September 2023 Inside Inspira

Engagement and Safety Survey 2023: Frequently Asked Questions

What should I know about this year’s survey?

In 2023, you’ll have two ways to access the survey:

• Unique Link: Employees will receive an email with their own survey link on September 22, along with two reminder emails, if needed.

• QR Code: Employees can scan the QR code that is on all promotional materials, enter the first four digits of their last name and 6-digit birthday (MMDDYY) to access their survey.

We’ve also added a handful of questions to better understand your current state of well-being and resilience, and your perception of safety (physical and psychological).

After the survey, we are committed to communicating the results to all employees. Improvement plans will be developed at the department, facility/service and organization levels to address areas of concern. We know engagement is not a one-time event and are hopeful we can build on the success of our past surveys.

Why should I take the Engagement and Safety Survey?

Information from the employee survey helps Inspira measure and understand our employees’ attitude, feedback, motivation and satisfaction. Results are used to drive initiatives in many areas, including what types of training are offered and where improvement efforts are focused. It also acts as a report card, so to speak, so leadership can see the impact of engagement initiatives throughout the year. This year, all departments will submit an improvement plan based on their survey results.

How do I know my answers are confidential?

Confidentiality is key to getting accurate results, and that's what Inspira is hoping to get. No one at Inspira Health, not even executives or HR, can find out results for a specific person. To further ensure confidentiality, the results of a survey item can only be viewed when at least five people have responded to it. (In other words, in a department where only three people work night shift, we will not see results specific to the night shift employees.)

We use a third party, Press Ganey, to administer our survey. Press Ganey is a leading provider of surveys in the health care arena. If individual results were to be leaked, it would damage Press Ganey's credibility. Sometimes, though, employees

accidentally identify themselves when leaving comments. For example, an employee who leaves a comment such as, “I don’t think it’s fair I am the only person in the department who has to clock in and out” has just self-identified. Please note in the rare event that does happen, that employee’s answers to all other survey questions are still anonymous.

How long will the survey be accessible?

The survey will be open from September 22 – October 13.

How long will it take to complete the survey?

The survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. The survey includes safety questions for all employees.

I recently transferred into a new role. Do I answer for my new role or my previous role?

We submitted a final file to Press Ganey on August 18, so you should answer the survey questions based on your role at Inspira as of August 18, 2023.

When can we expect to see the results?

We expect the results to be announced in January.

How do I access the survey?

In 2023, you’ll have two ways to access the survey:

• Unique Link: Employees will receive an email with their own survey link on September 22, along with two reminder emails, if needed.

• QR Code: Employees can scan the QR code that is on all promotional materials and enter the first four digits of their last name and 6-digit birthday (MMDDYY) to access their survey.

What if I have trouble accessing my survey?

For survey support, please contact Press Ganey’s Client Support Desk at HDesk@PressGaney.com, and a representative will respond to your email within 24 to 48 hours.

Client Support Desk hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. EST.

You may also email JelesiewiczJ@ihn.org or GelsiD@ihn.org for additional support.

Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill ICU

Nurses Unite for a Successful "Critical Care Fair"

In July, Kristen Juhring, a clinical nurse educator, and Kelly Clark, an assistant nurse manager, organized the first "Critical Care Fair" at the Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill ICU. They aimed to create an educational event that encouraged professional development and collaboration between day and night shift staff. Juhring and Clark helped their nursing staff pick topics they wanted to learn more about, work together to create informational posterboards and handouts and set up 12 teaching booths where they presented what they learned to their colleagues. The fair also included a raffle for participants and training opportunities with the lab team.

Despite being the first event of its kind, the fair saw a remarkable turnout, with over 55 percent of nursing staff participating. Juhring and Clark are thrilled with the fair's success and plan to host more in the future, reinforcing their commitment to continuous learning and fostering a supportive nursing community.

Graduation Events at Inspira

Sponsored by the Magnet ® and Pathway to Excellence® department, graduation events were hosted for network-wide graduates at both Inspira Medical Centers Mullica Hill and Vineland this summer. To celebrate their achievements, graduates enjoyed dinner and music and took fun photos with their peers and family members.

Graduates celebrate at Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill.

See more photos.

Graduates celebrate at Inspira Medical Center Vineland.

See more photos.

Members of the Mullica Hill nursing staff learn about critical care tools.

DEIB

Focus Groups

Last month, you were provided the opportunity to participate in focus groups moderated by The Exeter Group, the health care consulting firm Inspira has partnered with to help us provide a comprehensive assessment through a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) lens. We wanted to provide you with a safe and confidential environment to speak up and provide additional background from the recent Cultural Competency Organizational Assessment (COA360) survey.

Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the focus groups. We appreciate the time you invested in providing thoughtful responses and feedback that will help identify and drive future DEIB initiatives at Inspira that align with our mission.

As a next step, The Exeter Group will analyze the findings alongside results from the survey, stakeholder interviews and more to help develop a work plan. As part of our promise to remain transparent, we will share the areas of strength and opportunity our organization will be prioritizing this fall.

We ask that you continue to keep an eye out for additional communications related to our DEIB journey, and thank you again for being part of the change that we are making here at Inspira.

Wellness Corner Health Risk Appraisal

Have you been working hard at trying to improve your health and wellness? Or have you not quite been able to get started? Either way, a Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) is a perfect place to start!

Take the Healthy Life HRA today to learn how your lifestyle choices affect your health and discover what you can do to be healthier and live longer. The HRA is a confidential web-based application, and it only takes 15 minutes to complete.

Employees who complete the HRA between Sept. 1–30 will have a chance to win a $100 ShopRite gift card (three winners selected).

After completing the HRA, you will immediately receive a personal report, resource links, health guidelines, an action plan and educational information.

Email Wellness@ihn.org for more information.

Joining Forces Again to Create Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience

On July 31, we announced the formation of Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience, another partnership between Cooper University Health Care and Inspira Health. The formation of this partnership improves local access to a comprehensive range of advanced neuroscience care, including surgical and nonsurgical services related to the brain, spinal cord and central nervous system. This new arrangement builds on the proven success of Cooper and Inspira Cardiac Care, preparing to go into its sixth year of partnership.

“Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience expands not only the cooperation of two respected health systems, but the access patients across the region will have to some of the best specialists in the world and innovative treatments,” said George E. Norcross III, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cooper Health System, Cooper University Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.

"We have proven with Cooper and Inspira Cardiac Care that our teams can successfully collaborate to provide the highest level of cardiac care, and we are confident the same will be true for patients needing the most advanced neurological care,” said Amy Mansue, president and CEO of Inspira Health. “By integrating care between our two health systems, we are enhancing access to highly coordinated comprehensive patient care that includes prevention, diagnosis, treatment and healing for the full spectrum of brain, spine and nerve diseases, conditions and disorders.”

Patients across Southern New Jersey and Greater Philadelphia will benefit as our specialists join forces to provide the most advanced neuroscience care in the region. Subspecialties include neurology, neurosurgery, neuro oncology, neuropathology, neurophysiology and neuropsychology.

Whether it’s care for stroke, brain injury, headaches, epilepsy, spine conditions, brain tumors, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease or other neurological conditions, the experts at Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience will provide cutting-edge treatments, including robotic and minimally invasive procedures.

“Neuroscience is a rapidly evolving field of medicine, and with the teams at Cooper and Inspira coming together with a commitment to providing patients with the latest research and innovation, this region will be a destination for the best evidence-based care,” added Tudor Jovin, M.D., medical director of Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience and chairman and chief of Neurology at Cooper University Health Care.

National Day Out in

Bridgeton

On August 18, the Inspira Health Population Health team attended the National Day Out in Bridgeton to spread the word about our Community Health Worker (CHW) program. Our CHW program can help individuals overcome barriers to care and access the tools they need to reach health goals with convenient, in-person support. National Day and Night Out events increase awareness of community police programs and build bridges between officers and those they serve and protect.

Members of the Population Health team at Bridgeton's National Day Out.

Breastfeeding Awareness Week

In honor of breastfeeding awareness week, celebrated August 1 – 7, Inspira Medical Centers Elmer, Mullica Hill and Vineland hosted events for our maternity patients. Festivities included tea and cookies with our lactation consultants and a breastfeeding trivia prize wheel.

Inspira Health Recognized for Safe and Effective Use of Antibiotics for Fourth Straight Year

Our mission at Inspira is to provide a safe and compassionate experience that improves the health and well-being of our community.

We are honored to share that the New Jersey Department of Health has recognized Inspira Health for the fourth straight year (2019-2022) as a Gold Steward in its Antimicrobial Stewardship Recognition Program. Inspira Medical Centers Elmer, Mullica Hill and Vineland have received the Gold Steward designation each year since the award’s inception in 2019.

The New Jersey Antimicrobial Stewardship Recognition Program is a voluntary incentive program that encourages health care facilities to assess how well they are applying the CDC’s Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship, a set of key principles to guide efforts to improve antibiotic use, advance patient safety and improve outcomes.

