Nursing
CoNNECTION
Fall 2010
A Publication for and
about the Compassionate
and Caring Nurse Colleagues
of Northern Michigan
Regional Hospital
Mock Survey — One More Step
I
n anticipation of the Magnet survey,
nurse Colleagues participated in
a mock exercise October 6 – 8 in
order to review the Magnet criteria
and to formulate answers to typical
survey questions. Reviewing the mock
questions and your personal responses
in preparation of the actual survey
is just one more step to achieving a
Magnet designation.
Questions from the Mock
Magnet Site Visit
Eight topics nurses should be prepared
to answer questions about.
1. Quality and Safety
a.What are the Nurse sensitive
quality indicators you use on
your unit?
b.How would you rate the quality
of care delivered on your unit?
c.What are the quality measures
on your unit?
d.Tell me one thing about
your unit that demonstrates
excellence.
e.What has changed in your
organization since the
beginning of your
Magnet Journey?
f.In what way are you proud
of the care patients receive on
your unit?
g.How does the organization
ensure that it is a safe place to
be a nurse?
h.How do you work with the
interdisciplinary teams to
provide safe care?
Kathleen M. Stolzenberger, PhD, RN,
conducted the Magnet survey and presented
results at the Annual Nursing Summit.
i.Convince me that extraordinary
nursing happens here.
j.How is your unit doing in
regard to patient satisfaction?
k.Tell me about Nursing
Satisfaction on your unit.
l.How would you rate
communication in your
organization ?
m.How would you rate nurse/
nurse relationships and trust?
n.How would you rate nurse/
leadership relationships and trust?
o.How would you rate nurse/
physician relationships and trust?
p.Describe communication
across settings.
2. Professional Development
a.How did you become
competent in your specialty?
b.How do you stay competent in
your specialty?
c.How does the organization
support specialty certification?
d.Why is certification important?
e.How does the organization
support you in continuing your
formal education?
f.How does the Hospital support
continuing education?
g.How does the organization
provide educational resources
for the night shift?
h.Is there an education plan
for Nursing?
i.What was the last continuing
education you took
advantage of?
j.Do you belong to any
professional organizations?
k.How has belonging to your
professional organization
changed practice in your
unit/organization?
l.How are nurse teachers
developed in your organization?
m.What is the professional role of
the nurse?
n.Why do you stay at NMRH?
3. Evidenced-based Practice
a.Tell me about a decision
made by a direct-care nurse
in your area.
b.How do you go about changing
a nursing practice on your unit?
continued on page 2
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
O
n Tuesday, September 28, I listened to First Lady
Michelle Obama’s national conference call marking
the six-month anniversary of the Affordable Care
Act. Hearing her enthusiastic support of the nursing
profession and her genuine understanding of our needs was
very heartening.
Mary-Anne D. Ponti,
RN, MSN, MBA,
CNAA-BC, Vice
President of Nursing/
Chief Nurse Executive
The Affordable Care Act contains some
generous provisions for nursing. In
order to serve the increasing number
of Americans who will have access
to affordable care, billions of dollars
will be allocated to nursing, including
education and recruitment, advanced
training in primary care, expansion of
clinicians in under-served areas, and the
development of nurse-directed clinics.
To hear the conference call and to learn
the specific details of the funding, visit
www.aboutmichelleobama.blogspot.
com/2010/09/michelle-obama-hostsconference-call.html.
The passage of Healthcare Reform was
such an important moment for all of
us, and it is exciting to see the ways in
which the provisions of the bill are already impacting the
business of healthcare and nursing. As you know, families
with children, young adults and college students, and
individuals with pre-existing conditions are now protected
from unfair insurance practices. Additionally, preventative
care will now be covered without out-of-pocket expenses;
this means that mammograms, cancer screenings,
immunizations, and pre-natal care, to name just a few, will
now be available to all Americans. Nurses will be very busy
in the years to come. Mrs. Obama’s message also included a
call-to-action to nurses throughout the nation; she asks you
to join her in a national outreach effort to educate patients
and their families about the ways that Healthcare Reform
will improve their lives. We all need to get educated on
what the Reform means to our patients.
We are working in a time of historic change; you and your
Colleagues will share challenges and advancements of the
profession, while you continue in the day-to-day mission of
providing healthcare as you would for your own families.
Thank you for everything you do each and every day.
Mary-Anne D. Ponti, RN, MSN, MBA, CNAA-BC
Vice President of Nursing/Chief Nurse Executive
2 Nursing Connection
c.How do you use current evidence in
your practice?
d.How has evidence-based practice influenced a
change on your unit?
e.What research are you involved in?
f.How do you use research to change patient care?
