2017-2018 nursing annual report - einstein …...welcome to einstein’s nursing annual report for...

2017-2018 NURSING ANNUAL REPORT

ADVANCING NURSING EXCELLENCE

Welcome to Einstein’s Nursing Annual Report for 2017-2018Gina Marone, MSN, RN, NEA-BC Vice-President & Chief Nurse ExecutiveSince joining Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) in early 2017, I’ve been so impressed by our nurses and the work you do every day.

You provide outstanding service to patients, families and the community through a Caring approach. You utilize evidence-based practice to deliver high-quality healthcare. You contribute to making this a special place to work in many ways—from serving on interdisciplinary teams to promoting self-care to engaging in lifelong learning. Your pursuit of learning and exper-tise is evident in the increase in our nurse certification rate this year.

You have collaborated with process improvements impacting patient care. This includes the implementation of daily team discharge huddles where the interdisciplinary team discusses discharge planning, including approximate day of discharge (ADOD), and communicates this to the patient and family. Nurses, with their patient knowledge, play a vital role in this process by identifying potential risks to a safe discharge that may lead to readmission. This proactive approach ensures patients will have the support needed to care for themselves post discharge.

Reducing central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) and strengthening our vascular access process was a focus for Nursing and our physician partners this past year. Efforts keyed in on appropriate IV access, placement steps, sterility, line care and maintenance, adherence to process measures or bundles, and timely line removal. Our goal is to drive the concept of zero tolerance of harm to our patients and eliminate hospital acquired infections. Our vascular access policy requires an attending phy-sician order to access a central line for blood in an emergent situation. And training more RNs in ultrasound guided IV insertion, and adding a vascular access expert RN to work with clinical RNs supports us to provide quality care and keep our patients safe.

Throughput and access to timely care is a key focus. Our Emergency Department (ED) made changes to reduce waiting time and “left without being seen” rates. We implemented a “Pull Culture,” which is the partnership of the sending areas/units with the receiving units to bed patients sooner. This leads to enhanced patient safety. The Operations Resource Center (ORC), created to coordinate efforts of the pull culture and patient flow to improve throughput and resolve barriers to timely access to care, is evolving yet off to a great start.

And for the 6th time, our organization was designated as a Watson Caring Science Institute Affiliate for how we are integrating caring science into our nursing practice.

This annual report spotlights just a few of Nursing’s many achievements through the year to drive patient safety, service and quality. I hope you take a moment to congratulate yourselves and one another for a terrific year.

Tricia Brown, BSN, RN, Chair of Network Council & Clinical Nurse: Post Anesthesia Care Unit Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to Nursing’s Annual Report. Within these pages you will see some of the many projects, initiatives, and activities that Nursing has been engaged with over the past year.

My name is Trish Brown, BSN, RN, and in October I was honored to accept the role as your Network Nursing Council Chairperson. On behalf of Nurs-ing, I want to thank our Immediate Past Chairperson Flo Gallagher, BSN, RN, CRRN, for her leadership and contributions to Council and our Nursing Staff.

I have worked at Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) since 1991. My clinical background has been general medical surgical nursing, trauma and critical care, dialysis, and post anesthesia care where I currently work. I began my career after receiving my nursing diploma and completed my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree just a few years ago with the assis-tance of AEMC’s tuition program.

I have been actively engaged in shared governance and various collabo-rative teams to improve patient outcomes and nursing engagement during my career here. Several years ago I worked with a dynamic multidisciplinary team to decrease MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) transmissions. The work of the team members was a catalyst for me in understanding the impact collaborative teams can have on creating and sustaining change.

Currently I am working on an evidence-based quality improvement project to decrease hospital-acquired pressure injuries in the perioperative area. This initiative, which began over a year ago in our Surgical Services Nursing Cluster, has demonstrated successful outcomes for our patients. We have presented this work and its results for several professional organizations at national conferences such as the AORN, Quality and Safety in Education in Nursing, and the Philadelphia Area Magnet Consortium Conference. I am proud to be engaged with colleagues in this shared governance project.

Shared governance gives all nurses a role and voice in our practice and the care we provide. I look forward to working with you and taking pride in what we will accomplish this coming year.

Sincerely,

32 WELCOME WELCOME

54 CONTENTS CONTENTS

Table of Contents Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC)

Our Nursing Theory

AEMC’s Mission, Vision, and Values

Transformational Leadership

Nursing’s Mission, Vision, and Values

Nursing’s Strategic Plan

Nursing’s Philosophy

Magnet Journey

Leadership Accessibility

Chair Fair

Operations Resource Center

Power Outage

Structural Empowerment

Clinical Support Education

Nurse Residency Program

Extern Open House

Community Healthcare – Diabetes Prevention

Philadelphia Area Magnet Consortium

BSN and Certification Trends

Annual Certification Recognition Breakfast

Certified Nurses

Nursing Recognition & Awards

Exemplary Professional Practice

Jean Watson Redesignation

Care Delivery System

Ethics Committee Reformation

Compassionate Care Program

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Creative Changes to Care

Discharges at Willowcrest

Opportunity to Care

Comfort Touch

Caring Fair

New Knowledge, Innovations & Improvements

NICView Cameras

Dysphagia: Increasing Safety During Meals

MUNRO Scale

Empirical Outcomes

Let’s Shape Up and Lift the Heels

Baby Friendly

76 ALBERT EIINSTEIN MEDICAL CENTER ALBERT EINSTEIN MEDICAL CENTER

Albert Einstein Medical CenterOur Nursing Theory In 2005, the registered nurses on the Network Nursing Council selected Watson’s Theory of Human Caring as the framework for nursing. The theory was chosen for multiple reasons. First was the relevance of caring across multiple practice settings. Second, values in this theory were ones the nurses wanted to adopt, promote, and advance. The key principles of the theory as defined by Watson were closely aligned with many of our organizational values and culture. For ex-ample, two tenets of the theory are the formation of a humanistic – altruistic sys-tem of values and sensitivity to self and others. This directly relates to the mission and vision of the hospital and the core values of respect, affinity and empathy.

In late 2007 following theory selection, Network Nursing Council dialogued to develop what they wanted nursing practice to look like in the future. Key con-cepts were identified for incorporation into the mission, vision, and philosophy of nursing. During a January 2008 strategic planning retreat, further input was ob-tained from the nursing leadership team and the Mission, Vision and Philosophy was created.

In October 2010, Albert Einstein Medical Center was invited by Dr. Jean Watson to become a Watson Caring Science Institute (WCSI) Affiliate based on formal pre-sentations by a select group of Albert Einstein Medical Center registered nurses and leaders at the October 2010, International Caritas Consortium on how the theory lives within our organization. The only criterion missing was an official site visit from Dr. Watson.

Our first site visit was March 2011, and Albert Einstein Medical Center has been successfully re-designated ever since. As registered nurses began to understand, integrate and practice the theory at a deeper level they recognized a need to have a Mission, Vision and Philosophy that aligned with Watson’s (2008) revised theory, Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring. The Mission, Vision and Philosophy was revised in October 2013 with input from registered nurses at all levels from across Albert Einstein Medical Center.

Albert Einstein Medical Center Mission, Vision, and Values

Vision:Einstein Brilliance and Compassion in All We Touch.

Mission:With humanity, humility and honor, to heal by providing exceptionally intelligent and responsive healthcare and education for as many as we can reach.

Values:Respect, affinity, and empathy.

98 LOCATIONS LOCATIONS

P H I L A D E L P H I A

M O N T G O M E R YC O U N T Y

B U C K SC O U N T Y

30

1

GERMANTOWN PIKE

RIDGE PIKE

PA TURNPIKE

MossRehabDriving Program

MossRehabInpatient Locations

MossRehabOutpatient Centers

MossRehabClubhouse Programs

Primary Care

Specialty Care

KEY

Ambulatory Care Centers

To RehobothBeach, DE

To Allentown, PA

To Wilmington, DE

To Doylestown, PA

To Woodbury, NJ

To Langhorne, PA

TA

ToUpper Gwynedd

Logan

Elkins Park

Jenkintown

Blue Bell

Mayfair

Far Northeast

Pennypack

LawndaleGermantown

Norristown

Olney

Wadsworth

Cedarbrook

PlymouthMeeting

Center City

King ofPrussia Lafayette

Hill

Bryn Mawr

To Paoli

To Marlton, NJ

South Philadelphia

Old City

UniversityCity

Abington

Bala Cynwyd

DELAWARE RIVER

SCHUYLKILL RIVER

To Doylestown, PA

East Norriton

ABurholme

Conshohocken

North WalesToCollegeville

ToColmar

Einstein HealthcareNetwork MainLocations

LOCATIONS

Primary and Specialty CareEinstein offers quality primary and specialty services, includinginternal medicine, family practice, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics,cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, orthopedics and others.

Surgical CareAdvanced outpatient and inpatient surgical care, using traditional as well as minimally invasive techniques in cardiology, orthopedics,bariatrics, liver/kidney/pancreas transplantation, neurosurgery andother specialties.

WALT WHITMANBRIDGE

BENJAMIN FRANKLINBRIDGE

BETSY ROSSBRIDGE

TACONY PALMYRABRIDGE

MossRehab

Einstein Medical Center Elkins ParkFull-service medical and surgical specialty hospital in suburban Montgomery County, offering orthopedics, bariatrics, urology and other services.Both at 60 Township Line Road Elkins Park, PA 19027

Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia5501 Old York Road, Philadelphia, PA 19141

Willowcrest Hospital-based short-term sub-acute rehabilitation and nursing facility located on the campus of Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia. Services include: diagnostic testing, intravenous medication therapy, total parenteral nutrition, and transfusion therapy, physical, occupational, and speech therapies.

772-bed tertiary-care teaching hospital located in North Philadelphia. The hospital has an accredited Level I Regional Resource Trauma Center and one of the busiest emergency departments in Philadelphia. EMCP is the largest independent academic medical center in the region with residency and fellowship training programs in many specialties, and offers advanced treatment in heart and vascular care, stroke, radiation oncology, breast health and more.

Offers easy access to primary care and specialty services in Northeast Philadelphia and Lower Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Outpatient surgery services include cancer care, breast surgery, ophthalmology gastro-enterology; general surgery; orthopedics; pain management; and urology.