The Antimicrobial Stewardship Recognition Program acknowledges health care facilities and physician practices that demonstrate, through written documentation, they have met or exceeded minimum expectations for the CDC’s Core Elements of Antimicrobial Stewardship. This recognition is based on satisfaction of the CDC criteria.

We extend our gratitude to the New Jersey Department of Health for honoring Inspira with the Gold Steward designation. Congratulations to each of you for your efforts to keep our community safe by remaining committed to the safe and proper use of antimicrobials.

Nursing staff spin the breastfeeding trivia prize wheel at Inspira Medical Center Vineland.

Nursing staff spin the breastfeeding trivia prize wheel at Inspira Medical Center Elmer.

Maternity patients and families enjoy tea and cookies with staff members at Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill.

Schwartz Rounds at Inspira

Inspira Health strives to provide excellent patient-centered care, foster personal connections, promote collaboration and ensure excellence in our services while putting safety at the center of all that we do. But to help us achieve our goals, as providers, we have to have open and honest conversations so that we can, in turn, empower a healthier and more compassionate community.

To that end, Inspira implemented Schwartz Rounds to recognize the emotional experiences providers have when caring for patients, facing unexpected outcomes and having difficult conversations. Talking about these situations in a group setting allows providers to learn from and support each other, building emotional resilience to handle tough situations. These sessions provide a safe and confidential space for all Inspira staff to share their experiences, challenges and successes in a non-judgmental environment. No matter your role at Inspira, Schwartz Rounds allow you to connect with your colleagues on a deeper level, fostering empathy, understanding and personal growth.

By participating in Schwartz Rounds, you’ll have the chance to listen to a variety of perspectives from different departments and gain insights into the unique challenges and triumphs faced by your colleagues. These sessions are an invaluable opportunity to strengthen bonds within our Inspira family and learn from one another.

At Inspira, we know that our greatest strength lies in the compassion and camaraderie that exists within our team. By embracing Schwartz Rounds, we can further enhance our culture of support, empathy and collaboration.

Upcoming Session: When the Hospital Becomes Home

The next Schwartz Rounds event aims to address the stress and emotional impact that an extended inpatient stay has on our patients, their families and care teams.

Event: When the Hospital Becomes Home

Date: Monday, September 25, 2023

Time: 3:00 p.m.

Location: Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill

Classrooms A, B, C

All are welcome! (Space is limited.)

Plant Collection at Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill

It all started with Assistant Nurse Manager Nancy Carr, who gifted Nurse Manager Jennifer Kittel a small succulent plant on the 4-West unit of Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill. One day, this gifted succulent was stolen from the unit, and Jenn was very upset. Nancy bought Jenn another succulent, and the plant collection grew from there. The plants are now on two carts on 4-West, and their appearance has gotten many compliments from staff, visitors and patients. Denise Santaniello, R.N., and Michelle Bloodworth, U.C., have both taken the plants under their care and have contributed greatly to their flourishing. Dajsha Collins, U.C., stated, “The plants improve everyone’s mood and help reduce stress in our workplace.” The plants provide everyone with joy and promote relaxation and feelings of calmness and peace.

Great Catch of the Month

Richard Hendrix, M.D.

Inspira Urgent Care Washington Township

This Great Catch highlights the importance of cultivating a consistent habit of embracing our highly reliable organization (HRO) behaviors and tools such as Applying a Questioning Attitude and Validating and Verifying

Richard Hendrix, M.D., was treating a 21-year-old patient who presented at Urgent Care complaining of persistent "palpitations." The patient described the sensation as an unsettling perception of their heart pounding intensely and even recounted a fainting episode the previous day.

Upon assessing the patient's vital signs, the medical team Applied a Questioning Attitude and decided to conduct a second set of vital sign measurements. This careful reevaluation Validated the initial finding of a low heart rate. Although the patient exhibited no overt indicators of cardiac distress, such as chest discomfort, right arm pain or neck pain, Dr. Hendrix promptly completed an electrocardiogram (EKG). The EKG results Verified the presence of a heart rate block, with the heart beating at a rate of 30 to 35 beats per minute.

The medical office promptly dialed 9-1-1, and the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) rapidly transported the patient to the hospital.

Reflecting on the situation, Dr. Hendrix humbly shared, “I would like to say that I did something special, but I did what anyone would have done to treat our patients.”

