree/Diploma 374 Asian/Pacific Islander 19% Nurses with Bachelor of Science in 1578 African-American 9% Nurses with Master of Science in 192 Latino 6% Nurses with Doctorate Degree 11 Percentage Female 92% Percentage Male 8% Average Age 38 Years Average Years of Service 7 Years RN Vacancy Rate 1% RN Voluntary Turnover Rate 7.6% 6 7

6 Healthy Practice Environment Annual Report 2009 Thoughts on a Healthy Practice Environment We are passionate about creating a healthy work environment for nurses and all employees and continue to implement strategies and programs to increase employee engagement and reduce fatigue which can cause increased errors, injuries and feelings of stress. Sarah Buenaventura, RN, BSN, CMSRN, clinical coordinator, 14E Medicine Healthy Practice Environment We aspire to provide our nurses with an environment that supports their professional practice, health and well-being. New Hire Socialization Program During 2009, the Best People and Excellence conducted a New Hire Socialization Program for 25 new nurses throughout the organization. The program provided mentoring relationships, socialization among nurses new to the organization and fostered engagement. Mentors were identified for each of the newly hired nurses and programs were conducted throughout the year to facilitate their acclimation to Northwestern Memorial and the staff nurse role. In addition, mentors kept in frequent contact with mentees to assess their satisfaction and engagement in the organization. One-year retention among program participants was 100 percent. Blood and Body Fluid Exposure Reduction To increase employee safety, an organizational goal was established in 2009 to reduce caregiver blood and body fluid exposures by 10 percent. A multidisciplinary team led the project, with goals of increasing employee awareness, increasing use of personal protective equipment and identifying process improvements to reduce needle sticks and body fluid splashes. Focus groups, including nurses from high risk areas, reviewed all needle stick and splash incidents. Key interventions were based on most frequent causes of employee exposure and included safety training for all nurses and patient care technicians, increasing availability of personal protective equipment and assuring use of safety eyewear protection during bedside procedures. Adverse Events Support Program An adverse events support program was launched during fiscal year 2009 to support our caregivers in dealing with the emotional reaction to an error or serious adverse event. This customized and unique workforce advocacy program affords nurses and others who experience an adverse event with a safe place to verbalize thoughts, feelings and reactions related to the event. Through the organizational Employee Assistance Program, support is accessible immediately after identification of an adverse event and is designed to meet the needs of the employee either individually or within a group. The intervention is confidential, short-term and focused solely on the adverse event. Left: Susan Maruso, RN, 13W Medicine, wears protective eyewear during a bedside procedure as part of a goal implemented in 2009 to increase employee safety by reducing incidents of blood and body fluid exposures. Above: Also part of the safety goal, Valerie Gongaware, RN, MS, and Carol Matiya, RN, MS, CCRN, use patient lift equipment to help a patient get out of bed on the Coronary Care unit. Use of the lift equipment helps patients avoid falls while also reducing the incidents of back and shoulder injuries experienced by nurses due to improper lifting. Exposure Rate as a % of total RNs in the organization 3.5% 3.0% 2.5% 2.0% 1.5% 1.0% 0.5% 0% Work-Related Injuries: Blood and Body Fluid Exposures Involving Sharps/Needles FY08Q2 FY08Q3 FY08Q4 FY09Q1 FY09Q2 FY09Q3 FY09Q4 Blood and Body Fluid Exposure involving sharps/needles Q1 08 Baseline BBFE-Sharps = 1.08% Safety device training for RNs FY10 Q1 FY10 DEC An organizational initiative to reduce blood and body fluid exposure led to an 18.6% reduction in employee sharp and splash incidents in 2009 as compared with the prior year. 8 9

7 Leadership Annual Report 2009 From the Patient s Perspective My nurse included me in the decision making. She responded quickly, engaged me, helped me choose a next step and took gentle charge and administered medication. She allowed me my voice and yet effectively implemented the best course of action. Alice DiCorce, patient in Stem Cell Transplant Leadership We aspire to develop transformational leaders who can positively impact the nursing profession at Northwestern Memorial as well as locally, nationally and internationally. Shared Leadership Within the Northwestern Framework for Practice is a commitment to collaborative governance, based on guiding concepts of equity, ownership, partnership and accountability. Through our committee structure, nurses from all settings and roles participate in organizational decision making. Our nurses have the opportunity to apply for a two-year term on one of the seven hospitalwide shared leadership committees: Education and Development Research and Evidence-Based Practice Best People and Excellence Technology and Informatics Quality and Patient Safety Finance Practice In addition, shared leadership committees representing 10 departments that cover the major medical specialty areas, provide a structure and process for engaging nurses in decision making and fostering communication at the departmental level. All nursing units and procedural areas have unit-based quality committees. These committees empower nurses to participate in evidence-based practice changes in their immediate work environment. Unit Quality members use quality indicators and patient satisfaction