Einstein Center One

World-renowned for inpatient and outpatient rehabilitative programs for brain and spinal cord injury, stroke, neurological disorders, amputation and orthopedic conditions. It offers inpatient and outpatient services at locations throughout Philadelphia, Montgomery and Bucks Counties, including MossRe-hab Bucks, MossRehab Doylestown, MossRehab Frankford, MossRehab Tabor, and MossRehab Elkins Park.

9880 Bustleton Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19115

1110 TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Transformational LeadershipNursing’s Mission, Vision, and ValuesOur Vision:

Advancing the art and science of Nursing. Through that vision, we aspire to bring to our patients and community Einstein Brilliance and Compassion in All We Touch, which is the vision for Albert Einstein Medical Center.

Our Mission:The mission of Nursing is a commitment to creating caring, healing environments with au-thenticity and intentionality for all we reach and touch through practice excellence, innovation, scholarship, and expressions of caring practic-es.

With humanity, humility and honor, to heal by providing exceptionally intelligent and respon-sive healthcare and education for as many as we can reach is the mission of Albert Einstein Medical Center. The mission is grounded in the Jewish concept of repairing and healing the world. In doing so, we respect the opportunity to be involved in our community and in people’s lives.

We Value: • Each other as our greatest resource in achieving our mission.

• Professionalism in our discipline.

• Diversity for enriching our communities.

• A culture of safety that protects our patients and ourselves.

• Teamwork which supports and strengthens interdisciplinary collaborative practices.

• Our patients and their families as active participants in their care.

• Creating a superior experience for our patients, families, and communities.

• Caring science, innovative models of care delivery, and integration of research and evidence-based practices.

• Peer review as necessary for professional growth and development.

• Education and lifelong learning.

• Change and the opportunities it creates.


Nursing’s Strategic PlanOur Core Purpose Statement:

To provide exceptional nursing care that honors the humanity and dignity of each person while advancing nursing as a profession.

Envisioned Future Goal:

The Nursing Service Organization will drive the recognition of Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) as the premiere network by being a leader in nursing innovation, caring science, scholarship, and community integration.

Vivid Descriptions:

• AEMC Nursing will be recognized as an influential determinant for choice of care within the community.

• The Nursing Service Organization will be a major contributor to clinical excellence and the financial goals of Albert Einstein Medical Center

• Continuing to use evidence-based practices and caring science, AEMC nurses will be trusted leaders in the optimal delivery of patient-centered care.

• Our Nursing Service Organization will attract and retain nurses committed to exemplary professional practice and the cultivation of the next generation of nurse leaders.

Nursing’s Philosophy

At Albert Einstein Medical Center, we believe Nursing is both a discipline and a practice profession. As a discipline, we have a domain of knowledge, which has been developed over time by nursing theorists, leaders, scholars and professional organizations. As a practice pro-fession, we use the theoretical structures of this knowledge to inform education, practice and research.

Watson’s Theory of Human Caring is the over-arching nursing theory that informs the mission,

vision, philosophy and professional practice model for the Nursing Service Organization. The conceptualization of our philosophy is based on Caritas Process™ 4 Developing and Sustaining a Helping Trusting Caring Relationship. Relation-ship includes relationship to self, relationship with colleagues, relationship with patients, and relationship with community.

To allow for caring moments, we need to have an authentic presence, seek genuine human connection, listen to hear the story of another, and be present for another.

Magnet Journey

Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) is cur-rently on our Magnet® Designation Journey. We will submit our Magnet® document on June 1, 2018. Magnet® recognition from American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is widely regarded as the highest mark of excellence a hospital can receive for Nursing. The Magnet® Designation Journey includes nursing units at Einstein Center One, Einstein Medical Center El-kins Park, Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, MossRehab and Willowcrest. Our Magnet® document writing team remains busy with iden-tifying, sourcing, writing and editing materials required for our Magnet® document. The writ-ing team is excited to be sharing AEMC nursing stories of excellence. The team represents vari-ous areas and includes frontline Clinical Nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Educators, Nurse Managers, Nurse Directors and Nurse Executives.

Leadership Accessibility

Albert Einstein Medical Center ensures our nurses have access to nurse leadership in sev-eral ways.

Gina Marone, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nurse Executive, communicates with nursing staff in person and through both print and electron-ic communications. Marone meets new staff during her welcome session at each month at orientation welcome session. Each month, Ma-rone participates in Network Nursing Council,

Nursing Leadership Meetings and Leader Ser-vice Sessions. Throughout the year she meets at Clusters Unit Practice Committees, Nursing Excellence Champions, Research and Evi-dence-based Council meetings. She connects with employees at breakfast sessions, and during her weekly leader and employee round-ing. Emails, quarterly newsletters and video are her electronic forms of communications.

Her team of nursing leaders provide weekend and holiday Leader rounding, facilitate Coun-cils Clusters and Unit Practice Committees, Research and EBP Council, Nursing Resource Committee, RN Excellence Program, Caritas Circle, and Nursing Excellence Champions, as well as multiple collaborative work teams.

Chair Fair Held to Assess Patient Room Seating Options

A “Chair Fair” was held in Fall of 2017 on Levy 2 for nursing and physical therapy staff and leaders to evaluate a variety of chairs for patient use on the inpatient units. This interdisciplinary collaboration on the selection process supports

the advancement of our Out of Bed Protocol. During a meeting with Chief Nurse Executive Gina Marone, our Physical Therapy Department identified a need for additional chairs for pa-tient rooms. In further discussion with Network Nursing Council, the CNE received confirmation on the need for chairs that patients could sit in comfortably and well-supported which would promote advancement of the out of bed proto-col and safe patient handling.

Chairs were researched and several vendors were invited to present their products at the ‘Chair Fair.” Vendors championed their respec-tive chairs to attendees, and navigated the questions posed by staff on aspects of the operation and use of each chair.

Attendees tried out the chairs and assessed the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Each attendee completed an evaluation tool on each chair. Thanks to their input the first-choice recliner -- a Lay-Z- Boy with one side that folds down to make a transfer easier -- was the final selection. Recliners were delivered to nursing units.

Clinical staff deciding on best chairs for patients


Operations Resource Center Goal: Improve Patient Throughput, Leading to Faster Access to Care

The Operations Resource Center (ORC) on Levy 2 is a logistics center designed to improve patient throughput in our hospital and ensure timely access to care along with improved efficiency. From the ORC, a team of clinical and support service leaders orchestrates the movements of patients. With the key objective of efficient patient flow, they track patients from the moment they enter our doors until they are discharged.

Interdisciplinary rounds with nurses, physicians, and social workers and care managers are critical to helping patients move through our system. During rounds, staff focus on address-ing barriers to discharge. Based on information gathered during rounds, staff communicate an approximate discharge date with the patient and family, and keep them updated throughout the stay.

In the ORC, a team of RN supervisors, RN flow coordinators, bed board staff, Environmental Services and Transport uses electronic systems such as the Teletracker, where staff can view all the units’ census and patient activity, along with the Emergency Room board to assess patient volumes, admits, level of care needed and wait-ing room activity. They also monitor procedural and surgical schedules along with direct admis-sion patients, the level of care needed by each patient, and the movement of patients among hospital units.

The team has also developed algorithms to streamline the admission and physician assign-ment process, to expedite movement out of the ED and balance placement between teaching and non-teaching services. For newly admitted patients, the ORC will use clinical criteria devel-oped for all the units to ensure the right patient goes to the right bed or level of care and spe-cialty. The hospital is building on the success-es of the work already done in the Emergency Department to improve efficiency.

Power Outage When a fire broke out in the electrical trans-former room on June 5, 2017, resulting in a campus-wide power outage, the Albert Einstein Medical Center team sprang into action. Jill Stunkard, Associate Chief Nurse Executive, was onsite and huddled with Ruth Lefton, COO; Gina Marone, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nurse Execu-tive; and other senior executives as they arrived. The outage affected three buildings where in-patient care is provided. Emergency generators were started immediately to provide electricity to the campus.

The Nursing Emergency Phone Chain was initiated to alert Directors and Nurse Managers of the situation and to request they report back with the status of their areas. Clinical nurses, alerted by their nurse managers, immediately checked to ensure that essential equipment was functioning.

Siew Lee Grand-Clement, MSN, RN, CPHQ, CLSSBB, who was Clinical Director of Critical Care Nursing, directed the clinical nurses to find working outlets for cardiac monitors on the Stepdown Units that were not plugged into outlets powered by the generators. Marybeth Lahey, MSN, RN, NE-BC, who was Clinical Di-rector, Women’s and Children Services, quickly identified a problem with the infant abduction system (HUGS) and partnered with Protective Services leadership to put safeguards in place.

When the Telemetry monitors went down, the clinical nurses determined which patients re-quired continuous monitoring; these patients were then placed on portable hardwire mon-itors. Nurse Educators, Clinical Nurse Spe-cialists, RN Quality Coordinators and Nursing Managers all assisted in providing patient care on the unit.

The Emergency Department, under the direc-tion of Steve Chapman, MBA, BSN, RN, Senior Director of Emergency Services, and Dr. Betsy Datner was placed on divert status except for walk-in patients. The Hospital Incident Com-mand Structure (HICS) model, which had been instituted earlier in the morning, continued throughout the day. By the afternoon, six patient care units remained on emergency generator power.

Nursing leadership and other department di-rectors met with Barry Freedman, CEO, Lefton and Marone to determine available resources and services for overnight. Nursing leaders coordinated which of them would remain on site during the evening and overnight hours along with two Nursing Supervisors.

By the afternoon of June 7, power was com-pletely restored to the campus. Leadership is very thankful to all our nursing staff members for their team work, flexibility, understanding and overall coordinated response to this unplanned event.

1716 STRUCTURAL EMPOWERMENT STRUCTURAL EMPOWERMENT

Structural EmpowermentClinical Support Education Clinical support staff are at the forefront of pa-tient care delivery and are integral to ensuring safe patient care. Their role is critical in sup-porting nursing practices that prevent pressure injuries, falls, hospital-associated infections and patient self-injury.

Clinical Support Staff Development Day is an 8-hour class that was created to review and refresh our support staff’s knowledge and skills so they have the latest information and skill competence for how they can impact the best outcomes for patient care.

