Kenmore Kronicle - July/August 2015

July/August 2015

The Kenmore Kronicle A Newsletter for the Nursing Staff at Kenmore Mercy Hospital

We appreciate you because you’re ...

• Dedicated • Considerate • Generous • Enthusiastic • Focused • Patient • Committed • Caring • Respectful • Helpful • Optimistic • Skilled • Loyal • Friendly • Responsible • Fair • Thoughtful • Energetic • Dependable • Efficient • Cooperative • Honest • Gracious • Supportive • Hardworking • Upbeat • Trustworthy • Compassionate • Flexible • Terrific

A Note From Cheryl As I read through my emails, once in a while I catch a phrase or thought that shines out like a gem.

Today, I would like to share this gem with you.

I think it captures the essence of teamwork in nursing, and all Kenmore Mercy Hospital’s interprofessional areas as we strive to provide the best possible care to our patients.

I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.

Move With Care Kicked Off in July

After months of training and rolling our new equipment, Kenmore Mercy Hospital officially kicked off its Move with Care safety program this past July.

The new safety program will increase patients’ quality of life, reduce falls, skin ulcers and shearing, and help prevent nursing injuries that occur when lifting or repositioning patients.

“The average caregiver lifts or moves nearly 3,000 pounds in an eight to twelve hour shift,” said Ellen Swan, nurse manager on the 2 West Patient Care Unit and the Move With Care nursing champion.

According to the United States Department of Labor, more workers are injured in the healthcare and social assistance industry sector than any other. In 2010, the healthcare and social assistance industry reported more than 653,900 cases of injury and illness. That is 152,000 more cases than the next industry sector - manufacturing.

By partnering with Diligent® Guaranteed Solutions to provide new, easy to use equipment and training to staff, the hospital hopes to alleviate many of those issues while at the same time providing a safer environment for patients.

Equipment to assist in the lifting and moving of patients has been placed on every unit. Master Movers, staff members extensively trained on the proper use of the equipment, are in place on each unit to provide support to associates in the daily use of the new equipment.

Some of the new equipment includes:

Sara Stedy

Max Move

SARA Plus

Maxi Air & Maxi Slides

Thanks for your teamwork and commitment to each other and to our patients. ~ Cheryl

Remember to watch Nursing Notes on the Intranet for more news!

The Sara Plus powered The Maxi Move The Sara Stedy standing dependent lift helps standing and raising and transfer aid aid is designed to offer in the transfer of promotes support aid that encourages more patients up in bed, balance, stepping and walking training. turning patients, and mobile patients to stand up independently. transfer to chairs or commodes.

The Maxi Air and Maxi Slides lateral transfer devices help in transferring patient between a gurney and a bed.

Coming & Goings Clinical Coordinator Joins Ken-Ton Family Care Kenmore Mercy Hospital is pleased to welcome Sherri Denga, RN, as the new clinical coordinator at Ken-Ton FamilyCare.

She most recently worked at Sisters of Charity Hospital as a nurse case manager. Sherri completed her Associate Degree in Nursing from Erie Community College and her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Daemen College. She is also a nurse clinical instructor at Trocaire College.

Welcome New Team Members The following individuals joined the nursing team in July and August.

Nurse Takes Her Talents Oversees to Help Others Gena Long, RN, from the 2 East and 2 South Patient Care Units, recently had the opportunity to travel to Delmas 75, Port au Prince, Haiti, as part of a medical mission trip in July.

This area was devastated in 2010 by a 7.0 earthquake that destroyed much of the central historic area. After the earthquake, only two hospitals remained that were operational.

While there, she, along with other medical professionals, treated people of all ages, most of which were women and children, with mumps, chicken pox, various skin rashes and anemia.

Gena says her trip was a very

Their first stop was at the Apparent Project guest rewarding experience. She had the opportunity to expand her house, where they stayed from July 4 through 11. nursing skills and treat both On July 5, the group drove about one and a half pediatric and adult patients. hours to “naked village” near Babaco where they turned a local church into a temporary mobile clinic. More than 150 locals were treated that day.