If Dr. Hendrix had not employed his HRO behaviors and tools, including the practice of Applying a Questioning Attitude using the Validate and Verify tool, the potentially concerning cardiac condition could have gone undetected in an outwardly healthy 21-year-old patient.

This reinforces the significance of cultivating a consistent habit of embracing our HRO behaviors and tools. Taking a proactive approach to patient care plays an indispensable role in preventing potential harm or death.

Great Catch of the Month

Judy Ziegler, R.N. Inspira Medical Center Elmer LDRP

This Great Catch highlights the importance of consistently Paying Attention to Detail using the highly reliable organization (HRO) STAR (Stop-Think-Act-Review) tool to ensure fall prevention measures for newborns.

Judy Ziegler, R.N., Inspira Medical Center Elmer Labor and Delivery, Paid Attention to Detail when she noticed a support person walking in the hallway while carrying a newborn. Judy immediately took a STAR Moment to Speak Up for Safety, recognizing the potential fall risk for the newborn.

• STOP- Judy paused upon witnessing the support person walking in the hallway with the newborn.

• THINK- Judy thought about the risks of walking in the hallway with a newborn and the potential harm that could arise from a trip or accidental drop.

• ACT- Judy Spoke Up for Safety and provided education to the support person.

• REVIEW- The unit's care team diligently worked to mitigate risks to the baby, delivering education on fall prevention to both the support person and the mother. Additionally, the care team shared the incident with their manager and the entire unit for heightened awareness and collective learning.

Had Judy not taken a STAR Moment to ensure all fall precautions were in place for the baby, the baby could have potentially been harmed. This is why we must Pay Attention to Detail using our HRO STAR (Stop-Think-Act-Review) tool to reinforce fall prevention measures for newborns.

Judy, your vigilant attention to detail using the STAR tool exemplifies our commitment to the Inspira value of Reliability

We extend our gratitude for your unwavering dedication.

Speak Up for Safety Story

Dr. Charles “CJ” Sprigman Living our Mission, Vision and Values

This Safety Story was shared with us by Evelyn Balogun, M.D., highlighting Charles “CJ” Sprigman, D.O., for living our Mission, Vision and Values while enjoying an evening out to dinner with his wife.

Dr. Sprigman was at a restaurant with his wife when he noticed that an elderly man sitting a few tables away from him was slumped over and unresponsive.

Dr. Sprigman immediately went over, identified himself as a doctor to the family and evaluated the patient. The patient was unresponsive but breathing with a pulse. The family called 9-1-1 while Dr. Sprigman monitored the patient. Dr. Sprigman shared, “Initially, the patient had a pulse but then developed agonal breathing. Then he appeared to stop breathing, and I lost his radial pulse. With help, I got him on the ground. I could not feel a carotid pulse and initiated CPR. I performed 30 chest compressions, after which the patient appeared to become responsive and regained a pulse. He eventually was responsive enough to state that he felt better and had some right arm soreness. Paramedics arrived and transported him to the local hospital, and he was stable and alert. It was the first cardiac arrest outside of the hospital that I have ever had to deal with.”

During Dr. Sprigman’s response to the patient, he identified that the restaurant did not have an AED available. Dr. Sprigman Spoke Up for Safety and shared with the restaurant manager the importance of having an AED available if an event like this were to occur again.

Dr. Sprigman was recognized by the American Heart Association for his outstanding work.

LearningBoards

What is a learning board?

A learning board is a visual management of new, working and solved problems that get in the way of efficient, safe and reliable work for our team members and patients. We sometimes refer to the learning board as a “pebble board” because we each have pebbles in our shoes that slow us down, and we’d like to identify them and remove them. The learning board is typically a red, yellow and green board that is connected to or near the huddle board. Staff members are empowered to post issues that “get in the way” or could be improved or fixed to the board at any time of the day or night. Issues posted on the board are discussed at huddle. By having a learning board in our department, our team can identify issues that are causing frustration, unnecessary time, extra waste or risks to employee and patient safety, quality or experience. Staff can use the learning board to identify areas of opportunity and present ideas for innovation. Once issues are posted to the learning board, the leader and team hold accountability to resolve the pebbles and celebrate the resolution, once it’s reached. This board does not replace safety event reporting.

We should post any improvement projects we are doing on the unit here, as well (ACA action plans, committee projects, etc.).

New – red: All staff should post ideas (pebbles) here with a brief description. It’s helpful if you add your name and the date as well.

Working – yellow: Move the idea to this section once the team decides it’s something we will work on. Please add the date we start working on it for accountability.