This class, required annually for all clinical support staff, is offered biweekly and open to both new hires and current support staff. Top-ics covered include Pressure Injury Prevention, Patient Experience, Safety Attendant, Preventing Patient Falls, Infection Control Practices, Intake and Output, Electrocardiograms and Vital Signs.

Since its November FY 2017 inception, we have successfully trained 296 clinical support staff members. This class has been rated by 100% of the staff as being an excellent addition to their training. Feedback we have received from staff speaks to the success of this class. Com-ments have included: informative and refreshed my memory, very well done, instructors were very helpful, they broke down everything so you could receive the information better, I enjoyed being in this class, great job, and thank you for contributing to my knowledge.

In September 2017, the first cohort of nine Albert Einstein Medical Center Nurse Residents be-gan their journey through our Nurse Residency Program (NRP). In January 2018, a group of 24 Nurse Residents commenced the program and a third cohort begins in April 2018.

A bimonthly newsletter “Nurse Residency Pro-gram” that is distributed to Nursing highlights the program and includes articles written by nurse residents. Recently featured was Lisa Stone, BSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, who wrote a critical care review book currently in publication. The interview was completed by another bed-side nurse, Kristen Aguirre, MSN, RN.

Extern Open HouseOn April 8, 15 Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) Nurse Externs attended a recruitment event hosted in Gouley Auditorium. Nursing Re-cruitment and Nancy Pokorny, MSN, MHA, RN Director, Nursing Excellence, who coordinates the Nurse Extern Program welcomed arriving Externs. Recruiters gave each Extern an AEMC tote bag with information about Einstein.

Clinical Educator Sue Benjamin-Mlynarczuk, MSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, gave a presentation about AEMC’s Nurse Residency Program (NRP) that begins in late summer. The Nursing Residency Program is of great interest to our Externs who will be graduating this spring. Bill Hudson, BSN, RN, CNML, Magnet Program Director, spoke about the value of the NRP. Siew Lee Grand-Clement, MSN, RN, CPHQ, CLSSBB, Director of Critical Care, highlighted various aspects of the critical care units and their nurs-ing teams during her presentation. Maryann Malloy, MSN, RNC-NIC, NEA-BC shared insights on nursing practice in Labor & Delivery, Mother/Baby and Neonatal Intensive Care.

Breakout sessions gave the Externs the oppor-tunity to ask questions and talk with the pre-senters, as well as Nurse Managers Marianne Wittman, MSN, RN, Telemetry, and Franny Thom-as, BSN, RN, Cardiac Critical Care. Externs gave positive feedback about the Saturday morning event and the opportunity to personally meet and speak directly with nursing managers, di-rectors and recruiters about the future possibili-ty of becoming AEMC Registered Nurses.

Nurse Residency Program Through our new Nurse Residency Program (NRP), new-to-practice nurses are getting the clinical support that is critical to safely deliver competent care to all patients.

This 12-month research-based program by Vizient is prescriptive, yet flexible. It’s designed to successfully transition the advanced learner to a competent nurse by targeting three areas

of vulnerability: the role of the nurse as a leader at the bedside, the nurse’s role in quality out-comes and the investment in the nurse’s own professional development.

Through four-hour monthly educational semi-nars, the Nurse Residents enjoy a learner-cen-tered classroom with a creative and innovative curriculum. Evidence-based practice projects are also included in the expectations of all Nurse Residents.

Critical Care Nursing Leadership shared information about their specialty areas

S. Benjamin-Mlynarczuk, MSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, informs Externs about the Nurse

Residency Program


Community Healthcare: Diabetes Prevention ProgramThe Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is the first major clinical trial to show that lifestyle changes in diet, exercise and losing a little weight can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Designed for people with pre-diabetes, the program’s goals are twofold: weight loss of 5 percent of starting body weight and 150 minutes of physical activity weekly.

When the Pennsylvania Health Promotion Coun-cil decided to offer two Philadelphia institutions grant money to run a Diabetes Prevention Pro-gram, Jackie Dwyer, the Registered Dietician/ Certified Diabetes Educator for the Gutman Diabetes program, requested that Albert Ein-stein Medical Center be one of the institutions chosen.

After approval from leadership and the Legal department, Jackie and her colleague, Becky Storbrauck, RN, Certified Diabetes Educator, began preparing to launch the program. They attended a two-day Lifestyle Coach training, supported by the Health Promotion Council.

On January 18, 2017, Jackie and Becky began conducting classes for the one-year program,

using curriculum and a database developed through CDC. Participants received tools for portion control and increasing activity. Demon-strations of healthy food alternatives were pro-vided. Participants also received information regarding support resources offered at Albert Einstein Medical Center, such as weekly walk sessions with the Life Coaches.

Classes were held weekly for the first 16 weeks, then every other week for the next month, then monthly for the remainder of the program. A total of 25 people were registered at the be-ginning of the program, with 19 remaining with measurable metrics at the six-month mark.

Between January 2017 and July 2017, the av-erage weight of DPP clients decreased from 213.32 pounds to 193.29 pounds – a 9 percent decrease, well above the weight loss goal of the program. De-identified data will be provided to the CDC upon completion of program. The Life Coaches will be submitting a request to Health Promotion Council to continue with funding for two cohorts for 2018.

Philadelphia Area Magnet ConsortiumAdvancing Quality and Excellence through Collaboration

Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) was well-represented among both presenters and attendees at the 2017 Philadelphia Area MAG-NET Consortium (PAMC) conference Advancing Quality and Excellence through Collaboration hosted by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The objectives of the conference are to highlight the excellent work being done by nurses; pro-vide opportunities for clinical nurses to prepare and submit abstracts, present posters, and give oral presentations; and to network and share practices with colleagues from across the re-gion.

Members of the Nursing Excellence champions led our delegation, including Chairperson Deb Hodgdon, BSN, RN, CEN, Emergency Depart-ment; Anne Kilmer, BSN, RN, Cardiac Critical Care, Immediate Past Chair; Secretary Timi Flor-kowski, BSN, RN, CRRN, Tabor Inpatient Acute; Flo Gallagher, BSN, RN, CRRN;1 West and Joann Brown, BSN, RN, Emergency Department.

Presentations given by the following AEMC nurses received excellent feedback: Beth Hur-witz, BSN, RN, CEN, Emergency Department,

for her poster Evidence Based Practice Project Yields Practice Change in Emergency Depart-ment; Trish Brown, BSN, RN, PACU EMC Phila-delphia, spoke about Quality and Safety Driving Evidence-based Improvement in Perioperative Services; and Sharon Sauer, BSN, RNC-NIC, Neonatal ICU, presented her work on Changing Practice: Colostrum Swabbing as an Infection Prevention Strategy. Gerry Altmiller, EdD, APRN, ACNS-BC, our faculty consultant, gave a key-note address on Teamwork and Collaboration Contributing to Quality and Safety.

Nancy Pokorny, MSN, MHA, RN, Director, Nurs-ing Excellence, is a member of the PAMC Pro-fessional Development committee and along with Susan Benjamin-Mlynarczuk, MSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, Clinical Educator and Coordinator participated in planning the conference.

PAMC membership includes Directors of Mag-net Programs, Education and Professional Prac-tice Development from the region’s American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) designated Magnet organizations, and organizations like AEMC that are on the Magnet Journey with their applications accepted by ANCC. Bill Hudson, Magnet Program Director, was a founding mem-ber and the first president of PAMC and helped plan the first PAMC conference.

213.32 206.20 203.53 193.29

180

185

190

195

200

205

210

215

Wei

ght

in p

oun

ds

Average Weight (lbs) of DPP Clients

What Makes up a Good Team

January March May July

Average Weight (lbs) of DPP Clients


BSN and Certification Trends Due to the increasing complexity of healthcare, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends the nursing profession increase the number of registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) to 80% by the year 2020. Studies indicate BSN-prepared nurses experience better patient outcomes and higher competency in nursing practice, as well as increased skills in communication, leadership, professional integration as well as research and evaluation, according to The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice report (AACN, 2014). In FY2017, 80% of Clinical Nurses at Albert Einstein Medical Center attained a BSN or higher degree. This number rose to 81% in FY18 Q2.

Clin

ical

Nur

ses

Diploma

Associate

BSN & Higher Clinical RNs

Certified Eligible Clinical RNs

FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY18 Q20.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

12.4%

15.8%

72.0%

34.0%

10.6%

12.2%

77.8%

37.6%

8.9%

11.7%

80.0%

38.0%

7.8%

10.7%

81.0%

39.0%

10 Reba AzoffScholarshipsannounced:applicationsdue Jan 2015,awarded inMay 2015

10 Reba AzoffScholarshipsAwardedMay 2016

Jan FY 2017announcementof Certificationbonus increaseeffectiveJuly FY 2018

10 Reba AzoffScholarshipsAwardedMay 2017

Clinical Nurse Education & Certification for Nursing Units

Annual Certification Recognition Breakfast We are so proud of all our nurses who have achieved national certification in a nursing specialty!

National Nursing Certification Day was celebrated in Gouley Auditorium on March 17, 2017. Flo Gunn Gallagher, BSN, RN, CRRN, Chairperson of Network Nursing Council, welcomed over 110 certified nurses to the early morning event. She introduced Gina Marone, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Vice President of Healthcare Services and Chief Nurse Executive (CNE), who had just joined Albert Einstein Med-ical Center in March. Gina’s opening remarks were inspiring and she introduced Margaret Harkins, DNP, MBE, GNP-BC, RN-BC, BSN, Assistant Professor, and RN to BSN Fast Track Coordinator at Holy Family University. Dr. Harkins’ practice expertise is in geriatric nursing, education and ethics, and her presentation focused on nursing ethics and the value of specialty board certification.

A certification exam by a professional board validates knowledge, abilities and skills in an area of clinical practice and for an identified nursing role. The process includes experiences in a specific area of nursing, specialized education, and successful completion of an exam which then earns the Registered Nurse the right to use specific credentials.

As of the close of December 2017, 39% of our part-time and full-time frontline Clinical Nurses are certified in a nursing specialty. Several nurses hold two specialty certifications. When we look at the Nursing Department Nurses in totality, there are 425 Registered Nurses who are certified.