4. S hared Governance “Nurses have the right
to make decisions that impact patient care”
a.What is your professional accountability in
ensuring Quality?
b.How are you involved on your unit?
c.What mechanisms are in place to improve
problem areas that are within nursing’s
influence?
d.What is the Shared Governance Council
structure in your organization?
e.What has your UBC done to change practice on
your unit?
f.Name 3 things your UBC is most proud of
and that proves nurses are effectively making
decisions about quality.
g.How do you learn about what is happening in
a council?
h.Who can participate in the UBC or a council?
i.How does the organization support participation
in Shared Governance Councils/UBCs?
j.How are nurses involved in decisions related to
policy and procedures?
5. Peer Review
a. What is peer review?
b.How do you use peer review on your unit?
c.Do you have an opportunity to participate in the
peer review process?
d. How can peer review impact patient care?
e.What are the formal and informal ways we use
peer review?
6. Code of Ethics
a.Tell me how you use the Nursing Code
of Ethics?
b. How do you practice with autonomy?
c. How do you advocate for resources?
d.How has the Nursing Code of Ethics influenced
patient care on your unit?
e.How has the Nursing Code of Ethics changed
your care delivery system?
f.Give an example of conflict on your unit and
how it is handled.
7. Staffing and Standards of Practice
a.How do the Principals of the American Nursing
Association relate to nursing at NMRH?
b.What are the nurse/patient ratios on your unit?
c.From 1–10, how would you rate staffing on
your unit?
d.What is the care delivery model on your unit?
e.In what way are the Principals
of the American Nursing
Association alive at NMRH?
f.Give me an example of how
you practice autonomy in your
delivery of care.
g.How do bedside nurses
participate in staffing decisions?
h.How do you incorporate
standards from specialty
organizations into your delivery
of care?
i.If you could change one thing
in your practice or environment,
what would it be?
8. The Professional Practice Model
a.Give me a definition of what
nursing should look like here at
NMRH.
b.Explain to me the Professional
Practice Model at NMRH.
c.Tell me how the Quality Caring
Model comes alive here on
your unit.
d.Think of a patient you
cannot forget, where you gave
extraordinary care, and then
tell me how your Professional
Practice Model was used.
e.What are SERVE Values? How
do they influence patient care?
f.Study NMRH Professional
Practice Model. Develop three
sentences to describe it in your
own words.
Tips for a Magnet Survey
1.Prepare ahead of time for
the survey.
2.Have an identified Nurse Leader
and Manager greet the surveyor as
soon as they enter the unit (don’t
make them look for you).
3.Have a space ready for the interview
process that is comfortable and looks
professional.
4.Clean up the unit (company
is coming).
5. Staff-up so staff is available.
6.Get excited! Answers questions with
enthusiasm, be proud.
7.Sit up straight, lean forward so you
seem interested.
8.Know what you want the surveyor
to know. Make a list of what you are
most proud of, decisions that directcare nurses have made.
9.Identify someone to “break the ice”
no matter what the question, i.e.
“I’m so glad you asked the question,
we have so much to share.”
10.Answer each question, then give an
example, i.e. “An example of that
would be when….”
11.“Hinge”: Build on each
other’s answers.
12.“Toss the Ball”: Prompt each other
with ideas.
13.Know your unit/nursing division
quality measurements and have the
data available so you know how you
are doing.
14.Know what is posted on the wall and
be ready to speak to it.
15.Know what is important to the
surveyor, so you can tell it without
being prompted.
16.Thread EBP examples, specialty
standards, and data into
your examples.
17.Outline examples: Background (what
was the problem), Who was involved:
names and roles (not we, they)? What
was the process? What evidence was
used to support improvement? What
was the outcome?
Together, we are a whole
Evidence-based Practice
Professional Practice Model
Ethical Practice
Professional Development
Peer Preview
Staffing and Standards of Practice
Shared Governance
Safety/Quality
Magnet Timeline
February 2009
Amazing Journey Kick-off
August 2010
Application Submission and
Poster Fair
October 2010
Mock Survey
March 2011
Earliest Anticipated Site Visit
90 Days After Site Visit
Earliest Anticipated Response
Regarding Designation Approval
18.Use patient care examples that
make the PPM come alive.