data to drive unit-based quality initiatives that are aligned with organizational goals. Leadership During 2009, Northwestern Memorial nurses provided 60 poster and podium presentations at conferences including the ANCC National Magnet Conference, The Iowa Evidence-Based Practice Conference and prestigious, national specialty conferences such as the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses Convention, the Oncology Congress, The American Organization of Nurse Executives, the Association of Radiology Nurses and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. Nearly 400 Northwestern Memorial nurses participated in more than 60 professional nursing organizations in The following are representative examples of the many ways in which these nurses positively impacted the nursing profession: Cora Palmer RN, BSN, is an active member of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses and helped plan the national conference held in Washington, D.C. in September of Two Northwestern Memorial nurses were speakers at the conference and eight displayed posters. The poster presentation, Putting the Patient at the Center of Care received a best poster award at the conference. Janet Palamone RN, MSN, BS-HPA, CNRN, CCRN is a board member of the greater Chicago Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Janet received the 2009 Gail Corush Award for Excellence in Neuroscience. She is a co-author of an article describing Northwestern Memorial s model of critical care orientation, published in the American Journal of Critical Care. Margaret Pierce RN, BSN, OCN has participated as an active member of the Chicago Chapter of Oncology Society for 19 years. She is a member of the Board of Directors, immediate past president, serves as co-chair of the nominating committee and participates on both the program and research committees. Wood-Prince Family Chief Nurse Executive Chair of Northwestern Memorial Hospital recently received a $5 million gift from the F.H. Prince 1932 Trust. A portion of this gift was earmarked by the family to establish the Wood-Prince Left: Regular meetings of the CNE Coordinating Council provide an opportunity to engage nurses in leadership and decision-making. Above: Michelle A. Janney, RN, PhD, NEA-BC, senior vice president and Wood-Prince Family Chief Nurse Executive, with Patrick and Meredith Wood-Prince. Family Chief Nurse Executive Chair, the hospital s first and only endowed executive seat and one of a limited few nationally. Michelle A.Janney, RN, PhD, NEA-BC, senior vice president, is the first chief nursing executive at Northwestern Memorial to hold the endowed seat. The endowment supports initiatives to advance nursing leadership Practice education and training. According to Janney, A gift of this stature lends additional honor and prestige to our nursing program. The Wood-Prince family s generosity will go a long way in enabling the Division of at Northwestern Memorial to continue to innovate and advance patient care, patient safety and outstanding quality outcomes for patients. Shared leadership at Northwestern Memorial continues as a dynamic, evolving structure designed to foster nursing excellence through effective horizontal and vertical communication and promotion of autonomy, clinical decision making, and accountability for practice among nurses throughout the organization. Numbers of posters and presentations Best People and Excellence Shared Leadership Structure Chief Nurse Executive Coordinating Council Hospitalwide Shared Leadership s (HSLCs) Research and Evidence- Based Practice Education and Development Departmental Shared Leadership s (DSLCs) Posters and Presentations Unit-Based s 23% Quality and Patient Safety 30% Technology and Informatics FY07 FY08 FY09 Northwestern Memorial nurses provided 60 podium and poster presentations in 2009, as compared with 46 presentations in 2008 and 36 in Finance 10 11

8 Research and Evidence-Based Practice Annual Report 2009 Research And Evidence-Based Practice We aspire to develop a culture of inquiry that encourages and supports nurses in advancing evidence-based practice and building new nursing knowledge. Northwestern Memorial nurses participated in an increasing number of research and evidencebased practice projects during the past year, including 10 new studies approved by the Research and Evidence-Based Practice. Our nurses also participated in a multi-site study of patient falls funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and in the INTERACT Study an interdisciplinary research study examining nurse and physician perceptions of communication ANCC Magnet Conference Three Northwestern Memorial nurses were selected to present their abstracts at the 2009 ANCC National Magnet Conference in Louisville, Ky. Podium Presentation Improving Culture and Learning from Errors with a Morbidity and Mortality Program, Jane Menendez, RN, BSN Surgical Clinical Coordinator, Prentice ASU, and Ann Schramm, RN, MSN, NEA- BC, Director, Women s Health. Poster Presentations Code Reduction Achieved with a Five Tiered Activation Model by a Rapid Response Team, Semico Miller, RN, BHA, BC; Cindy Darrah, RN, BSN, MBA, NE-BC; and Kristin Ramsey, RN, MSN, MPPM, NE-BC. Strategies to Create a Healthy Workforce, Sarah Buenaventura, RN, BSN, CMSRN, clinical coordinator, 14E Feinberg. Innovation Grants Through a generous gift from The Woman s Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Division of initiated Research and Evidence- Based Practice Innovation Grants in Innovation Grants of $12,500 were awarded to four Northwestern Memorial nurses to support their research projects to be conducted in Recipients include: Carol Burke, APN, MSN, CNS, Perinatal Advanced Practice Nurse Susan