nursing - PinnacleHealth System

ody.
PinnacleHealth Pride Council
___________________________
Fall 2009
soul.
mind.
nursing
excellence
heart.
MISSION:
PinnacleHealth
Department of Nursing
Services is committed to
the provision of excellent
nursing care,
professionalism and
pride in our practice.
Practice, Professionalism
& Pride-Nursing
Excellence
News of the
PinnacleHealth Nursing
Staff
Roger Longenderfer, MD
President & CEO
comments,
suggestions,
questions...
Practice,
Professionalism &
Pride-Nursing
Excellence is
published quarterly
for members of
PinnacleHealth’s
nursing staff. Please
direct all questions,
comments and story
ideas to Robin
Albert, RN,
ralbert@
pinnaclehealth.org
via Outlook.
Trained and Prepared
Robin Albert, RN
Birth is beautiful and miraculous. Ninety percent of babies make the transition from intrauterine
to extra-uterine life smoothly. The remaining percent are compromised newborns
that will need skilled assistance. Here at PinnacleHealth in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
(NICU), you will find the most advanced technology with a collaborative team of
neonatologist and critical care nurses trained in the most current neonatal resuscitation
techniques. Unlike the adult patient where cardiac defibrillation is emphasized, ventilation
is paramount in newborn and preterm infants. Babies born prematurely require assistance
more often and also present unique challenges that can lead to complications with lifelong
implications. Clinicians need to be very careful with their efforts in providing neonatal
resuscitation. Every month, a neonatal resuscitation program is offered to prepare the NICU
RN for unexpected complications in the newborn and preterm infant. Clinical Specialist,
Michalena Levenduski, MSN, RNC, and Staff Development Instructor, MaryLou
Mortimer, RN, provide the NRP course to every NICU RN. Staff night shift nurse, Sue
Dwyer, RN, also makes time in her schedule to teach her fellow co-workers neonatal
resuscitation.
PinnacleHealth NICU is a level III unit where the nurses are trained to provide the highest
quality of nursing care for the neonate whose condition, illness, injury, malformation, size
or immaturity makes care in the newborn nursery inadvisable. Some of the criteria for
admission into the NICU are: a gestation less than 35 weeks, respiratory distress needing
O2, a proven or suspected systemic infection, any major congenital malformations or
deformations requiring medical or surgical intervention, the require of IV fluids,
medications or blood products, the need for non PO nutritional support and any potentially
life threatening instability in vital signs. Transport from another medical facility maybe
needed. In the event that a transport is needed, PinnacleHealth has a trained neonatal flight
team made up of neonatologists, neonatal RNs and respiratory therapists. Members of the
flight team wear fire resistant jumpsuits and helmets. They receive annual flight and safety
training provided from Stat MedEvac. When a transport is needed, the neonatologist will be
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Proven.

Trained and Prepared... continued
notified first, and then the charge nurse coordinates the activities for the transport and notifies respiratory therapy. The
weight of the individuals on the flight are reportedand taken into consideration by the pilot, along with weather
conditions, distance of the flight and amount of fuel needed for the transport. This all takes place in a matter of minutes.
The NICU bedside nurse in flight are: Susan Brackbill, Darcy Cramer, Tina Daniels,
Heather Davis-Fisher, Sue Dwyer, Jessica Gentile, Michalena Levenduski, Sandi Marx-
Beckett, Kim Nardis, Tammy Novinger, Melinda Paul, Brooke Pribilla-Hentz, Donna
Wicks and Tina Willier.
Neonatal resuscitation is most effective when performed by a trained and coordinated team.
PinnacleHealth has that trained team—prepared for any delivery when the need for
resuscitation comes as a complete surprise.
PinnacleHealth First Annual Quality Conference -
The Never Ending Story
Robin Albert, RN
On October 5, 2009, the PinnacleHealth Nursing Quality Council held its first Annual Quality Conference. The day
was filled with PinnacleHealth nurses sharing quality care practices provided to their patients. Sherri Matter,
CNO, provided welcoming remarks. Sherri has over 26 years of experience in nursing. Her leadership style
continually pushes for the “voice” of the bed-side nurse to be heard in the decision making process. Keynote
Speaker, Joan Silver, VP, Organizational Quality & Performance Improvement, presented “Really,” which
provided actual quality and safety experiences within PinnacleHealth. The format included humor and exercises
promoting discussion and interaction with the audience. Joan spoke on areas such as, “Why do we make mistakes,”
“How every error has a sequence of events leading up to the error,” and “The evaluation of our next step in quality
and safety.”
Quality Council members, Elizabeth Barrick, BSN, RN, ONC, (Chair), Cindy Hallman, BSN, RN, CMSRN, (Co-
Chair), and Rebecca Pontius, RN, CCRN presented “Past, Present, Future.”, “The Birth of the Quality Council,”
“Back to Basics” and “Chasing Zero.” They described the present functions of the council and how changes in
Medicare reimbursements will affect the future of the Quality Committee. Laureen Mihelich, BSN, RN and
Kristin McManus, RN presented a “Quality Initiative: The New Falls Prevention Program.” The new components
of the Falls Prevention program for those patients at risk were explained, along with the state key philosophy “All
Hands on Deck.”
“Using Lean Six Sigma to Improve Clinical Quality and Patient Experiences” was presented by Amy Helmuth,
MS, RN, director, Performance Improvement. Lean Six Sigma is a methodology for performance improvement
that focuses on reducing process waste and errors to meet performance requirements and customer expectations.
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continued ...