Areas of Organizational Strengths
1.Visibility/Accessibility of Nursing
Leaders: CNO, Director, Manager
2.Availability of Clinical Resources:
SWAT
3. The Strategic Planning Process
4. DIGs/JDIs
5. Nurse Researcher
6. Clinical Ladder
Opportunities for Improvement
1.Direct-care nurses are inconsistent
in their ability to talk about:
a. Quality Measures
b. Clinical Measures
c. Patient Satisfaction
d. Nursing Satisfaction
2.Nurses cannot speak to the
effectiveness of UBCs/Shared
Governance Councils.
3.There is a lack of enthusiasm from
all levels of nursing about the work
that is being done.
4.UBCs are not perceived as
empowered to make decisions.
5.Nurses cannot speak to how The
Professional Practice Model is
integrated into the care
or environment.
6.There are a limited number of
nurses with specialty certification.
Cannot articulate importance
of certification.
7.Nurse Managers cannot articulate
the divisional strategies or goals.
8.Physician/Nurse relationships,
while have improved, are still
considered a problem.
3 Fall 2010
Northern Michigan Regional Hospital
Magnet Component Model
TL
T r a n s f o r m at i o n a l L e a d e r s h i p
SE
St r u ct u r a l E m p o w e r m e n t
EP
E x e m p l a r y P r o f e s s i o n a l P r a ct i c e
The intent of this model component is to transform the organization to meet the future.
Underlying this component are the strong relationships and partnerships developed
among all types of community organizations to improve patient outcomes and the health
of our community.
A comprehensive understanding of the role of nursing; the application of that role with
patients, families, communities, and the interdisciplinary team; and the application of new
knowledge and evidence.
NK
N e w K n o w l e d g e , I n n o vat i o n , a n d I m p r o v e m e n t s
EO
E m p i r i c a l O u tc o m e s
This component includes new models of care, application of existing evidence, new
evidence, and visible contributions to the science of nursing.
The Magnet recognition process primarily focuses on structure and processes, with an
assumption that good outcomes will follow. These outcomes will represent the “report card”
of Northern Michigan Regional Hospital and a concise way of demonstrating excellence.
4 Nursing Connection
SE
St r u ct u r a l E m p o w e r m e n t
Continuing Education
Higher Learning
F
oundation funds have been instrumental in furthering
the educational and professional advancements of our
Colleagues.
In 2009, over $50,000 was distributed for education and
certifications. In 2010, $14,127 has been allocated to date
including 1 RN certification in NAON and 25 nurses supported in
education and conferences.
The following recipients have earned
scholarships in 2010.
Terri White – MSN, Spring Arbor University (Graduation: 8/2011)
Jennifer Woods – MSN, Walden University (Graduation: 2011)
Julia Gron – BSN, Kaplan University (Graduation: 12/2013)
Kathleen St. Pierre – BSN, Spring Arbor University
(Graduation: 11/2011)
Patricia Dallaire – BSN, University of Michigan Flint
(Graduation: 7/2011)
Sally Brown – BSN, Chamberlain College of Nursing
(Graduation: 12/2010)
Stacey Bester – RN, Northwestern Michigan College
(Graduation: 5/2012)
Patty Walton – Crucial Conversations Conference
Sue Haley – CCDS, Certification (Certified Clinical
Documentation Specialist)
Ty Streeting – Bachelors Radiology
Judy Wojcik – Conference October 1, 2, 3, 2010
Kari Cosens – Bone Densitometry Certification
Barbara Elliott – Mammography Education Conference
Judy Bricker – 2010 NAON Conference
Toni Gruler – Orthopaedics Conference
Lisa Krause – Orthopaedics Conference
Jane Crain – Orthopaedics Conference
Faye Dubay – Orthopaedics Conference
Sue Keith – Orthopaedics Conference
Elizabeth Fox – Orthopaedics Conference
Amy Flynn – Orthopaedics Conference
Brooke Cummings – Orthopaedics Conference
Sara Tanner – Orthopaedics Conference
Patricia Woodside – Heart Failure Nursing Conference
Dawn Sage – RN, Degree Kirtland Community College
John Binko – RN, Degree NCMC
Norm Baumhardt – OCN, Certification and Oncology
Conference
Justine LaLonde – Oncology Conference
Jodi Beebe – Oncology Conference
Esther Peariso – Oncology Conference
Sara Luepritz – Oncology Conference
Keeping Score
By Laura Elwell, RN, BSN
EP
E x e m p l a r y P r o f e s s i o n a l P r a ct i c e
Wouldn’t you want tools to effect
change in patient outcomes?