Eller, RN, BSN, manager, Clinical Simulation: Simulation Technology and Immersive Learning, Feinberg School of Medicine Barbara Holmes-Gobel, RN, MS, AOCN, manager, Oncology Semico D. Miller, RN, BHA, BC, manager, Transplant/Hepatology Chapman Scholars Northwestern Memorial Chapman Scholarships were awarded to eight nurses in The Chapman Nurse Scholar Program, supported through a generous endowment from the Chapman family, provides a sustainable source of research funding. Twice each year, staff nurses, education coordinators and clinical coordinators are invited to submit proposals for unit or departmental research or evidence- Thoughts on Research and Evidence-Based Practice Northwestern Memorial has created a culture of inquiry that encourages and fosters nurses to think outside the box and study new innovations and ways to practice to achieve our strategic goals as well as provide the best possible care for our patients. Rebecca G. Schuetz, RN-BC, BSN, clinical coordinator, Cardiovascular Thoracic Stepdown Unit New Research Studies in Fiscal Year 2009 The Research and Evidence-Based Practice reviews and approves all nursing research studies prior to their submission to the Northwestern University Institutional Review Board. Seven new studies with nurses as principal investigators were approved by the committee in Fiscal Year Principal Investigator (PI) / Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) Barb Buckley RN (PI) Ashley Currier BSN, RN(co-PI) Denise Anderson BSN, RN(co-PI) Fran Vlasses PhD, RN, NEA-BC (PI) Erika Elganzouri MSN, RN (co-pi) Lori Fewster-Thuente PhD(c) (co-pi) Fran Vlasses PhD, RN, NEA-BC (PI) Katie DejurasRN, MSN (co-pi) Fran Vlasses PhD, RN, NEA-BC (PI) Pat Murphy RN, MSN, MBA (co-pi) Katie Linn RN, BSN, CMSRN (co-pi) Pat Brown DNP, APN-BC, CNS, CCRN (PI) Arati Jairam-Thodia MSN, CNP (PI) Sandra Uribe APN, CNM (PI) based practice projects that advance our Exceptional Care strategic goal. Mary Alice Ackerman, RN, BSN, clinical coordinator in the CTICU, was one of this year s Chapman Scholars. Her project involved the implementation of a nurse-guided extubation protocol for post-cardiac surgery patients. Following initiation of the new protocol, a statistically significant decrease was noted in mechanical ventilation time. The protocol has since become the standard of practice for our Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit. Ackerman has presented the results of her work at several forums including the annual American Association of Critical Care Nurses National Training Institute in New Orleans in May of Study Title Counseling and Referral for Hypertensive Patients in the Emergency Department Analysis of the Medication Administration Process: Impact of Interruptions A Grounded Theory Study of Nurse-Physician Collaboration Fostering Critical Thinking & Decision Making at the Bedside: A Qualitative Analysis Embracing a Collaborative Model of Care to Improve Family Satisfaction Impact of Complimentary Alternative Medicine on Women with Gynecological Malignancies Hands and Knees Positioning During Labor to Rotate Occiput Posterior Fetal Presentation Left: Susan Cloud, RNC, JD, Labor and Delivery, and Carol Burke, RNC, MSN, APN, women s health clinical nurse specialist, shared their research evaluating the care provided to patients during the second stage of labor with national audiences in Above: Sarah Buenaventura, RN, BSN, CMSRN, clinical coordinator, 14E Medicine, presented her findings on creating a healthier workforce. Northwestern Memorial nurses provided 60 posters and presentations at regional and national conferences in Northwestern Memorial Recognition and Awards Achieved Magnet recognition, the gold standard for nursing excellence and quality care. Awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in Consistently recognized as one of America s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report magazine. Eleven of our clinical specialties were ranked among the nation s best in the 2009 annual survey, with six receiving the highest ranking in Illinois. Named for the second time as one of the nation s top hospitals by The Leapfrog Group in 2009, an achievement that recognizes a commitment to the highest standards of quality and safety. Northwestern Memorial was chosen as one of only 26 hospitals nationally to receive this award. Ranked among the top 15 of approximately 100 academic medical centers in the University HealthSystem Consortium s annual listing of academic medical centers for the past four years, based on a composite index of quality and safety measures. For the 15th consecutive year in 2009, consumers in the eight-county Chicago region ranked Northwestern Memorial as their most preferred hospital in consumer research conducted by the National Research Corporation. For the fifth consecutive year, Northwestern Memorial was the sole winner of the Consumer Choice award based on consumer rankings in four areas: best doctors, best nurses, best overall quality and best image and reputation. Named one of the 100 Most Wired Hospitals in the nation, as designated by Hospitals & Health Networks, the flagship publication of the American Hospital Association. For the ninth year, Northwestern Memorial was recognized by the publication for its effective use of information technology to achieve clinical and operational excellence. Named to Working Mother s 100 Best Companies list for the 10th consecutive year, recognizing companies that provide a family-friendly culture and benefits that assist working mothers with work-life balance. For the first time in 2009, Northwestern Memorial was included in the Working Mother s Best in Class category for training and development. 12

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