Solved – green: The trophy case! All of our solved issues collect here. These are all the pebbles we’ve removed from our shoes and will help us have our best days at work. If the solved portion of the board gets too full, make sure to count before removing or erasing pebbles so we can see how many issues we’ve solved.

Tips:

• Anyone in the department can post to our learning board at any time of day. We all have voices and we all see opportunities for improvement.

• We must encourage each other to post things to the learning board instead of putting a band-aid on the issue. When we post to the board, we will work toward a solution to prevent the recurrence of the issue.

• You can share your ideas and help solve problems by joining project teams and conversations about how we can resolve the issues.

• Your managers and leaders still have an “open door” policy when needed, but it’s helpful to put pebbles on the board to discuss as a team and hold each other accountable.

• We may not be able to solve every issue, but we can talk about it as a team.

Example Issues Posted to Learning Boards:

• “At discharge, it takes too long to find a wheelchair.”

o Solution: The manager budgeted for more wheelchairs and the team worked to create a parking lot for wheelchairs.

• “When there is an emergency in L&D, we don’t have the supplies at the ready.”

o Solution: The team created an emergency kit with necessary supplies for L&D.

• “Empty oxygen tanks are put back in the rack with full oxygen tanks.”

o Solution: The manager budgeted for more oxygen tank holders, the team clearly identified empty, partial and full and also instituted a daily check.

• “The process for requesting supplies is too hard.”

o Solution: The team created a shared spreadsheet and a deadline for supply requests.

Discussion Questions:

How can we make it easier to remember posting to the learning board when you identify a pebble in your shoe? Here are some prompts to get your team started:

• What is one pebble in your shoe that slows you down or gets in your way of being able to do your work? Let’s post it to the learning board!

• What is one issue we can choose to work on together to improve your work and/or the care of our patients?

• Let’s celebrate all the issues we have resolved so far this year (Solved section of the board)!

• Let's set a goal for the number of issues we post to the learning board:

o Number per week or month

o Number per employee per month

o Number resolved per week or month

Do you have an item on the Solved (green) section of your learning board that you would like featured in an upcoming edition of Inside Inspira?

Please contact Katy Perez, associate project manager, Quality and Patient Safety, at PerezK@ihn.org for further information.

GET YOUR FLU SHOT

Mid-September - November 30

In an effort to keep our patients, families and ourselves safe, Inspira Health requires that all employees receive the influenza vaccine.

A few reminders about the mandatory flu vaccine campaign:

•Receiving the influenza vaccine is a condition of employment at Inspira Health, and it has been the law in the State of New Jersey since January 2020.

o The program includes employees, students, volunteers, contracted staff and physicians working within the walls of Inspira Health.

•If your plan is to request a Medical Exemption for the 2023-2024 flu season, you must submit medical records documenting evaluation and treatment for the condition for which you are requesting exemption by October 1, 2023. No request will be reviewed without supporting documentation. Medical Exemption requests received incomplete and/or after the deadline will not be reviewed.

•The request must be completely filled out by a medical provider (Medical Certification forms may be obtained from Employee Health).

•An approved Religious Exemption from the COVID vaccine does not automatically exempt one from receiving the flu vaccine. If you have not already done so, a request for Religious Exemption from the flu vaccine must be completed separately and submitted to the HR Service Center through Oracle. Religious Exemption requests must be completed every year.

•If you will receive a vaccine at one of Inspira Health’s clinics, you must have your consent form completed prior to attending the clinic. There will be no blank consents available at the clinics. A link to the 2023 consent form will be provided in email when the Inspira Health clinic schedule is finalized.

•As in years past, we are expecting support from departmental volunteers. Most employees will have their vaccines available within their departments.

•Flu vaccines will not be administered in the Employee Health offices at Vineland or Mullica Hill.

Additional information:

•If an employee is on Leave of Absence between September and November 2023, they will need to receive or provide documentation of receipt prior to being cleared to return to work.

•You may receive your flu vaccine at any one of the following places:

o In your department: see your department “deputy”

o Urgent Care Employee Flu Vaccine Centers in East Vineland, Glassboro and Laurel Springs

o The Retail Pharmacies at Inspira Medical Centers Mullica Hill and Vineland; walk-ins are available Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., starting in mid-September

o Scheduled vaccine clinics (schedules forthcoming)

o At another place of employment

o A community pharmacy or your physician’s office

•If you receive a vaccine outside of Inspira, you must provide documentation with your name, date of the vaccination, vaccine lot number and vaccine expiration date.