Now we do, with the Unit Based
Councils (UBC) Scorecards!
UBC Scorecards:
• Contain quality data about a
unit performance
• Provide easy access for all caregivers
• Identify areas needing improvement
• Allow for celebration of great results
S afety
W ithout
E
xception
How can I affect quality patient outcomes?
Nurses have long known that they are the frontline
advocates for high quality, safe patient care. At Northern
Michigan Regional Hospital, through the use of UBC
Scorecards, we are now in a position to significantly impact
the quality and safety of the care we provide. Research has
shown that data sharing, especially nursing-sensitive data,
dramatically increases the quality of patient care.
What data should be on the UBC Scorecard?
Quality and caring data, which caregivers can impact
directly, should be included on the scorecard.
Time to set goals!
Take a good look at your color-coded UBC Scorecard.
• Greens indicate that your unit is doing exceptionally
well and deserves to celebrate!
• Yellows mean that you have not reached your target
goal, but you are getting close.
• Reds are NOT bad! They should, however, trigger
your unit to look closely at your practices to determine
why you are still far from the set target. Each row of
data states who “owns” the data and can share in-depth
explanations to help improve outcomes. Consider
inviting these experts to your UBC meeting.
Who makes the Scorecard?
• Performance Improvement and Decision Support creates
a template scorecard for each unit.
• UBC Leaders modify the template scorecard to reflect
your unit’s needs and goals.
• UBC Chair populates your unit initiative page in
coordination with your manager to identify unit goals
and to map progress.
Where can I find my UBC Scorecard?
1. Login to NurseNet.
2. Go to Quality Measuring.
3. Go to UBC Scorecards.
4. Find Your Unit’s Scorecard.
5 Fall 2010
Eight Caring Factors in Action
EP
E x e m p l a r y P r o f e s s i o n a l P r a ct i c e
T
he Eight Caring Factors are the premise of a Nursing
(Quality-Caring) developed by Joanne Duffy. The Caring
Factors represent the best of the Professional Practice Model.
1. M
UTUAL PROBLEM SOLVING – Mutual problem solving
includes nursing behaviors that help patients and families
understand how to confront, learn, and think about their
health and illness. Working together, both parties decide how
to approach and solve problems in an acceptable manner.
Pam Harris, RN, BSN, Peer Review Coordinator, earned the
title of “walking encyclopedia” from a grateful patient who had
suffered for years from a reoccurring infection. Pam interviewed
the subject, a pest control worker, and discovered that his
job continually exposed his skin to dirt and chemicals. After
conducting her own research, Pam educated the patient about
certain occupational hazards involving
infections and healing problems. She
encouraged the patient to develop a plan
with his caregiver that would allow
proper healing so that he could return to
work without compromising his health.
2. A
TTENTIVE REASSURANCE – Attentive reassurance has
two components: attention and reassurance. Attention
refers to the nurse’s ability to be authentically available –
to notice, actively listen, and focus. Reassurance refers to
nursing behaviors that convey confidence and optimism – a
hopeful outlook. Nurses are perceived as caring when they
are accessible and optimistically able to look forward to the
future (whatever that may be).
An elderly patient with a do not resuscitate order was surrounded
by family during his final hours, and the efforts of Erine
Erickson, MD, and Nate Martin, RN, ICU, were instrumental
in helping the family through the difficult process. “Erin and
Nate provided the medical information we needed, but more
importantly, they were human,” wrote a grateful granddaughter.
“They spent time with us. They respected us. They checked in on
us frequently.” Nate brought beverages and cookies to the family
so they could stay with the patient, and Dr.
Erickson sent a handwritten note to the
man’s wife. “I wish I could better express
how much their acts meant to me,” the
granddaughter adds, “but I assure you, I am
eternally in their debt.”
3. H
UMAN RESPECT – Human Respect refers to honoring
the worth of humans by displaying behaviors such as
unconditional acceptance, careful and kind handling of the
human body, and recognition of rights and responsibilities.
6 Nursing Connection
Hospitalist, Erine Erickson, MD
Pairing the right nurse with each patient is a priority for the
cardiovascular unit under the management of Chris Chappell,
RN, BSN. This was especially evident in the case of a husband
and wife who were not dealing well with the man’s end stage
lung cancer; they had alienated the staff with their hostility and
distrust. Sandy Novotny, RN, CVU, who lost her mother to
cancer and a sister to a tragic car accident,
understood the grieving process all too
well. Slowly, she earned their trust and
was able to communicate with them while
still respecting their wishes. The patient
and his wife, who had initially insisted on
aggressive treatment, used care conferences
to plan how he would spend his final days. He decided to go
home, enjoy a bluegill dinner, and play with his dog. He also
spiked and colored his hair with the help of the nurses and a
PCT who was also a beautician, injecting a dose of much-needed
humor. The patient fulfilled his final wishes thanks to the support
of Sandy Novotny and Chris Chappell’s management style.