On July 6, the team traveled Mango Grove near Dumay and treated around 175 locals. Over the next few days they ran a clinic out of a guest house in Delmas.

“There were some sicknesses and disorders that could not be treated, but everyone was seen and cared for to the best of our ability and capability with the means that we had,” said Gena.

Most patients given medications, vitamins and creams. Some were given reading glasses and toothbrushes. Prayers were given to anyone who requested.

Burgundy Mullen-Dedde, RN; Sarah Gittere, GN; Lana Petrie UC/TT; Maribeth Bradley, NA; and Lydia Moreno, RN were among our recent nursing hires.

July Genia Best, RN - 3 East Jacqueline Devlin, RN - 2 West Ladazia Harris, NA - 3 East Chelsea Len, NA - 2 West Lydia Moreno, RN - Operating Room Burgundy Mullen-Dedde, RN - Operating Room Svitlana Petrie, UC/TT - 3 East Kim Ramseyer, RN - Operating Room Chelsea Sperazza, GN - 3 East

August Maribeth Bradley, NA - Float Pool Sarah Gittere, RN-G - 2 West

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As Gena recalls her experiences caring for the locals of Haiti, she stated, “It was tough not be able to treat some conditions. Due to the country’s inability to keep record of vaccinations, some could not be vaccinated. It was more than a learning experience for me, and I was very impressed by all of the young people who go there regularly to volunteer.”

Surgery Staff Educates Local Students Students from Sacred Heart High School got a behind the scenes look at the medical industry in August during a tour of Kenmore Mercy Hospital.

It’s part of Catholic Health’s MASH Camp, which stands for Medical Academy of Science and Health. The program gives students the opportunity to meet with working health professionals, participate in hands-on demonstrations, and tour various departments within the hospital, to see if a future career in healthcare might be right for them.

Linda Butski, RN, senior clinical specialist, took the students on a tour of the surgical services where they spent time in one of the hospital’s new operating rooms.

Nursing Tips & Reminders

Patient Praise For Our Nurses

Dog Allergies

In June, Kenmore Mercy Hospital received a wonderful letter from a former nurse. She described herself as a “pretty hard patient to please,” but one who was impressed by the care the she received.

With the Pet Therapy Program up in running, it is important to properly identify patients with dog allergies.

Judy arrived first arrived at the Emergency Department where she diagnosed with a bowel obstruction, then admitted for colon resection surgery.

What followed was an eight-day stay during which she was a patient in the Intensive Care and the 2 East Patient Care Units.

This can be added in Soarian under the environmental allergies. To do this, you must: • Select the Add Allergy box • Enter the allergy information • Select enviro

Below are some excerpts from her letter that detailed her excellent care:

When you search nothing is listed, so you must enter it as free text, then select the reaction.

“Throughout my stay I experienced nothing but excellent care. I decided to write this letter as a way to say thank you to those who cared for me. But thank you just doesn't say enough. I'm not sure if I can find words to express how truly grateful I am, but perhaps describing the unbelievable care I received will suffice.

Every encounter (and I mean every single one) I had with a nurse or aide restored my faith in the healthcare system. They were adept at their jobs, but they were so much more than just competent. They were kind and considerate, always asking what I needed and taking a sincere interest in how I was doing. Each person who worked with me made me feel like they were dedicated to me for their entire shift. Realistically, I knew they had to be assigned to numerous patients, but they made me feel like I was the only one. What more could a patient ask for? ... I thank you. I thank you for the exceptional care medical, for the kind words and sense of humor when I needed it, for the hospitality, the compassion, and the competence. I thank you for all you do each day that you don't have to do ... and I thank you for the way you do it.”

A Kind Gesture Goes A Long Way Patient experience is about creating connections with another human being at a time when they are most vulnerable.

Michael Gough, MD, a pulmonologist and intensitivist, recently shared his observation of one of Kenmore Mercy’s dietary employees extending an act of kindness that truly touched a patient and family in the Intentisive Care Unit.

