2004 Hartford Hospital Annual Report

“Nurses at all levels are in pivotal positions to explore how
we can do things differently in order to do them better.”
TThe nurse’s role today is vastly different from what it was when Hartford Hospital opened one
of the nation’s first schools of nursing in 1877.
At Hartford Hospital, nurses make autonomous decisions on patient care, are valued
members of interdisciplinary teams, and serve as senior administrators and policy-makers.
Because of Nursing’s role at Hartford Hospital, the American Nurses Credentialing Center
this year presented the hospital with the prestigious Magnet Recognition for Excellence in
Nursing Services.
Laura Caramanica, R.N., Ph.D., Vice President of Nursing, sees the role of nurses
continuing to expand. They will be leaders in “evidence-based” practice, documenting
the effectiveness of therapies to identify the best practices. She also foresees a continued
expansion of the role of advanced practice nurses (APRNs).
“In the past 10 years, the number of APRNs here has tripled,” Caramanica says.
“Today, they’re managing patients, developing treatment plans and handling day-to-day care.
I think we’ll see much more of this in the coming years.”
Aimee McDaniel, B.S.N., R.N., C.N.N., Nurse Manager of Dialysis Services, came
to Hartford Hospital because of the respect and empowerment nurses are accorded. She says
that the hospital’s creation of the “clinical leader” role for R.N.s with exceptional expertise
and experience was an important step in enhancing patient care.
“Clinical leaders are champions in their fields,” McDaniel says. “They are problemsolvers
and critical thinkers. If there’s difficulty with a patient’s treatment, for example, the
clinical leader can step in and help devise a better alternative.”
Nurses today are a driving force in bringing about changes that benefit patients.
Cheryl Ficara, R.N., M.S., is Nurse Director of General Surgery. One of the units she oversees
is the hospital’s Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit. She is part of an interdisciplinary team
that is transforming critical care to achieve better outcomes for patients. It’s a role she relishes.
“In the past, making even the smallest changes took a very long time,” Ficara says.
“Today our environment is very fast-paced. We’ve learned to make small changes and, if they’re
successful, build upon them rapidly to make larger changes.”
She adds, “I think the future is going to be very exciting. Nurses at all levels are in
pivotal positions to explore how we can do things differently in order to do them better.”
Nurses
HARTFORD HOSPITAL