4. ENCOURAGING MANNER – The factor, Encouraging
Manner, refers to nurses being perceived as caring when they
express an encouraging manner. It refers to the demeanor
or attitude of the nurse and the non-verbal language
accompanying the verbal message. It suggests enthusiasm,
support, and positive interactions.
Sally Greenway, RN, Ambulatory Services, is the familiar face
and voice that relieves the stress for open heart patients who face
surgery. By meeting with patients in the days prior to admittance,
Sally begins to develop a rapport that will continue through
the actual procedure. She gets to know them, provides the
necessary educational information, and helps with the intake
process. Sally also introduces patients to the
anesthesiologist and arranges for a tour of
the ICU. Moreover, she will be waiting to
greet them when they arrive the morning of
their surgeries, a gesture that is significant
in maintaining patient-centered focus and
continuity of care.
5. A
PPRECIATION OF UNIQUE MEANINGS – Appreciation of
Unique Meanings refers to viewing the situation through
the patient’s context or worldview. It refers to knowing
what is important to the patient including the distinctive
socio-cultural connections associated with their experiences.
A newborn with neonatal drug exposure and withdrawal
gave the neonatal nursing staff an opportunity to significantly
impact an entire family. The mother, already court-involved,
came from a background that included domestic abuse, low
self-esteem, guilt, and hopelessness. She and her other children,
whose fathers had no involvement, lived with her parents and
were closely supervised through Child and Family Services.
By learning about the family history, the neonatal nurses were
able to break through the mother’s
hostility and defensiveness, and work
closely with her, the grandmother, and
community agencies to develop a plan
that provided a safe home environment
while supporting the mother through
her recovery.
6. H
EALING ENVIRONMENT – Healing Environment refers
to the setting where caring is taking place. It includes the
patient’s surroundings, spaces, stressors such as noise and
light, structures for maintaining privacy, safety, and control.
It also includes the organizational culture of a system like
the vibrancy of staff and management, workflow, access to
spiritual resources, the demonstration of teamwork, and the
norms of behavior.
A Hawaii resident, in the area on business, unexpectedly
learned that he had stomach cancer and needed 21 days
of radiation at the Hospital. Far from
home and family, he was discouraged and
suffering from low morale, so the night staff
on Level 3 decided to bring Hawaii to him.
While he slept, they decorated his room in
an island theme and he awoke to palm trees,
flamingoes, tiki huts and beach scenes, with
a staff dressed in leis and grass skirts. Unable to eat, he was
given tropical flavored Life-Savers®, while Hawaiian music
played in the background. The individualized attention made
his difficult time easier and he returned home with a staff
picture to remember his nurses.
7. B
ASIC HUMAN NEEDS – Basic Human Needs include
physical needs (air, food and fluids, elimination, sleep and
rest), safety and security needs, social and relational needs,
self-esteem needs, and self-actualization.
Jill Cresswell, RN, met a need that becomes more and more
common among elderly patients. A woman entered the
emergency room with decreased mobility
and increased weakness. Because she only
met Medicare observation criteria for
admission, the patient was going to be
discharged to her home. Her husband
was very upset because he was physically
unable to lift or transfer the patient in
their home; he even considered paying her bill privately so that
she could stay in the Hospital. Jill met with the husband and
his daughter to form a care plan that would allow the patient
to stay in her home. They decided to engage a local private duty
nurse, along with skilled nurses, a physical therapist, and a
social worker from VitalCare home care. She also arranged for
an ambulance transport home, and the delivery of a bedside
commode. The family was relieved and thankful for the help
that would allow their loved one to recover at home.
8. A
FFILIATION NEEDS – Affiliation Needs refer to persons’
needs for belonging and membership in families or other
social contexts. It recognizes a nurse’s responsiveness to
families and allows for families or support persons to
be engaged in the healthcare situation, including
decision-making.
Receiving an unexpected diagnosis of end-stage cancer, the
patient did not have long to live and wanted to see his
daughter, who had been estranged from him for over 30 years.