Name CertificationAbraham, Mercy CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical

RN)

Griffin, Charlene A. ACNS-BC (Adult Health CNS)

Morrison, Dolores ACNS-BC (Adult Health CNS)

Thomas, Elizabeth ACNS-BC (Adult Health CNS)

Haney, Robert CAPA (Certified Ambulatory Perian-esthesia)

Acevedo, Angel R. CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Allen, Ayesha CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Bianchi, Liza CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Bishop, Audrey CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Blumenthal, Tara CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Bongart, Jacqueline CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Boucher, Randi CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Brown, Sarah CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Camacho, Johanna CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Cameron, Diana CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Capella, Elizabeth CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Colon, Melinda CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Elliott, Deborah CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Fernandez, Loren CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Gibson, Patricia CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Gonzalez, Sonia CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Jasner, Terri CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Johnson, Crystalle CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Keller, Lauren CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Kocotis, Erin CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Lee, Diana CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Mattioli, Maria CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Nunez, Priscilla CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Nyce, Phyllis CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Name Certification Padgeon, Jacqueline CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-

selor)

Patel, Ami CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Som, Jenny CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Tucker, Christine CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Vizza, Deinse CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Wallace, Glenna CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Watt-Cyrus, Charissa CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Zhitnitsky, Rimma CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

Zimmer, Emma CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Coun-selor)

McGrath, Nancy S. CBN (Certified Bariatric Nurse)

Ajuz, Yvonne CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Albertson, Diane CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Bartoletti, MaryLynn CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Benjamin-Mlynar, Susan CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Booth, Gwynne CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Brennan, Beatrice CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Brown, Diana CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Brown, Veronica CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Campbell, Patrick CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Cannon, Patty CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Capili, Glenn CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Collins, Kevin CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Conley, Amanda CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Cunningham, Patrick CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Curley, Stacy CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Derrick-Neal, Laila CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Dikon, Colleen CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Donohue, Erin CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Egan, Brendan CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Eldow, Aleyamma CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Gerard, Kristen CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Grant, Kathryn CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Gray, Marcia CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Haines, Mary Kate CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Haney, Eileen CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Harris, Samira CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Hopkins-Pepe, Loraine CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Hulme, Timothy CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Ihlenfeldt, Ryan CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Jacobson, Carolyn CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Name Certification

Johnson, Rebecca CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Kelly, Kathleen CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Kull, Carol CCRN (Critical Care RN)

LaHart, Daniel CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Losowski, Taylor J. CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Markey, Mary Catherine CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Mastrogiorgio, Samantha CCRN (Critical Care RN)

McCall, Janice CCRN (Critical Care RN)

McIlvain, Bridget CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Miller, Teresa M CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Molloy, Patricia CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Molloy, Patrick CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Murray, Dara CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Nissley, Kristine CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Olyansky, Greg CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Ouch, Sundaly CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Pasos, Jennifer CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Poindijour, Myriam CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Powroznik, Marie CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Rabena, Chelsea CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Ramos, Diane CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Recchi, Jonathon CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Reid, Ambria CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Sanou, Hakeem CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Siddhika, Bibi CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Slifer, Teresa CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Sliwinski, Aidan CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Soto, Desiree CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Stone, Lisa CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Stone, Manuela CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Thomas, Frances CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Vanore, Catherine CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Weber, Mary Ellen CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Wechter, Kim Marie CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Weymouth, Joan CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Williams, Nisha CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Woodruff, Ira CCRN (Critical Care RN)

Adams. Patricia CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator)

Storbrauck, Rebecca CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator)

Bamberger, Raelynne CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Battersby, Lisa CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Beard, Karen CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Blackwell, Rhunette CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Crowe, Erin CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Davis, Barbara CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Eubanks, Keenya CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Filemyr, Katherine CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Name Certification

Fitzgerald, Stephanie CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Harmon, Marilyn CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Hurwitz, Beth CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Ihlenfeldt, Ryan CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Johnston, Ashlee CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Jones, Madilynn CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Kelly, Kristy CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

King, Jacquline CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Krosskove, Johua CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Lawson, Margaret CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Lehrman, Crystal CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Maher, Kimberly CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Marvelous, Jennifer CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

McDonald, Krista CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Michener, Barbara CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Misuro, Sarah CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Moody, Erin CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Peterson, Victoria CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Rossmair, Mark CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Ryan, Jill CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Samuelson, Miriam CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Shipman, Karen CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Smith-Pejka, Margaret CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Spoerl, Gene CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Swierczynski, Kerry CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Tailor, Marylynn CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Tillery, Maya CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Trajano, James CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Trojecki, Theresa CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Wagner, Tammy CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Welch, Daniel CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Weymouth, Joan CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Wright, Mary CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Gervasoni, Pamela CLC (Certified Lactation Consul-tant)

Dougherty, Jane CLC (Certified Lactation Consul-tant)

Stone, Lisa CMC ( Adult Cardiac Medicine)

Alex, Soumya CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Armstrong, Nancy CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Braga, Michelle CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Brennen-Jacoby, Roseann CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Castleton, Justina CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Certified Nurses Certified Nurses


Certified Nurses Certified NursesName CertificationConners, Alison CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical

RN)

Conwell, Tania CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Cunningham, Elizabeth CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Daley, Stepheney CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

D’Antonio, Colleen S. CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Elefante, Glenda CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Flint, Adrienne CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Grant, Carolyn CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Hollerbach, Priscilla CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Imperial, Jennifer CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

John, Princes CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Johnson, Elizabeth CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Joo, Min Jung CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Joyce, Kelly A. CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Julius, Tisa M. CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Kelly, Donna CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Lee, Anastasia CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Leva, Anita CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Longmore, Kristen CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Lou, Miaoping CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Lukose, Beena CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Luu, Chau CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Mangoni, Evelyn CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Mathew, Sherine CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Matthews, Catherine CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

McCarron, Dana CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

McCloskey, Kelly Ann CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Name CertificationMcDonnell, Loretta CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical

RN)

Miller, Veronica CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Mulinga, Koki CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

O’Hagan, Patricia CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Pace, Sophia CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Paul, Omana CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Payne, Bethany CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Pecoraro, Nicole M. CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Randolph, Chevelle CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Richardson, Abigail CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Saji, Mini CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Salazar, Eunice CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Sampson, Catherine CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Sandford, Matthew CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Santos, Leah CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Santos, Ruby CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Simoes, Ines CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Smith, June CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Sweet, Jaime CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Tankersly, Chanda CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Ten, Chansey CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Thomas, Simi S. CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Uzdevenes, Terri L. CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Valentine-Charles, Rey-nalease

CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Zane, Ellen CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Zanine-Gauss, Denise CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical RN)

Quirong-Jones, Nida CNC (Certified Nephrology Nurse)

Hudson, Bill CNML (Certified Nurse Manager Leader)

Name CertificationSemet Patrice CNN (Certified Nephrology Nurse)

Alessandroni, Stephen CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Baker, Theresa CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Chavez, David CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Dyer, Marie CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Gonzalez, Evelyn L. CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Heck, Eunice CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Kondrak, Christine CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Lash, Rebecca CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Levin, Robert CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Phelts, Stella Louise CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Samuel, Sheejamol CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Schwartz, Karen A. CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Sebastian, Sherly CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Shepherd, Barbara CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Stefano, Jo-Ann CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Yerkes, Annette CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Young, Mina-Kathleen CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room)

Poindijour, Myriam CNS ( Adult Gerontology)

McGrath, Nancy S. CPAN (Cerified Post-anesthesia Nurse)

Newns, Diane CPAN (Cerified Post-anesthesia Nurse)

Grand-Clement, Siew Lee

CPHQ (Professional In Healthcare Quality)

Wells, Elizabeth CPHQ (Professional In Healthcare Quality)

Gaynor, Crystal CPN (Certified Pediatric Nurse)

Gillard, Colleen CPN (Certified Pediatric Nurse)

Arocena, Angelo CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Atkinson, Cynthia CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Barainyak, Lindsay CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Bethel, Lisa CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Bongart, Nicole Y CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Bowers, Denise CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Brugger, Judy CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Name CertificationCarpenter, Michael CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Cline, Evelyn CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Colcher, Melanie CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Cortez, Nicole CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Creighton, Joanne CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Danko, Janina CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Day, Dorothy CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Dietz, Lindsay H CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Durning, Edythe CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Eckert, Sherri L CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Ekobeni, Alice Marcelle CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Erb, Lori A. CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Fenstemaker, Cheryl CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Florkowski, Timothea CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Flynn, Elaine CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Foley, Kathryn CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Forrest, Michelle CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Gallagher, Florence CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

George, Elis CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

George, Thankamma CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Gogna, Parvesh CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Goodman, Shari CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Gorman, Erin CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Gutierrez, Maria CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Ha, Jeong CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Hartigan, Joanne CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Hicks, Lorraine CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Irlich, Eileen CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Jacob, Teny CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Jandrisevits, Jaclyn CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Kinee, Andrea CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Kling, Karyn CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Kuriakose, Rinju CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Langly, Shelly CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

MaGee, Lisa CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Malgapo, Gertrude CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Mathew, Laitha CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Maynard, Sue CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

McKenna, Patrick CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

McStravock, Colleen CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Mohammed, Kareema CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Montford, Frances CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Njoku, Julie CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Norton, Robert CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Novick, Stephen CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Oates, Kenyatta CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

O’Connell, Doreen CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)


Certified Nurses Certified NursesName CertificationO’Connor, Shannon CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Odom, Tiffany CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Palmer, Michele CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Pedicone, Marianne CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Petruzzi, Matthew CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Pina, Jillian CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Pinder, Lisa CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Powell, Theresa CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Purathoottuu, Noby CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Puthran, Sandhya CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Rathappillil, Tinu CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Rigous, Rachelle CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Rivera, Maria CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Roberts, Adamma CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Rotz, Kathleen CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Scarpitti, Danielle CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Schmidheiser, Lisa CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Schultz, Maureen CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Scott, Pamela CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Shleyfer, Marina CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Sincavage, Lisa CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Slook, Andrea CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Stone, Patrice CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Suong, Aurore CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Taylor, Carol CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Wible, Elaine CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Wichert, Lori CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Wood, Megan CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation RN)