“A family member of a patient I was caring for described an extraordinary act of kindness and compassion by Gloria Peay in Dietary, which was greatly appreciated by the patient and family. Ms. Peay was doing her usual dietary rounds and delivered lunch to this patient, who apparently was feeling nauseous and did not wish to eat. Gloria then held the patient’s hand, and offered to sing a song for her.

The family (one of whom is a PA trained at Duke University and who currently works on the pain management service at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida) were touched by this compassionate and much appreciated gesture. The patient was agreeable to the song, and by the family’s report Gloria has a beautiful voice. This patient has had a long and difficult course including an ICU stay. In a beautiful display of empathy, Ms. Peay was able to offer another dimension of compassion and comfort to assist in our patient’s recovery, and for that she deserves commendation.”

This is a great reminder of how considerate our fellow associates are and how a kind gesture from anyone can make a difference for our patients.

This process will in turn generate a report for the charge nurse to ensure that the dog handlers know not to visit certain patients.

Stock List/Charge Slip Each code cart has a stock list/charge slip in the medication tray. When a cart is used, a patient addressograph should be attached to this slip and left in the tray for charging by the Pharmacy. The sheet is almost always in the tray, but rarely is the patient identified.

LIFE (PACE) Program

The Catholic Health LIFE Program is a comprehensive managed long term care program for older adults who wish to live at home but need assistance to maintain their health and remain safe at home as long as possible.

When a LIFE patient is admitted to Kenmore Mercy Hospital, a program representative will fax a “LIFE Risk Assessment and Pressure Sore Recommendations” sheet to the nursing supervisor. The nursing supervisor will bring the sheet to the unit the where the LIFE patient is admitted. The sheet should go in the chart as the front page so it is readily accessed.

Hearing Aids & Eye Glasses Families have requested a means to donate hearing aids and eye glasses of loved ones who have died while in the hospital.

Nursing is now able to collect this from the families for donation to the Lion’s Club. Hearing aids and glasses can be left in Kathy Kanaley’s box in the nursing supervisor’s office.

Safety Pins

Safety pins should be placed in sharp containers often to avoid finger stick injuries that can occur when they are thrown in the trash.

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Nursing Tips & Reminders Hepatits C Testing For Patients

Associate Forums Available on NetLearning All associates who did not attend the in person Associate Forum sessions should take the time before August 30 to complete this education.

There have been some questions about the process and ordering the correct lab test for patients requesting Hepatitis C screening.

As you know, the New York State Department of Health requires that all individuals born between the years 1945-1965 be offered a Hepatitis C screening test. (TITLE: Hepatitis C Testing POLICY NUMBER: CSC0155).

On admission, if a patient is of the correct age range and has not been asked about screening before, the patient should be provided with information on screening testing and the risk factors for Hepatitis C, (CHS HEPATITIS C EDUCATION FORM).

Once the patient has been provided information regarding the Hepatitis C screening test, the nurse should ask the patient if they are interested in being tested and, if yes, have the provider order the Hepatitis C antibody, ver.2 in Soarian.

Regardless of the patient’s choice to be screen tested, the screening tool becomes a part of the patient’s medical record.

Search Box

Kenmore Mercy’s 2015 “BIG DOTS” Associate Engagement

Patient Safety & Experience

Surgical Services Orthopedic & Musculoskeletal Campus of Excellence

Clinical Integration Operational Effectiveness

Nursing Excellence

Voice of the Associate

Just a reminder that managers have met with their staff to review the results of the Voice of the Associate survey and discussed unit specific strengths and weaknesses.

Nursing Picture Pages

The next step is to develop an action plan based on associate feedback.

Lost Patient Items

Please complete an occurrence report for lost patient items such as glasses, dentures, hearing aids, walkers, clothing, etc... the occurrence report should go to your manager.

Catherine’s Closet Catherine’s Closet, located on the fourth floor in room 4031, is in need of gently used men’s clothing. When you are cleaning out your closets, please consider donating men’s clothing.

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Nursing staff enjoyed friends and food during the annual associate picnic in July.