Night nurse Rachel Belvin, RN, Progressive Pool, was assigned
to the patient and she listened carefully to his story and took
his daughter’s name and birth date. She left a heartfelt note for
Joan Sheppard, RN, Care Coordinator,
who was moved by the story and decided
she must help. Using the Internet, Joan
used reputable sites to help find the
daughter. The woman agreed to visit her
father, who had since been transferred
to Hospice and, with the help of Hospice
Service Liaison, Elizabeth Frizzell, RN,
the reunion took place before the man died. Thanks to the
cooperative efforts of Health System Colleagues, the man was
able to heal the relationship with his daughter.
7 Fall 2010
Caught In The Act
Nurses live the Hospital Mission
SE
St r u ct u r a l E m p o w e r m e n t
Hospital Colleagues have been recognized for a number of awards
and accolades for their achievements and advancements.
American Nurses
Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Tina Aown, MSN, Chairs the ANCC
Content Expert Panel for Psychiatric
and Mental Health Nurses
Awards
2010 Rock Solid Leadership Award
Ingrid Flemming, Corporate
Compliance Officer
Suzette Proctor, RN, MBA, Nurse
Manager, Level 2 North
Therese Green, Director Community
Health Education
2010 Daisy Awards
Erin Mccoubrey, RN, Emergency
Department
Paula Jo Shingler, RN, Clinical
Education
Valerie Waterson, RN, Ambulatory
Services
Laura Elwell, RN, Ambulatory Services
Megan Smithburg, RN, Obstetrics
Allison Wallin, RN, Level 2 North
Tammy Vizina, RN, Progressive Pool
Career Ladder
Level IV
Jane McAuliff, RN, Emergency
Sally Brown, RN, Surgery
Linda Leech, RN, Surgery
Cindy Strong, RN, Ambulatory
Services
Level V
Leslee Pearson, RN, Operating
Room
8 Nursing Connection
Certifications
Janet Gentle, Clinical Documentation
Specialist, is now a Certified Clinical
Documentation Specialist (CCDS)
Rhonda Fink, RN-BC, BSN, is a
certified Cardiac Vascular Nurse
Lisa Hoover, RN, MSN, passed
the ANA Nursing Professional
Development Certification
examination
Jennifer Woods, RN, MSN, CNML,
passed her Certified
Nurse Manager –
Leader (CNML)
examination
Lisa Ashley, Executive
Director of Hospice of Little Traverse
Bay, became a Certified Hospice and
Palliative Care Administrator
Vivian Legrand, RN, MAC,
LPC-NCC, Medical Weight
Management, successfully
completed National and State of
Michigan requirements to earn
the title of Board Certified Licensed
Professional Counselor (MAC, LPC-NCC)
Rosemary Duggan, RN, MSN, is an
approved member of the NCSBN
(National Council of State Boards
of Nursing), NCLEX (National
Council Licensure EXamination)
development panel (April 2010 –
April 2012)
Shelly Germain, RN, BSN, Clinical
Manager of Level 2 South, has
achieved certification as a Nurse
Manager and Leader (CNML)
Grants
Sharon Bryant, RN, BSN, MPH,
CRRN, Professional Nursing
Council (PNC) Chair, accepted the
Rehabilitation Nursing Foundation
grant for the Frazier Free Water
protocol study
New Degrees
Judith Bricker, RN, BSN, completed
her Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Jane McAuliff, RN, BSN, CEN,
A-EMT, SANE-A, completed her
BSN; Jane was also presented
the “Outstanding Student Facility
Choice Award” and graduated with
honors including Sigma Theta Tau
Membership
Gerry Makidon, MBA, completed his
Masters in Business Administration
degree
Suzette Proctor, RN, MBA,
completed her Masters in Business
Administration degree.
Sean Hornbeck, MBA, completed
his Masters in Business
Administration degree
State Boards
Rosemary Duggan, MSN, was asked
to assist with the NCLEX review
NurseNet
The Facts, The Future, The Value
Y
our input is needed in assessing the use and usefulness of NurseNet. Improved communication was a need identified through
the PRC nursing surveys for several years. In addition to on-campus access, nurses also wanted access from home.
The development of a nursing Web site was started in May 2007 to help meet these needs. Launched in March 2008, NurseNet
went live one year later. It is accessible from home, with content administered by nurses and nursing administrative assistants.