Hayes, Patricia Anne CWCN (Certified Wound Care Nurse)

Rudolph, Shane CWCN (Certified Wound Care Nurse)

Piccone, Jen CWOCN (Wound & Ostomy Care)

Hudson, Alicia Gerontological Nursing

Borton, Dorothy Infection Prevention and Control

Flynn, Elaine Infection Prevention and Control

Austin, Tonya L. Medical-Surgical Nursing RN-BC (ANCC)

Joby, Vineetha Medical-Surgical Nursing RN-BC (ANCC)

Watt-Cyrus, Charissa MNN ( Maternal Newborn Nurse)

Joseph, Philomina MNN (Maternal Newborn Nurse)

Lodise, Jane MNN (Maternal Newborn Nurse)

Faust, Judith NEA-BC (Nurse Executive, Advanced)

Marone, Gina NEA-BC (Nurse Executive, Advanced)

Pollock, Marilyn NEA-BC (Nurse Executive, Advanced)

Rodzen, Lisa NEA-BC (Nurse Executive, Advanced)

Tomlinson, Lisa NEA-BC (Nurse Executive, Advanced)

Jackson, Theresa NE-BC (Nurse Executive)

Name CertificationMcCulley, Susan L. NE-BC (Nurse Executive)

Megafu, Pearl NE-BC (Nurse Executive)

Seminara, Margaret NE-BC (Nurse Executive)

Tate, Beverly Ann NE-BC (Nurse Executive)

Wittman, Marianne NE-BC (Nurse Executive)

Zarra, Thomas NE-BC (Nurse Executive)

Allen, Silvia NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Ball, Elaine NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Castillo, Carla NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Cody, Lisa NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Donahue, Eileen NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Feldstein, Maryann M. NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Finn-Hagerty, Philomena NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Hartley, Christine NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Malloy Maryann NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

McCabe-Menefee, Jerri NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

McGinnis, Maureen T. NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Patel, Sonali NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Roos, Amy NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Sauer, Sharon NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Stumfels, Jillmarie NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse)

Ackler, Joann OCN (Oncology Certified Nurse)

Cherry, Ruth OCN (Oncology Certified Nurse)

Hunt, Karen OCN (Oncology Certified Nurse)

Reeves, Turena OCN (Oncology Certified Nurse)

Hannon, Mary ONC (Oncology Nurse Certified)

Alexis, Wileen PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Alias, Mini PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Alilio, Jane PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Arocena, Mary Lou PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Benny, Raji PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Bish, Catherine PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Dennis, Athena PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

DiFranco, Theresa PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Donahue, Theresa PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Ehnow, Christine PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Fairchild, Deborah PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Famawa, Thomas PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Name CertificationGereaghty, Patricia PCCN (Progressive Care Certified

Nurse)

Iezzatti, Katie PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Javardian, Maria PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Kates, Matthew PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Koshy, Maneejo PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Lombardi Snyder, Cath-erine

PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Malloy, Jennifer PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Marchuk, Tsimafei PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Miller, Amanda PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Payne, Marnee PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Richardson, Clifton PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Sayen, Catelin PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Taylor, Joan PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Thomas, Stacy-Ann PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Williamson, Muibat PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Wittman, Marianne PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse)

Fallows, Patricia Perinatal Nursing

Gage, Beth PMHCNS-BC (Psychiatric-Mental Health CNS)

Avis, Baruch RN-BC (Cardiac-Vascular Nursing)

Kwak-Ko, Grace RN-BC (Cardiac-Vascular Nursing)

McBrien, Dorothy RN-BC (Cardiac-Vascular Nursing)

Meldrum, Bryan RN-BC (Cardiac-Vascular Nursing)

Ross, Jana RN-BC (Cardiac-Vascular Nursing)

Tomlinson, Lisa RN-BC (Cardiac-Vascular Nursing)

Brill, Theresa RN-BC (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Byrd-Jerry, Kimberly RN-BC (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Gill, Anita RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing )

Griffin, Charlene A. RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing )

Gulla, Susan RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing )

James, Mary Beth RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing )

Johnson, Shelley RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing )

Lawlor, Kathy RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing )

Mathew, Sherin R. RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing )

Schwoebel, Marguerite RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing )

Name CertificationCuevas, Yamile RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Dolan, Christine RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Eluwa, Susan RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Farber, Cheryl RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Kwasnjuk, Jeanne RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Mouzon, Naja RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Nyce, Phyllis RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Reyes, Petagaye RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Thomas, Elizabeth RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Young, Deborah RN-BC (Medical-Surgical Nursing)

Cantwell, Angela RN-BC (Psychiatric & Mental Health)

Stupka, Carolyn RN-BC (Psychiatric & Mental Health)

Tate, Beverly Ann RN-BC (Psychiatric & Mental Health)

Power, Mwasonoh RN-BC (Psychiatric-Mental Health)

Williams, Angelia RN-BC (Psychiatric-Mental Health)

Eklu, Augustina RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Gilliam, Annitia RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Hendrickson, Danielle RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Horner, Karen RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Jones, Merle Angela RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Joseph, Sherrie RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Juliani, Patrice M. RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Land, Tracy RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Lark, Cheryl RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Longyard, Janis RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Mather, Patsy RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Neff, Cheryl RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Philip, Renu RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Phillips, Antoinette RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Portman, April RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Rice, Joyce RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Trautz, Bridget RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Valentin, Alicia RNC - OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse)

Hushen, Patricia Ann SCRN (Stroke Certified)

Fascicco, Parese WOCNCB (Wound & Ostomy Care)


Nursing Recognition & Awards2017 Nurses’ Week Caring Spirit AwardsWomen & Children’s ClusterChristine Hartley, BSN, RN - NICU

Jacqueline Bongart, RN - Mother Baby Unit

Eryka Waller - Social Services

Karen Horner, MSN, RN - Labor and Delivery

Randi Boucher, BSN, RN - Mother Baby Unit

OB Triage Team of Joyce Rice, RN & Faye McCrumm, RN

Sonia Gonzalez, BSN, RN - Mary Webb Caring Spirit

RehabJennifer Johnson, NA - 1 West

Joanne Hartigan, RN, CRRN, CMSRN - MossRehab Aria

Daneille Spence, NA - 1 West

Sarah Brady, BSN, RN - 3rd Floor

Veronica Matthews, BSN, RN - Brain Injury Unit

Brandi Casey, HUC - MossRehab Doylestown

Subacute/LTCAngelita Ortega, BSN, RN

Carol Morris, LPN

Charles Williams, CNA

Bianca Williams, HUC

Critical CareAlyssa Derstine, HUC - Levy 5

Danielle Payeski, BSN, RN - Levy 4

Sophia Pace, BSN, RN - Levy 4

Velma Ross, BSN, RN - Levy 4

Mary Kate Haines, BSN, RN, CCRN - SICU

Maria Javardian, BSN, RN - T. Campbell Caring Spirit

PsychiatryAngelia P. Williams, BSN, RN-C - Levy 9

Mwasonoh Power, BSN, RN – Tower 7

George T. Saidu, Psych Tech - Tower 7

Tianna Lackey, CRT - Crisis Response Center

EmergencyPatricia Byers, RN

Barbara Michener, RN

Christa Lawson, BSN, RN

Ezekiel Clinton, ED Tech

Brenda Crawford, ED Tech

Gary Fountain, ED Tech

Alex Carranza, BSN, RN - M. Smith-Catanzara Caring Spirit

Heart and VascularChristina Lucas Garrity, BSN, RN, Telemetry

Dan Fadden, RN - CCU

Kamille Bailey, PCA - CCU

Ann Murphy, BSN, RN - CCU

Sophy P. Soth, ASN, RN

Christine Ehnow, RN, PCCN - Jackie Joseph Caring Spirit Award

Surgical ServicesShanita Minor, RN - OR

Nancy McGrath, BSN, RN, CPAN, CBN - PACU

Eunice Heck, BSN, RN, CNOR - OR

Diane Gillespie, BSN, RN - Center One

Courtney Emery, CSPDT - Center One

Perioperative Cluster Caring Spirit Team Award - EBP QI Project: Munro Skin Assessment Tool to Decrease HAPU Originating in OR. (Bob Haney, Trish Brown, Mau-reen McClellan, Carol Byer, Rob Levin, Alla Rivera, Dawn Huff, Donna Curran, Diane Newns)

Medical SurgicalPatricia O’Hagan, BSN, RN - Tower 6

Teri Baumgarten, RN - Tower 6

Marcella Williams, HUC - Tower 4

Waafiyan Spain, PCA - Tower 6

Shared Governance Leadership AwardLoraine Hopkins Pepe, PhD Candidate, MSN, RN, CCRN

Nursing Prism AwardGerry Altmiller, EdD, APRN, ACNS-BC

2017 DAISY Award HonoreesIn October, Nursing was thrilled to be selected by The DAISY Foundation for a site visit by the Regional Director Janet Silvestri. The Regional Director met with all levels of Nursing Depart-ment members on our Elkins Park campus. She listened to the attendees who shared their ex-periences and what it meant to them as recipi-ents of DAISY awards, as the relatives of Award recipients, and as a patient who nominated a nurse for the award.

During the visit there was a presentation of a DAISY Award to Denise Bowers, BSN, RN, CRRN, Nursing Education and Professional Development who was nominated by a patient on one of the rehab units.

Denise Bowers, BSN, RN, CRRN, Nursing Edu-cation and Professional Development.

Tammy Wagner, BSN, RN, Levy 6

Lauren Hanly, BSN, RN, Tower 5

Flo Gallagher, BSN, RN, CRRN, 1 West

Cathy Bish, RN, PCCN, Levy 6

Rosann Jacoby, RN, CMSRN, Levy 7

Edward Segarra, BSN, RN, BIC

Michele Palmer, BSN, RN, CRRN, 1 West

Lisa Green, BSN, RN, Levy 6

Angelo Arocena, BSN, RN, CRRN, CRU

Julie Njoku, BN, RN, CRRN, 2 TIP

Elaine Wible, BSN, RN, CRRN, 1 West

Beth Meder, BSN, RN, Liver Transplant

Diane Gillespie, BSN, RN, Center One Surgery

Gertrude Malagapa, BSN, RN, CRRN, 2 TIPS

Lisa Schmidheiser, BSN, RN, CRRN, MossRehab Aria Bucks


Gerry Altmiller, EdD, APRN, ACNS-BC, our faculty con-sultant, gave a keynote address Teamwork and Collabo-ration Contributing to Quality and Safety at the June 2017 Magnet Consortium at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Maryann Malloy, MSN, RNC-NIC, NEA-BC, participat-ed as a panelist on Finding Courage as a Caritas Nurse Leader: Learning to Trust at the 22nd International Caritas Consortium in Boston, MA, in October 2016.

