e-ChannelThe Right Care Right Here

An electronic newsletter for our employees and friends • Available at www.irmc.cc, under ‘Staff Tools’

VOLUME 3 | NUMBER 7 | March 31 2011

‘Room of Horrors’ Helped Team Members IdentifyPatient Risks and Safety Violations

Wearing sunglasses and a bandana and using oxygen tubing with an unlit cigarette tucked between his lips, the patient in Room 557 was last seen attempting to slip out of bed to grab a quick smoke. And he bore a striking resemblance to a bad-boy actor who’s been getting a lot of press lately!

This mock up of a ‘hospital room of horrors’ was created by Debra Alderman, R.N., MHA, director Patient Safety, Quality Management and Discharge Planning, as a patient safety training exercise to highlight National Patient Safety Awareness Week in March. She created a fun quiz for staff to list all the potential safety hazards.

“I was pleased to note so many staff members taking the time to check out the safety issues,” Debra said. She received 64 entries. “In fact, IRMC team members not only caught everything, but also found

things that were not intentional on my part.”Those who got 100 percent scores were

entered into the drawing. Winners were then chosen at random: Josie Predoti, ACC clerk, CCU, grand prize of a $50 Publix gift certificate; Gabriel Anholt, RPT, center; and Judy Walker, R.N., preceptor, Special Procedures, not pictured, who each received $25 Publix gift cards.

Are You Interested in Weight Watchers?

Are you thinking of getting your body in swimsuit shape for the summer?

If you want to participate in Weight Watchers at IRMC, please contact Steve Massey at ext. 1127 or Mary Jane Stewart at ext. 1133.

IRMC’s Health and Wellness program, ‘On The Right Track,’ continues to provide employees with resources to maximize their health goals to maintain optimal health, and therefore encourages employees to take advantage of this opportunity.

Easter – and the Easter Bunny – Approaches

Don’t forget that the Easter Bunny will be making his annual appearance at IRMC on Saturday, April 16, beginning at 9 a.m. Employees and their children, ages 1 to 10, are welcome. Children will hunt eggs in the age groups of 1 to 3, 4 to 6, and 7 to 10. The morning will start with a breakfast buffet and children will be able to spend time with the Easter Bunny before heading outside for the Easter egg hunt. Crayons and Easter drawings will be on hand to color.

Don’t forget to bring your child’s basket for gathering goodies and cameras for keepsake photos.

Sign up will begin tomorrow, April 1, at the Health and Wellness Desk in the Cafeteria outside the physician dining room.

CPOE Clinical Liaisons Begin Shadowing Hospitalists and Emergency Physicians to Study IRMC’s Current Ordering ProcessesBetty Sorce, R.N., CCM, and Tonja Tory, R.N., shadowed hospitalist Dr. Kristoff Naberezny and other IRMC hospitalists and Emergency Department physicians recently as part of their assignment as clinical liaisons for the ongoing Patient Safety and Quality Initiative (PSQI). Betty and Tonja spend a day or more with each doctor to observe and learn the physician’s daily workflow, including order entry, rounding and discharge process. Orders may be for lab work, X-rays, medication and more. They will use the data they gather to create a ‘report card’ to use as a baseline to measure how the system works now and

how it will compare when physicians begin using computerized provider order entry (CPOE) within the next two years. Currently, patient orders are written in a chart or given verbally over the phone.

Betty Sorce, pictured above left, and Tonja Tory, discuss order processes with hospitalist Dr. Kristoff Naberezny.

On Feb. 1, the ‘No Passing Zone’ pilot program began on 5S. All IRMC employees who were on the 5th floor were asked to acknowledge a patient’s call light by not ‘passing’ the patient’s room without addressing the patient’s need. The first set of data collected since initiating the program indicated a significant improvement in the area of ‘promptness/response to call.’ Prior to the pilot, 5S’s mean score in January was 75 out of 100. The latest score is 86.4.

The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) Team met to review the findings and made the decision to go ‘house-wide’ with this initiative on Monday, April 4.

In support of this initiative, a kick-off will be held in the cafeteria on Monday. Cake will be served and employees will receive their ‘No Passing Zone’ button as a reminder that it will take an entire team to make this successful.

For those of you who have not had the opportunity to review a HCAHPS

survey, the question that patients are asked to answer regarding this initiative is:

During this hospital stay, after you pressed the call button, how often did you get help as soon as you wanted it?

The scale is never, sometimes, usually or always. The answer that will

positively impact our score is ‘always.’ “This doesn’t

mean every staff member is capable of assisting a patient to the bathroom or administering pain medication,” said Karen Marple, MSN, RNC, division director, Patient Care Services, and a member of the pilot program team. “What it does mean is that every staff member can respond to a call light with, ‘How can I help you?’ and then immediately seek the appropriate person to fulfill the request. If the request is simple, such as retrieving a TV remote or tissue, any staff member can assist.”

“The sharing of responsibilities helps engage all staff members and also promotes a culture of teamwork,” added Brande Rivera, R.N., BSN, education coordinator for Medical Surgical Division, and team member.

‘No Passing Zone’ a Notable Success

Cardiac Stepdown Nurse Earns Certification in Medical Cardiology

Rose Mundy, R.N., PCCN, successfully completed the Cardiac Medicine Certification (CMC) exam, earning her the CMC subspecialty credential from the Association of Critical Care Nursing (AACN). Rose is the night charge nurse in our Cardiac Stepdown Unit.

“This is a difficult certification to achieve,” said Kathy Clark, R.N., CCRN, CNML, nurse manager, Intermediate Cardiac Care and Cardiac Stepdown Unit.

Earning a subspecialty credential demonstrates a commitment to patients and families, employers and colleagues, said Wanda Johanson, R.N., M.S., CEO of the AACN. Research studies have linked certification to higher levels of job satisfaction, clinical knowledge, experience and skill. The importance of clinical certification to the health and well-being of patients in the United States is well documented.

Rose Mundy, R.N., PCCN, proudly displaying her CMC certificate.

NOPASSINGZONE

IRMC Welcomes Richard Van Lith as Director of Business Development

Richard Van Lith has joined IRMC in the new position of director of Business

Development. Responsible for program/market development and physician/hospital alignment initiatives related to the hospital’s strategic plan, he

will work closely with physicians, insurers, health plans and businesses to meet the healthcare needs of employers, their employees and the general public. He will also focus on expanding multiple service lines, including cardiac services, and explore opportunities to enhance health and wellness services for the community.

Prior to joining IRMC, Rick held a number of leadership roles in South Florida including chief executive officer at Boca Raton Regional Hospital; administrator of JFK Medical Center’s Heart Institute in West Palm Beach; vice president of JFK’s Physician and Clinical Services; and vice president of Patient Operations/administrator of St. Mary’s/Good Samaritan Medical Centers in West Palm Beach.

Before moving to Florida in 2005, Rick was chief executive officer at Bon Secours of Michigan and Bon Secours Cottage Health Services in Grosse Pointe, MI, for seven years.

Rick received his Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Science from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN, and his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

“Indian River Medical Center provides a great opportunity for our medical staff, hospital staff and community to work together to provide outstanding patient care in an absolutely great place to live,” Rick said.