We have recently obtained historical data on NurseNet usage. We can see the major documents being accessed by Colleagues and
departments and how often Web site links are being utilized. Here’s a summary:
Files Accessed by “Category” 01/01/10-06/30/10
Links Accessed 01/01/10-06/30/10
File Category
Amazing Journey
Cerner/Powerchart
Career Ladder
Learning Resources
Magnet
Nursing Connection
Nursing Strategic Plan
Quality Metrics and Scorecards
Research
Shared Governance
Spotlights
Grand Total
Link Accessed
AACN
CPM Resource Center Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Michigan Center for Nursing
Mosby’s Nursing Consult/Skills
MyShift
NetLearning
NMRH E-Mail
State of Michigan Nursing Info
Grand Total
Total
38
22
471
80
161
298
64
177
64
585
23
1,983
Total
1
1
2
1
5
2
4
21
1
38
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a) Is the concept of a nursing Web site value-added?
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Additionally, thoughts, needs, and comments regarding NurseNet are always welcomed and appreciated.
Sincerely,
The NurseNet Committee
When I’m working on the floor, my focus is on my patients. I rarely have time to check my email, do Net
Learning modules, research a clinical topic, or connect with my specialty organization, AACN.
NurseNet is my “one stop shop” when I’m off campus. I can access almost everything I need. I
check my email, have more time to go through the longer NetLearning modules, read Critical
Care magazine articles online, and catch up on Council activities. It makes me more efficient and
is environmentally friendly.
By accessing via NurseNet, I only need to remember one Web site address — and it’s now
a “favorite” on my home computer.
– Karen Safko, RN, PCCN
9 Fall 2010
Research to
Benefit Patients
Quality of Life in Persons with
Dysphagia: Does the Frazier Free
Water Protocol Make a Difference?
NK
N e w K n o w l e d g e , I n n o vat i o n ,
and Improvements
I
n a concerted effort to reduce dehydration and to
improve quality of life for dysphagia patients, the
Acute Rehabilitation Unit will conduct a study to
evaluate the effectiveness of the Frazier Free Water
protocol. The study was made possible thanks to
a grant of almost $10,000 from the Rehabilitation
Nursing Foundation in Illinois, based on a proposal
written by Sharon Bryant, RN, BSN, MPH,
CRRN, and Linda Schofield, RN, Nursing Research
Coordinator. Qualifying dysphagia patients must be on
a regimen of thickened fluids, capable of performing
oral care, evaluated by a speech pathologist, and must
undergo a video fluoroscopy. Dysphagia patients
on 2North, a medical/surgical unit, will be asked to
participate in the control group. The study will begin
January 2011 and run for two years.
Sharon Bryant, RN, BSN, MPH, CRRN, Professional
Nursing Council (PNC) Chair, represented Northern
Michigan Regional Hospital in accepting the grant on
September 2010.
10 Nursing Connection
EP
E x e m p l a r y P r o f e s s i o n a l P r a ct i c e
Know the Boundaries
Professionalism Includes
Discretion
HIPPA
regulations are clear concerning nursing
behavior and company loyalty, both on
and off the job. Like other professionals who deal with
confidential information, nurses must maintain a code of
ethics that protects them and their patients at all times.
Using social networks such as Facebook, for example,
requires a special awareness of privacy issues. Nurses
must not share information about their patients and
Colleagues. Similarly, the Hospital has a strict policy
regarding the privacy of patients who have pending legal
cases or criminal records. Their rights are protected under
the fifth amendment.
Understanding the Law
John Calabrese, Petoskey’s new chief of police, will
give a presentation on professional boundaries on
Monday, February 28, 2011, from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. Among
topics related to boundaries, the chief will discuss his
departmental rule restricting police officers from calling on
nurses for patient information.
Nurses must practice in a manner consistent with
professional standards and this requires knowledge
of Professional Boundaries. The National Council
of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) defines
Professional Boundaries as “the space between
the nurse’s power and the client’s vulnerability.”
Here at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital, our
Professional Boundaries include a code of ethics
which protects both the privacy of our patients, as
well as that of our Colleagues. Additionally, our
SERVE Values also remind us that safety, excellence,
respect, value, and enthusiasm are everyday aspects
of our culture which provide us the opportunity
to make a positive difference in the lives of every
person we touch.
– Jennifer Woods, RN, MSN, CNML
Reading For Health
Journal Club Keeps Nursing Colleagues in the Know
NK
N e w K n o w l e d g e , I n n o vat i o n , a n d I m p r o v e m e n t s
T
o keep informed and up-to-date, Hospital nurses now
have the Journal Club, a Colleague-led reading group
that reviews professional articles and then presents the
information to co-workers. Nursing Research Coordinator,
Linda Schofield, RN, PhD, plans and orchestrates the monthly
events. “The club has been really well-received,” she says. “It’s
important that we look regularly at the publication of evidencebased practices to understand whether or not that particular
evidence is moving nursing forward.” The August session, for
example, covered the meanings behind research statistics. “I
learned so much,” Schofield adds. “It helped me to better explain
the reading of statistics to my Colleagues.” Nurses may choose to
attend one of two 45-minute sessions each month; locations vary
according to subject matter and department. Attendees earn .5
CE for attending each event.