Poster PresentationsShane Rudolph, BSN, RN, CWOCN, and Shari Good-man, MSN, RN, CRRN, presented a poster Let’s Shape Up. Lift the Heels! which won best poster presentation at the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses 2017 REACH Conference in Seattle, Washington November 2017.

Maryann Malloy, MSN, RNC-NIC, NEA-BC and Sha-ron Sauer, BSN, RNC-NIC, of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, presented Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Creative Changes to Care at the 23rd International Caritas Con-sortium.

Amanda Conley, BSN, RN, Medical ICU presented End of Life Care at the 23rd International Caritas Consortium.

Beth Hurwitz, MSN, AGCNS, RN-CEN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Emergency Department presented her poster Evidence Based Practice Project Yields Practice Change in Emergency Department at the June 2017 Magnet Con-sortium at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Jaclyn Jandrisevits, BSN, RN, CRRN, Clinical Nurse on 1 West, presented her poster Cultivating an Environment of Safety: A CUSP Initiative at the Association of Rehabilita-tion Nurses 2017 REACH Conference in Seattle, Washing-ton November 2017.

Karyn Kling, BSN, RN, CRRN, Clinical Nurse on BIU, had a poster Admission Documentation Standards: Guideline Development to Enhance Compliance at the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses 2017 REACH Conference in Seat-tle, WA, November 2017.

Lisa Pinder, BSN, RN, CRRN, Nurse Manager, and Nicole Bongart, BSN, CRRN, Clinical Manager, present-ed a poster Stay Calm and Get Back to Nursing Basics at the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses 2017 REACH Conference in Seattle, Washington November 2017.

Lisa Magee, BSN, RN, CRRN, and Lisa Pinder, BSN, RN, CRRN, presented their poster Dysphagia Dining with Confidence: An Interdisciplinary Approach at the Associ-ation of Rehabilitation Nurses 2017 REACH Conference in Seattle, Washington November 2017.

Denise Bowers, BSN, RN, CRRN, LMT poster Say ‘I Love You’ to Peristalsis and Good-bye to Constipation was on display at the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses 2017 REACH Conference in Seattle, Washington November 2017.

Flo Gallagher, BSN, RN, CRRN, Clinical Nurse 1 West and Chairperson of Network Nursing Council, presented her poster Filling Shared Governance Gaps with Educa-tion and Tools at the American Organization of Nurse Ex-ecutives Leaders Dynamic Leadership conference in San Antonio on June 30, 2017. Gallagher was the only Clinical Nurse to have a poster accepted at this nurse executive conference.

Karyn Kling, BSN, RN, CRRN, from 4th floor Brain Injury Unit, did a poster presentation Knowledge is Power: Comprehensive Pain Education to Enhance Comfort and Improve Outcomes at the American Rehabilitation Nurses 2016 REACH conference in Philadelphia September 2016.

Denise Griffin, BSN, RN, CRRN, Caritas Coach, Clinical Educator, had a poster presentation Green Means Go! An Interdisciplinary Rehab Team Approach to Falls Preven-tion at the American Rehabilitation Nurses 2016 REACH conference in Philadelphia September 2016.

Lisa Magee, RN, CRRN, and Jaclyn Jandrisevits, BSN, RN, CRRN, Clinical Nurses from 1 West, had a poster On the CUSP; A Safety Breakthrough at the American Reha-bilitation Nurses 2016 REACH conference in Philadelphia September 2016.

Annette Yerkes, BSN, RN, CNOR; Robert Levin, MSN, RN, RRT, CNOR; and Dottie Borton, RN, BSN, CIC, had their abstract Multidisciplinary Teams Collaborating and Using Evidence Based Bundle to Reduce Surgical Site Infection Associated with Hip and Knee Arthroplasty ac-cepted by the Association of Operating Room Nurses for the March 2018 Conference in New Orleans.

Cathy Markey, MSN, RN, CCRN, CEN, and Donna Long, M.ED, CTRS, presented Think First for Teens to 1200 High School Students at Philadelphia Girls High on September 27, 2017.

RecognitionsAngie Cantwell, MSN, RN, Clinical Director of Behavior-al Health Nursing, and Shamit Chaki, Crisis Response Center Director, were honored by the Philadelphia De-partment of Behavioral Health and the Philadelphia Police Department for their participation in the Crisis Interven-tion Training in December 2017.

2017 Nursing Achievements Professional OrganizationElaine Flynn, RN, MSN, CRRN, CIC, Infection Prevention-ist was appointed to the 2017-2018 Board of Directors for the Greater Philadelphia Chapter (GPC) of Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN); Chair of Government Rela-tions Committee GPC of ARN; and a 2017 ARN REACH Conference Abstract reviewer.

Lisa Rodzen, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, Director of Nurs-ing Quality, accepted an appointment to the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association Board of Directors beginning September 2017 for a two-year term.

PublicationsLisa Stone, BSN, RN, CCRN, Cardiac Care Unit, EMC Philadelphia, authored Certification and Core Review for High Acuity, Progressive, and Critical Care Nursing, 7th Edition that will be published by Elsevier in October 2017.

Dee Morrison, MSN, ACNS-BC, Clinical Nurse Specialist for Levy 7 and Interventional Radiology, and Jen Marvel-ous, MSN, RN, CEN, Per Diem Clinical Nurse, Emergency Department, along with a third author, had their study Describing Self-Reported Assessments of Critical Think-ing Among Practicing Medical-Surgical Registered Nurses published in the Research for Practice section of the July – August 2016 issue of MEDSURG Nursing.

Sharon Sauer, BSN, RNC-NIC, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Gerry Altmiller, EdD, APRN, ACNS-BC, Facul-ty Consultant, had their research manuscript Colostrum Swabbing as an Infection Prevention Strategy: A Retro-spective Study accepted for publication by the Interna-tional Journal of Human Caring for Spring 2018.

Turena Reeves, ADN, RN, OCN, VA-BC; Dolores Mor-rison, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC; and Gerry Altmiller, EdD, APRN, ACNS-BC, authored A Nurse-Led Ultrasound-En-hanced Vascular Access Preservation Program published in the American Journal of Nursing, December 2017.

Podium PresentationsFlo Gallagher, BSN, RN, CRRN, Clinical Nurse on 1 West, presented a case study Changing an Opportunistic Infection into an Opportunity to Care at the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses 2017 REACH Conference in Seattle, Washington November 2017.

Elaine Flynn, RN, MSN, CRRN, CIC, Infection Preven-tionist, presented a paper Don or Not to Don, that is the question, and a poster Every Picture Tells a Story – NABBS Tale at the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses 2017 REACH Conference in Seattle, Washington Novem-ber 2017.

Lalitha Mathew, BSN, RN, CRRN, and Timi Florkowski, BSN, RN, CRRN from 2nd Floor Tabor Inpatient, gave a podium presentation Putting the “C” In Caring for LVADs (Left Ventricular Assist Device): Where Caring Science meets Heart Science at the American Rehabilitation Nurses 2016 REACH conference in Philadelphia Septem-ber 2016.

Elaine Flynn, RN, MSN, CRRN, CIC, Infection Preven-tionist, presented SCI Unit Use of CUSP Model to Reduce Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections and ARN Chapter Moves Health Policy from Strategic Plan to a Re-ality at the American Rehabilitation Nurses 2016 REACH conference in Philadelphia September 2016.

Beth Jacobs, RN, CRRN; Shari Goodman, MSN, RN, CRRN; and Susan McCulley, MSN, RN, NE-BC from Nursing Quality and Nursing Administration, presented Turning Matters: An innovative Technology to Reduce Patient Harm at the American Rehabilitation Nurses 2016 REACH conference in Philadelphia September 2016.

Lisa M. Pinder, BSN, RN, CRRN presented a case study Stepping Out of Our Comfort Zone: Managing More Complex TBI Patients at the American Rehabilitation Nurses 2016 REACH conference in Philadelphia Septem-ber 2016.

Lalitha Mathew, BSN, RN, CRRN, presented A Team Approach: Caring for People with Limb Loss at the Inter-national Association for Human Caring and The Society of Rogerian Scholars Conference Advancing Unitary and Caring Science for Nursing Praxis in Boston, MA June 2016.

Sharon Sauer, BSN, RNC-NIC, Neonatal ICU, gave a po-dium presentation Changing Practice: Colostrum Swab-bing as an Infection Prevention Strategy at the June 2017 Magnet Consortium at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Patricia Hayes, MSN, RN, CWCN, and Parese Kosmidis Fasciocco, BSN, RN, CWON, presented their poster En-hancing Nursing Knowledge: It’s All in the Assessment, A Comprehensive Pressure Ulcer Program at the Joint Con-ference of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Society and the Canadian Association of Enterostomal Therapy in Montreal in June 2016. Their abstract was published in the supplemental edition of the June 2016 Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing.

Trish Brown, BSN, RN, EMC, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, presented Quality and Safety Driving Evi-dence-based Improvement in Perioperative Services at the June 2017 Magnet Consortium at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.


2017 Reba Azoff Scholarship Recipients The Reba Azoff Scholarship Program that launched in 2015 is open to all nurses seeking to advance their education to complete a Bachelor in Science of Nursing degree, or to attain a graduate or doctoral degree in Nursing leadership or education. To date, 30 scholarships totaling $75,000 have been awarded to Albert Einstein Medical Center nurses at all levels, with the majority of scholarships going to individuals seeking to complete their BSN degree.

Chief Nurse Executive Gina Marone, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, announced the 10 2017 Reba Azoff Scholarship recipients during Nurses Week at the Nursing Recognition Reception.