In addition to learning about quality from guest speakers, twenty four posters were on display for the Quality
Commitment Poster Session. This session provided the opportunity to review poster presentations, meet the staff
involved in the projects and learn new ways to deliver high quality nursing care. Quality Awards were presented by
Carol Colussi, RN, Director Nursing Quality.
· Quality Icon award was presented to Connie Lauffer from N-10
· Quality Initiative award was presented to Sharon Perrine, IV Team
· The winners of the “The Quality is in Our Hands” award were presented to rehab nurses Michele Reinert
and Susan Albright
Over 120 individuals attended the Quality Conference making it a huge success. Mark your calendars for October
12, 2010 and plan to attend the second Annual PinnacleHealth Nursing Quality Conference.
Sherri Matter
Carol Colussi, Joan Silver
Kristin McManus
Laureen Fenstermacher
Amy Helmuth
Michele Reinert, Susan Albright
Poster presentation group
Rebecca Pontius
Connie Lauffer,
Sherri Matter
Sharon Perrine
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Pearls to Your Success 2009
Moving from Conflict to Collaboration: The Value of Peer Review
Robin Albert, RN
On October 27, PinnacleHealth presented Pearls to Your Success. Ned Hoffner, LSW, CAC, began with “Moving from
Conflict to Collaboration,” which analyzed the fundamentals of conflict and identified strategies aiding in successful
management of conflicts. Our early life influences and individual differences create various types of conflicts and ending
results. Strategies identified included positive mental attitude, heightening ones tolerance levels, focusing on the issue not
the person and keeping a proper perspective. Following the presentation, a panel discussion with physicians and nurses
addressed individual questions from the audience. Dr. Gluck, Dr. Hilden, Becky Hernandez, RNC, and Theresa Sellers,
RN, MHSA, CMSRN, provided practical application of methods to move from a conflict to collaboration. They shared
individual experiences and offered suggestions for improved resolutions.
The Value of Peer Review, presented by Deb Schafer, MSN, RNC, addressed the importance and purpose of the peer
review process for nursing professionals. The driving forces behind peer review are the ANA, The Joint Commission and
Magnet designation. The purpose is to enhance professionalism and practice, increase awareness of accountability of
practice, provide opportunities for personal and professional goal setting and to serve as a forum for recognition.
Raising standards and improving care are a direct result of nurses taking responsibility and control. Staff nurses Robin
Albert, RN, NICU, Penny Evans, RNC, NICU, and Cathy Druckenmiller, RN, CCRN, shared their unit-based peer
review structure, strengths/weaknesses, and revisions over the years to provide a successful peer review system. Through
Peer Review, nurses can stimulate growth and development of the nursing profession, promote positive change and
provide for a healthy work environment.
Congratulations!
The Career Development Pathway Committee is pleased to announce
the following achievements:
Barbara Hammar, RN4 (CTICU)
Glenn Laverty, RN3 (CGOH / ED)
Cindy Zimmerman, RN3 (Float Pool)
Jamie Steinkamp, RN3 (CTPO)
Cheryl Hammonds, RN4 (PSCU)
Cynthia Scheib, RN3 (PACU)
Sandy Boswell, RN4 (Perianesthesia / HH)
Amanda Cresswell, RN3 (Med/Surg Telemetry)
Donna Oswandel, RN3 (Maternal Child)
WE PLEDGE:
To make our patients and families feel welcome; To treat our patients, physicians, coworkers, and healthcare
team with dignity and respect; To be our patient's advocate, with a commitment to patient safety; To provide
culturally sensitive care; To demonstrate the highest professional ethics; To be personally accountable for our
performance; To demonstrate pride in our profession; To work collaboratively with physicians and fellow
healthcare team members; To advance our competency through continued learning; To utilize our resources in
a financially responsible manner; To make PinnacleHealth the leading healthcare provider in the region