Topics covered since the club’s inception include:
• April – NICE–SUGAR Study
• May – Chlorhexidine Surgery Prep
• June –“Overcoming Barriers to Research in a Magnet
Community Hospital”
• July –“Interruption of Sedative Infusions in Med-Surg ICU”
• August – Evidence-based Practice “What Do Those Statistics
Really Mean?”
• September –“Methods for the Assessment of Gastric
Emptying in Critically Ill, Enterally Fed Adults”
• September –“In-Hospital Initiation of Secondary Stroke
Prevention Therapies Yields High Rates of Adherence at
Follow-up”
• October –“Reliving the Pain of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Tracer Injection”
The November topic is NISUS research.
• Two sessions (choose one): 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. and
12:15 – 1:00 p.m.
• Location: to be determined.
• RSVP: Linda Schofield at [email protected]
• For more information, contact: Linda Schofield
487.3042 (office) or 231.330.6092 (mobile).
Northern Michigan Regional Hospital (OH-307, 6-1-2013) is
an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the
Ohio Nurses Association (OBN-001-91), an accredited approver
by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on
Accreditation.
Linda Schofield, RN, PhD, Nursing Research Coordinator
LIVING THE MISSION: FROM THE WORDS OF ONE WHO KNOWS
SE
St r u ct u r a l E m p o w e r m e n t
B
enjamin Saunders didn’t know it at the time, but from the moment of his birth, he was
beginning a journey that would put him on the receiving end of some of the state’s best
healthcare. Born with vater syndrome and a host of debilitating complications, Ben
was not expected to survive, but the Hospital nurses stepped in to provide healthcare as they
would for their own families, and Benjamin pulled through, one step at a time. Today, he is an
active 21-year-old who is eager to tell his story. Visit northernhealth.org/LivingTheMission.
Benjamin Saunders
11 Fall 2010
Strength In Numbers
Nurse Colleagues Encouraged to Live It Every Day
TL
T r a n s f o r m at i o n a l L e a d e r s h i p
N
early 70 nurses and clinicians attended the Annual Nurses
Summit meeting, held at Northern Michigan Regional
Hospital on October 5. Hospital President and CEO,
Reezie DeVet, gave the opening address about the significance of
the Nursing Strategic Plan and the Vision for Nursing.
Guest and featured speaker Joan Meadows, RN, MN, Senior
Director, Nursing Executive Center, Advisory Board, stressed
the importance of evidence-based practices. “It’s the number one
topic in the country right now regarding nursing and healthcare,”
said Meadows. “The bedside nurses must have the important data
because that is where the information can make real differences.”
She added that collaborative shift
assessments and a team approach
to implementing best practices
will increase patient confidence
and satisfaction, which are
actually cumulative effects
because patients will be more
likely to choose the Hospital
again and to recommend it to
friends and family.
L to R: Karen Safko, BSN, Karen George, BSN,
Marilyn Cleary, RN, Linda Leech, RN, Sally Brown,
RN, and Leslee Pearson, BSN
Meadows encouraged nurses
to take a proactive approach to
their work by thinking critically,
L to R: Amy Mansfield, BSN, Steven Cross,
questioning methods and
Director of Imaging Services, Toni Moriartypractices, and looking to the
Smith, MSN, and Sheryl Morris, RN
journals for evidence. She also
reminded nurses that involvement in the policy and procedure
reviews is time well spent to strengthen quality of care.
L to R: Linda Schofield, RN, PhD, and Amy
Mansfield, BSN
Closing speaker and Magnet consultant Kathleen Stolzenberger,
PhD, RN, ANCC, engaged the audience in questioning and
addressing the future of nursing as a profession and its changing
role in the 21st century. According to Kathleen, if your answer
is yes to the question “Is nursing a profession?” you should be
able to articulate why. She added that the tenants of a profession
include:
1.
Unique Body of Knowledge
2.
Code of Conduct
3.
Social Contract
4.
Self-Regulating
L to R: Alex Hull, RN, Terri White, and
Tina Aown, MSN
12 Nursing Connection