Thriving through evidence-based practice

ASCENSION BUILDING A CULTURE TO ELEVATE NURSING WORK AND NURSE WELL-BEING

Ascension’s Mission calls us to sustain and improve the health of individuals and communities, especially those who are poor and vulnerable. As such, Ascension is dedicated to delivering evidence-based care that results in best outcomes for patients by matching their needs and values with the finest available knowledge of what works.

In addition, Ascension is equipping nurses and nursing support professionals with evidence-based knowledge and skills to competently incorporate the latest scientific evidence into their patient care — an effort that improves the experience of patients and associates alike.

“Nurses and nursing support professionals live out Ascension’s Mission as innovators, scientists, advocates, educators, problem-solvers and professionals,” said Mary Sitterding, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN, Vice President, Nursing Quality and Regulatory, Ascension. “Our integration of evidence-based practice and implementation science leans into their multifaceted contributions to the care team, empowering them to drive exceptional patient care across Ascension.”

Ascension’s nursing quality and regulatory team, along with the nursing practice team, lead several initiatives that offer opportunities for Ascension’s nursing community to influence effective, personalized care across Ascension. These include:

• Ascension’s National Nurse Affinity Groups: Connect bedside nurses with associates at the highest level of decision-making to advance the practice and science of nursing. The groups are Practice Environment, Nurse Leader, Evidence-based Practice/Implementation Science, Case Management and Nursing Research.

• Evidence-based Practice Academy: Advances and sustains an evidence- and strengths-based culture through supporting evidence-based leaders across Ascension.

• National NursingSensitive Quality Initiatives: Identify and address key opportunities for evidence-based solutions for crucial clinical issues across Ascension. Nurses working with clinicians, performance improvement teams and other stakeholders have dramatically reduced hospital-acquired harm associated with falls, pressure injuries and hospital-acquired infections.

“We’re elevating nurses’ clinical decision-making capabilities and their role as valued partners on the interdisciplinary care team and in the decision-making process that supports high-quality outcomes,” said Ellen Fineout-Overholt, PhD, RN, EBP-C, FNAP, FAAN, National Senior Director, Evidence-based Practice and Implementation Science, Ascension.

Ellen, affectionately known as “EFO,” joined Ascension in March 2022 to build a culture of evidence-based practice across Ascension. She is a recognized nurse leader; educator; academic leader; and promoter of evidence-based practice, innovation, learning and leadership across the U.S. and globally. She has nearly 40 years of nursing experience, including in building a reliable approach to fostering sustainable, evidence-based decision-making. She has created learning resources and published books and articles for clinicians, including co-authoring “Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare: A Guide to Best Practice.” This bestselling textbook is used by schools of nursing and other health professions, and related organizations, across the U.S. and internationally.

Members of Ascension’s nursing quality and regulatory team, including, from left, Vallire Hooper, PhD, RN, CPAN, FASPAN, FAA, Senior Nurse Scientist; Ellen Fineout-Overholt, PhD, RN, EBP-C, FNAP, FAAN, National Senior Director, Evidence-based Practice and Implementation Science; Hayley Craft, DNP, RN, Program Manager, Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice; and Mary Sitterding, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN, Vice President, Nursing Quality and Regulatory, gather during the Ascension Texas Nursing Research, Evidence-based Practice and Quality Improvement Symposium. The symposium brought together nurses and other clinicians from across Ascension Texas to promote advancement of clinical research, evidence-based practice and quality improvement.

The nursing quality and regulatory team’s work is grounded in documented relationships among evidence-based practice culture, nurse well-being, satisfaction and retention.

“Nurse well-being is when nurses understand the incredible impact they have on our ministry. Led by Ellen, an international expert in this area, we are building opportunities and a culture for nurses to do just that,” said Maureen “Mo” Chadwick, PhD, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Senior

Vice President, Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer, Ascension. “This will empower nurses to do their best work; adapt to changes; overcome challenges; and support value-informed nursing practice that is safe, reliable and drives economic value to the communities we serve.”

“In addition to benefiting patients, this work will help our nursing community to thrive,” added Becky Hellrich, MSN, RN, NE-BC, NPD-BC, Vice President, Nursing Practice, Ascension. “Through this work, nurses know that they are impacting excellent care and practicing at the top of their license.”