BSN Candidates:

1) Marie Powroznik, ASN, RN, Center One Surgical Services

2) Turena Reeves, RN, Patient Safety and Performance Improvement

3) Judy Mancini, RN, CCU, Operations Resource Center

4) Jane Dougherty, RN, IBCLC, CCE, Mother/Baby

MSN Candidates:

5) Matthew Petruzzi, BSN, RN, CRRN, Brain Injury Unit

6) Florence Gallagher, BSN, RN, CRRN, Moss Rehab 1 West

7) Erin Elizabeth Hughes, BSN, RN, Operating Room

8) Sharon Sauer, BSN, RNC-NIC, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

DNP/PhD Candidates:

9) Barbara Shepherd, MSN, RN, CNOR, Surgical Services

10) Loraine Hopkins Pepe, PhD Candidate, MSN, RN, CCRN, Nursing Education and Professional Development

3736 EXEMPLARY PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE EXEMPLARY PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Care Delivery SystemAt Albert Einstein Medical Center, we aim to provide exceptional nursing care that honors the humanity and dignity of each person while advancing nursing as a profession. Our nursing care delivery system, “Dynamic Team Nursing,” reflects concepts from Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring/Caring Science, including the cultivation of sensitivity to one’s self and to others, the development of a helping-trust relationship, the systematic use of the scientific problem-solving method for decision making, and the promotion of interpersonal teach-ing-learning.

There are eight essential features of Dynamic Team Nursing: Caring, Relationship, Influences, Holistic, Effective, Accountable, Quality and Evi-dence-Based Practice.

• Caring: Provide a caring Relationship that facilitates health and healing

• Influences: Attend to the range of human experiences and responses to health and illness within the physical and social environments

• Holistic: Integrate assessment data with knowledge gained from an appreciation of the patient or the group

• Effective: Apply scientific knowledge to the processes of diagnosis and treatment through the use of judgment and critical thinking for effective care

• Be Accountable to the broader community: Influence social and public policy to promote social justice and advance professional nursing knowledge through scholarly inquiry

• Assure safe, Quality, and Evidence-Based Practice (American Nurses Association, Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the Profession, 2010)

Ethics Committee Reformation Providing clinically competent and compassion-ate care for all, given the vast differences each patient presents, can be very challenging. This is especially true if caring for that patient elicits moral questions within the nurse. A variety of factors can interfere with knowing what is best for the patient. What one person may feel is right can be viewed differently by another.

In these challenging situations, a clinical nurse needs support, somewhere they can look to for guidance when ethically, and morally, making the right choice is not clear. That’s why Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) decided to re-launch our Ethics Committee in early 2017.

The Ethics Committee is a resource that can be leveraged for confidential debriefing, seeking clarity and insight, an opportunity for learning, and to set or follow precedence. This multidis-ciplinary team includes physicians, registered nurses, chaplains, a board member, legal, the Chief Nurse Executive and administration.

Examples of topics the committee can try to answer include: was there cause for ethical concern, a violation of ethical principle, an ethical vs. legal aspect, or a contradiction of an ANA/AMA ethical rule/principle, and how to help staff manage the residual feelings. The committee uses an ethical analysis framework for decision making that is based on guidelines from the American Nurses Association, the American Medical Association, Bioethics, and AEMC’s policies. Meetings occur as often as needed.

Exemplary Professional Practice 6th Designation as a Watson Caring Science Institute Affiliate

Staff listen to Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN

Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, speaks to why AEMC Nurses continue to lead as an Affiliate of Watson Caring Science Institute

Trish Brown, Jean Watson, Flo Gallagher, Bill Hudson


Compassionate Care Program Many of our patients and their families live at or below the poverty level. Often they simply cannot afford services that can sometimes be taken for granted during an inpatient stay. Knowing that many Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) staff pay with their own mon-ey for things such as television rental, snacks or parking to help out some patients and their loved ones, a group of leaders in the organiza-tion began to explore a more structured, stable and sustainable way to provide these services.

Marcia Gray, MSN, RN, CCRN, Director of Med-ical Surgical; Pearl Megafu, BSN, RN, NE-BC, Manager of Central Staffing; and Marc Gold-man, MSW, MBA, Director of Patient Experience, proposed the Compassionate Care Program (CCP).

In June 2017, they gave a presentation to the Department for Development and Gifts commit-tee regarding a proposal for a service recovery project. The intent was to provide our patients with items to help make their stay at AEMC a little more comfortable. In alignment with our mission at AEMC, this program will allow staff to provide patients and their families with compas-sionate, caring services that they cannot afford. This program will give our staff the tools to provide exceptional service to our patients who have the greatest needs.

In August, the CCP sponsors were thrilled to learn that a generous patron donated $10,000 to launch the program to help with the needs of our most indigent patients. As we evaluated the various needs of our patients who have so little, we determined that the best value would be to use the funds for television compensation, meal tickets for a waiting family member without money, and parking stickers to defray transpor-tation costs. Additionally, a key program compo-nent is to provide a refreshment tray to families maintaining a constant watch over a loved one who is dying. Oftentimes these families feel reluctant to leave the bedside, even for some nourishment, because it will take precious time away from their loved one.

The program launched in September 2017, with an educational rollout to eligible units prior to launch. Each nursing unit in the program re-ceived a locked box containing the program items. The box is labeled Compassionate Care Program. Any staff member can identify a pa-tient or family in need. An RN will determine patient eligibility based on program criteria. If eligible, the RN will access the locked box and complete the log by documenting the Caring story associated with the patient need of the Compassionate Care Program. The logs will be collected by the CCP core group to evaluate program resource utilization, and further funding needs. A report on the utilization of the pro-gram’s resources will be given at the monthly nursing leadership meeting.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Creative Changes to Care Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) occurs when a baby is exposed to drugs in the womb before birth. The baby goes through drug with-drawal after birth since the drug is no longer available. This causes overstimulation of the newborn’s central nervous system, resulting in multiple symptoms of withdrawal. Symptoms range from tremors, seizures, overactive reflexes or twitching, and tight muscle tone along with excessive crying, fussiness, poor sucking and feeding, fevers, sweating, trouble sleeping, vom-iting, and diarrhea to name a few.

To support this aspect of caring for the infants, the NICU staff along with the volunteer de-partment developed a Cuddlers Program. The screening and interviewing process assures a good match with this program. The selected volunteers attend education and training ses-sions about the NICU, our infants, and their role and responsibilities as Cuddlers. Volunteers receive practical training on swaddling, holding,

gently cuddling, soothing music, and decreas-ing stimulation such as dimming the lights and assuring the area is quiet. Infants with NAS are often difficult to soothe and may require hours of cuddling to keep calm.

The Cuddlers report to and are directly super-vised by NICU Registered Nurses. Many of our Cuddlers report they are getting so much more in return from the infant to which they are as-signed. They feel productive, helpful and very much needed by the little patients and the staff. Together they create a unique care delivery team.

Our NICU Cuddlers have been welcomed by staff and families. We have over 20 Cuddlers. Each one of them dedicates several hours every week to holding and rocking our special pa-tients. Our partners in the Volunteer office have helped grow this program to the point that they have a long waiting list of people willing to offer their time to comfort our infants.


Willowcrest Improves Patient Experi-ence through Transition Planning and Discharge Process Willowcrest continues to work on transition planning and discharge to the community. During the past year, the patient experience scores for discharge needs have increased from 76.7% to 84.6%.

Efforts to improve discharge planning included restructuring the care management and social work departments, which streamlined the discharge process to one point of contact. Additionally, to help increase patients’ awareness of their projected dis-charge date, we changed the discharge notification process. Now, our social workers notify the patient the week prior to discharge with a letter stating the tentative discharge date on brightly colored paper outlining the standard discharge time of 11 a.m.

We decreased discharge delays related to medica-tions by hiring a Certified Registered Nurse Practi-tioner, which allowed for more prescriptive authority when completing discharge medication reconcilia-tion. To further reduce delays, we developed a team approach to retrieving discharge medications from apothecary.

Additional measures we took included:

• Implementing earlier discharge education by nursing staff

• Increasing our compliance with the Notification of Medical Non-Coverage

• Streamlining the task of ordering discharge equipment to prevent delays in relaying accurate information

• Partnering with homecare agencies to begin discharge planning upon admission

Working as a team has improved interdepartmental communications and communication to the patients regarding discharge planning, resulting in an 8% increase in our patient experience scores.

Changing an Opportunistic Infection into an Opportunity to Care The typical patient on our 30 bed stroke rehab unit consists of men or women in their 60-70s and almost all have high blood pressure, high cholester-ol, and diabetes Although each patient is different, most patients present with some common impair-ments and needs that have been successfully man-aged with our team’s treatment planning.

Our unit admitted someone who did not meet the age or medical background of our usual post stroke patients. At twenty-two years of age with a diagno-sis of Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis, which is a rare fungal infection, our patient was facing many chal-lenges ahead, and our team rallied to address and plan care for her specific needs.

The team acknowledged their lack of knowledge with this rare fungal infection. We had to look closely at the disease process, the complications, and treat-ment options, working together to provide quality care benefits both the patient and staff. We had to plan accordingly to gain the most during her therapy, as well as in keeping her complicated medical plan on track.

She was a young woman who fully understood the rehab process. She had a tremendously supportive family, which included nurses. Earning her trust was key for our team and her progress, as was constant encouragement of her to engage in the treatment plan. Obtaining her buy-in to the plan took time.

Pain was another challenge that generated cre-ative solution finding. She often experienced severe pain. Controlling her pain was an imperative for our team. Team discussions and adjustments to the plan resulted in being able to adhere to a frequency schedule for medication administration that did not interfere with therapy times, yet would enable her to participate to her full capacity.

Our interdisciplinary team caring for this patient in particular learned so much about teamwork – learn-ing new knowledge, sharing information, discovering opportunities, navigating or overcoming barriers, and attaining best outcomes.

Our stroke team has had the pleasure of working with this young woman multiple times over the last couple of years. We have witnessed her strength and her progress through her medical, surgical and rehab challenges. Our team continues to maintain a cohesive, caring and empathetic relationship with her.

Comfort TouchHealthcare has made great advancement in the areas of pain and digestive management over the years. One adjunct to medical interventions is the comforting power of touch. Through touch therapy there is evidence of several Caritas Processes™, creating a healing environment for the physical and spiritual self, which respects human dignity.

