Nursing Update 2007 - 2008 - Yale-New Haven Hospital

MAY 2008
Dear Colleagues and Friends of Nursing:
Yale-New Haven Hospital has a long tradition of nursing excellence and
innovation. Our nursing model – founded on the principles espoused by
Florence Nightingale and Virginia Henderson – provides the basis of this
blend of caring and commitment to patient safety.
Each day there is evidence that you – our nurses – find ways to make these
concepts real. You do this through a commitment to research, a dedicated
search for best practices and an appreciation for how innovation can help
you deliver better, safer care to the almost 52,000 inpatients you cared for
last year. You also delivered care to a record 536,500 outpatients.
In this first Nursing Update, you will read about initiatives to improve
how we care for our patients – from hourly rounding through the use
of evidence to guide practice to the important work of the rapid
response teams.
Your work with patients and families is purposeful and aimed to achieve
safe, efficient, effective and equitable care. It is my privilege to share just
a few stories of your remarkable accomplishments with you and others
interested in the work of the nurse at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
I hope we convey our excitement as we continue to institute the changes
that promote and elevate nursing practice in our fine institution.
Sincerely,
Sue Fitzsimons, R.N., Ph.D.
Senior Vice President
Patient Services