The soothing relief of touch therapy allows caregiv-ers to enhance the connection with their patients while promoting a sacred space of healing and establishing a trusting, healing, caring relationship. Touch therapy practices loving kindness through touch. Patients receiving the “Power of Touch” as a complementary form of therapy will experience the foundation of the Science of Human Caring.

Touch Therapy educational offerings have been pro-vided to more than 100 nursing staff, including RNs and NAs at MossRehab, during the past two years. These sessions include both didactic and practical components of Comfort Touch and digestive mas-sage. During the supervised practical portion of the sessions, staff have the opportunity to perform these techniques with colleagues. After successful completion of the course, staff are able to apply these techniques in the clinical setting with their patients as well as instruct patients’ caregivers on these modalities.

Caring FairA Caring Fair to support employees to care for self and in caring for others through caring modalities of aromatherapy, therapeutic and hand massage, chair yoga, reflective practices, and visual imagery sta-tions took place on December 5, 2017, on the Elkins and Philadelphia campuses. Event coordination by Caritas Coaches Maryann Malloy, MSN, RNC-NIC, NEA-BC; Sharon Sauer, BSN, RNC-NIC; Beverly Tate, MSN, RN, NE-BC; Denise Bowers, BSN, RN, CRRN; and Caritas Circle members Maria Javardian, BSN, RN, Surgical Stepdown, and Lalitha Mathew, BSN, RN, CRRN, MossRehab.

4342 NEW KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS & IMPROVEMENTS NEW KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS & IMPROVEMENTS

NICView CamerasThe Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nursing Staff is excited about the recent purchase of web-cam technology for their infants. NicView™ is a camera system placed at each NICU bedside that allows parents to view their infant in real time, 24/7, through a secure online portal.

The camera delivers a secure image stream for parents and family members to view their baby via a laptop, smartphone, or tablet. This service helps families to continue to develop a bond with their infant even when they cannot be in the NICU with them. NicView™ can pro-vide some peace of mind for the anxious parent who has to separate from the NICU because of multiple responsibilities. The cameras allow the parents to see and connect with their new baby when they are not able to be present physically.

Webcams are not new in being used in this way, but it is certainly an innovation for our NICU. We expect this technology will decrease some parental anxiety and allow parents to feel more connected to all that is going if and when they cannot be with their infant.

The program goes live spring 2018.

Dysphagia: Increasing Safety During Meals Our Comprehensive Unit Based Safety Program (CUSP) drives various safety initiatives on our unit. The committee consists of a physician, social worker, nursing staff members, physical, occupational and speech therapists who meet on a monthly basis. Maintaining patient safety is an ongoing challenge for us in the rehab setting. Our diverse patient population on this 30-bed stroke/neuro unit present with physical and

cognitive deficits that contribute to decreased patient safety awareness, poor motor planning, and impaired swallowing. Our first project “no patient left unattended in the bathroom” to de-crease the number of falls, was successful.

A Science of Safety Survey completed by staff in all disciplines identified that maintaining patient safety at meal times was as a chief area of concern. After careful examination of current unit specific dysphagia protocols, the primary deficits identified were lack of direct supervi-sion and direction during meal times. Despite implementation of numerous nurse-driven safe-ty initiatives, success was not achieved without collaboration with our speech department.

Formal education, reconfiguration of dining room space and implementation of a color-cod-ed system were key components of our action plan. This color-coded system allowed all staff to identify what level of assistance and techniques are needed for each patient. Dining tables are colored red for 1:1 supervision, orange for close supervision, and green for distant supervision. Each patient with dysphagia has a correspond-ing colored tag with specific interventions listed by speech therapist for that patient. This collab-orative project improved coordination of care and safety for our patients.

While we continue to make adjustments to the process, we have seen tremendous success and positive feedback with this initiative. Most recently, nursing staff presented this project at the national Association of Rehabilitation Nurs-es conference in Seattle. Sharing how we imple-mented an interdisciplinary process to increase direct supervision and improve patient safety at meal times was well received by our profes-sional colleagues with requests for follow-up discussion on how they can implement similar practice in their environments.

New Knowledge, Innovations & Improvements

4544 NEW KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS & IMPROVEMENTS NEW KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS & IMPROVEMENTS

MUNRO ScaleAn Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Project for Skin Risk Assessment and Intervention

To help reduce Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries (HAPIs), nurses in Surgical Cluster shared governance identified a need for a more consistent and accurate handoff between Preoperative, Interoperative and Postoperative settings in regards to skin assessment and risk. They also wanted a way to increase the awareness and conversation about skin.

The team reviewed the Munro Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Scale (MPURAS) that was recently supported by AORN and was being piloted in 7 sites. The assessment was inclusive of all phases of the surgical team; preoperative, interoperative and postoperative. This feature of the scale encouraged communication about skin between the units at handoff. The assess-ment was designed specifically for surgical clients and the special risks that are associated with surgery.

Since the MPURAS was still in the early stages, Cluster members contacted the creator of the Munro scale, Cassendra A. Munro, MSN, RN, RNFA, CNOR. She offered her advice and expe-rience with implementation at the pilot sites.

In December 2016, nurses in Albert Einstein Medical Center’s Surgical Cluster initiated a new protocol in the perioperative setting to

better assess the risk of pressure injuries of surgical clients with an expected surgical time of 2 hours or greater. This protocol involved us-ing MPURAS with associated use of a Multilayer Barrier Dressing for patients deemed moderate risk.

They developed a single-page form for the Munro Scale to follow the client throughout their procedure and recovery. Compliance data on completion rates of the Munro Scale forms was also assessed to avoid drift from consistent assessment of skin risk throughout the patient’s OR visit. Prior to implementation of the pro-tocol, nursing staff received education on the Cluster’s modified Munro plan, which entailed education on the concepts of skin pressure risk in the periop setting and the scoring and use of the scale itself.

During the 3-month pre-implementation period, the percentage of surgical patients with a HAPI was an average of 2.96%. In the last 3 months of implementation (April - June 2017), each monthly average has been below the pre-im-plementation average with a 1.57% cumulative average for that period.

Presentations on the process of planning and implementation of the MPURAS utilizing the PDSA cycle for Evidence-Based Decision Making were delivered by Trish Brown, BSN, RN, Gerry Altmiller EdD, APRN, ACNS-BC and Robert Haney, BSN, RN-BC, CAPA at local and national nursing conferences throughout 2017.

Surgical Services Cluster

% of Surgical Cases w/ Pressure Injury

Sept 16 Oct 16 Nov 16 Jan 17 Feb 17 Mar 17 Apr 17 May 17 June 17

2.13% 6.01% 1.01% 0.64% 2.77% 2.71% 1.99% 0.99% 1.77%% of Surgical Cases

1.00%

2.00%

3.00%

4.00%

5.00%

6.00%

7.00%

8.00%

0.00%

4746 EMPIRICAL OUTCOMES EMPIRICAL OUTCOMES

Preventing hospital acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) is a priority at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Pressure injuries are painful, costly, bur-densome, and reduce the quality of life of those affected by them. Individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) are at an increased risk of pressure injuries due to immobility, decreased sensation, and altered pathophysiology that predisposes the skin to breakdown.

Up to 95% of individuals with SCI will devel-op a pressure injury during their life. In order to contest pressure injury development of SCI patients, a nurse driven team designed an evi-dence based quality improvement project that set out to eliminate heel and lower extremity pressure injuries.

During FY 2017, Shane Rudolph, BSN, RN, CWOCN and Shari Goodman, MSN, RN, CRRN initiated a project to evaluate the effectiveness of heel offloading boots called Heelmedix® on the spinal cord unit 1 North. During a 4-month trial period, the development of lower extremity pressure injuries was zero.

Due to the trial’s results, new pressure injury prevention interventions to prevent and com-bat heel and lower extremity pressure injuries were implemented among the spinal cord in-jury patient population. Following the trial, our value analysis committee gave approval to add offloading boots to storeroom stock. The heel offloading boots are now stocked on each unit at the Elkins Park campus. Since October FY 2017, there have been 3 lower extremity pres-sure injuries.

This pilot project work was a poster presenta-tion Let’s Shape Up, Lift the Heels Up! at the American Rehabilitation Nurses REACH 2017 conference and was selected as best clinical poster.

Results of the work are improved outcomes that include heightened awareness of pressure inju-ry interventions amongst staff, decreased hos-pital acquired pressure injuries, and pressure injury treatment cost savings of $216,250.00 through December FY 2018.

Empirical OutcomesLet’s Shape Up, Lift the Heels Up! Baby Friendly

Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) has been on a journey to achieve Baby Friendly designation since 2011. Baby Friendly is an in-ternational recognition of excellence with regard to best practices surrounding infant feeding and care.

Some of our activities over this past year included:

• Completion of the Infant Feeding Policy, which is available under Policies and Procedures in the Working at Einstein section of EinsteinConnect.

• Introduction of all new hires to the concepts of Baby Friendly at orientation

• Multiple upgrades in AeCIS documentation for providers and nurses

• Education program for outpatient OB office staff, OB PCAs, OB OR techs, OB HUCs, OB and Pediatric Provider staff

• Ongoing education for RNs

• Albert Einstein Society Grant-sponsored outpatient lactation support

• Implementation of supplementation protocol

• Ongoing project to add breastfeeding artwork in the building. Thank you to Dr. David Jaspan, OB Resident Group, Dr. Barbara Kelly and Mother Baby Unit staff

• Educational flip books and handouts developed and in process of being distributed to all outpatient OB offices

• On-going practice and knowledge audits to identify and close gaps

We are proud to have fully implemented each of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. We are anxiously awaiting our 2 - day site visit that will take place in July 2018. Much like the Joint Commission, this on-site visit will explore all aspects of our practices related to the Ten Steps. The visit will include meetings and inter-views with AEMC leadership, nurses, physicians, and patients to determine the status of practice implementation.

We are very excited to find ourselves at the culmination of extensive work that has resulted in the transformation of our culture and we look forward to updating you with the outcome of our Baby Friendly site visit.

2017-2018 nursing annual report - einstein …...welcome to einstein’s nursing annual report for...

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