AU Health Embarks on Magnet Journey Magnet is an evidence based, peer-reviewed credential that represents the ulti-
mate level of recognition for nursing excellence as well as quality patient care.
When Laura Brower arrived as CNO in June of 2014, she set a vision to guide
nursing to Magnet® designation. The goal isn’t about an award; the goal is to
realize the improved results in patient outcomes, nurse satisfaction and hospital
performance that can be achieved by following the roadmap established by the
Magnet Recognition Program®.
Nursing teamed with the Cerner Magnet Advisory Program (CMAP) in January of
2015 to conduct an initial readiness assessment using the criteria outlined in the
2014 Magnet Application Manual. The initial assessment revealed that we had
a lot of work to do, meeting only 39 of the 131 items in the readiness assessment
tool. Over the past four years, we have done a lot of foundational work and
we’ve begun to see the needle move with nurse-sensitive clinical indicators like
HAPIs, CLABSIs and CAUTIs, as well as with patient satisfaction. Our Nursing
Shared Governance has reorganized to better align with the strategic areas of
Magnet in order to prioritize and focus efforts. At the two year readiness re-
assessment, we met 106 of the 131 items in the readiness assessment tool. The
decision was made to move forward with application submission to the Magnet
Program Office in order to officially begin the Magnet Journey.
AUMC submitted the application in late September of 2017, which also coincid-
ed with the release of the 2019 Magnet Application Manual. The Magnet
Recognition Program Office has been inundated with applications and it has tak-
en a while to hear back on the application status. On March 19th, Laura Brower
received notification the application had been accepted and AUMC has secured
a document submission date for April 1, 2020.
It is common knowledge the designation process is rigorous, and hence the im-
mense pride staff at Magnet® organizations feel upon designation and re-
designation. The next two years will be busy and we are beyond excited to see
what all our organization can accomplish!
Visit the Magnet website for more information.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Credentials 101 ................................ 2
NRP Cohort 2 Graduates ................. 3
NRP Cohort 4 Membership .............. 3
CON Diamond Jubilee ..................... 4
American Heart Month ..................... 4
Ins and Outs of Drug Shortages ...... 4
Flu Season 2018 ................................ 6
Heartcode Update ............................ 6
CL Submission Timeline ...................... 6
CL November 2017 Cycle ............... 7
Daisy Award Recipients .................... 8
Shared Governance Updates.......... 10
RN Spotlight ........................................ 11
Recent Nurse Additions ..................... 12
Shared Governance Calendar ........ 12
Nurse to Nurse is published by
AUMC Nursing
Shared Governance
Editor: Melissa Lane, RN
Send suggestions and requests to
NURSE TO NURSE MARCH 2018
NATIONAL DRUG
SHORTAGE
RELIEF AHEAD?
Page 4
VIZIENT NRP GRADUATES
SECOND COHORT
Page 3
FLU SEASON 2018
Page 2
Ever wonder if there is a right or a wrong way to display your credentials?
The answer is ... YES!
Credentials 101: How To Display Your Credentials What If ...
MORE THAN ONE DEGREE ?
In most cases, it is enough to list
one degree, but if the second
degree is in another relevant
field, it may be listed as well.
The highest non-nursing degree
is listed first, followed by the
highest nursing degree.
There is no need to list multiple
degrees within the nursing
field; the highest nursing de-
gree is enough. If you have an
MSN and BSN, only list the
MSN.
MULTIPLE CERTIFICATIONS ?
Nursing certifications can be
listed in order of preference.
Consider listing them in order
of relevance to practice, or list
in the order obtained with the
most recent first.
Non-nursing certifications
should always be listed last.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
For additional information, you
can access common questions
and answers about displaying
your credentials in the proper
order at:
http://www.nursecredentialing.org/
DisplayCredentials-Brochure.pdf
The ANA position statement can
be accessed at:
http://nursingworld.org/DocumentVault/
Position-Statements/Practice/Credentials
-for-the-Professional-Nurse-.pdf
2
The American Nurses Association (ANA) published a position statement in De-
cember 2009 endorsing a standard format for displaying credentials to desig-
nate levels of attained education and licensure, certification, and professional
achievement. Adhering to a standard format promotes understanding of cre-
dentialing for the nursing profession.
The preferred order is:
Education
Licensure
State designations or requirements
National nursing certifications
Awards and honors
Other certifications or recognitions
Educational degrees include doctoral degrees (PhD, DrPH, DNS, EdD, DNP), master’s degrees
(MSN, MS, MA), bachelor’s degrees (BS, BSN, BA), and associate degrees (AD, ADN).
Licensure credentials include RN and LPN.
State designations or requirements recognize authority to practice at a more advanced level in
that state and include APRN, NP and CNS.
National certifications are awarded through accredited certifying bodies such as ANCC.
Awards and honors recognize outstanding achievements in nursing.
Other certifications include non-nursing certifications that recognize additional skills.
Credentials Formatting Practice
Mary Smith earned her BSN followed by her DNP. She also has a Master of Public
Health degree. Mary is licensed as a Registered Nurse in the state of Georgia. She
attained the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) certification through the Commission of
Nurse Certification (CNC). She also earned the Certified Professional in Healthcare
Quality (CPHQ) through the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ).
Mary was recently recognized as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing
(FAAN).
Mary Smith, MPH, DNP, RN, CNL, FAAN, CPHQ
highest non-nursing
degree licensure honor
highest
nursing
degree
national nursing
certification
non-nursing certification
Nurse Residency Graduates Second Cohort
The second cohort of Vizient’s Nurse Residency Program (NRP) held their graduation
on February 13, 2018. Throughout the past 12 months, the new RNs have worked in
teams to identify a problem or question unique to their specialty and have utilized
the research methods learned throughout the course to conduct a final poster presen-
tation of their findings. The new RNs learned how to perfect the research skills they
learned in nursing school and had the opportunity to hear from various guest speak-
ers.
Eight projects were presented, representing clinical areas across the hospital, includ-
ing the adult inpatient, critical care, and women’s and children’s division. Nurse man-
agers and assistant nurse managers, clinical outcome managers, directors, and AU
CON professors were among the many who came to see the graduates and their
hard work. Many graduates expressed interest in further carrying out their findings.
Listed below are the topics the graduates presented:
AHA Telemetry Protocol and Arrhythmia Identification (6N)
Compassion Fatigue in Pediatric Nurses (4C, 5C, PICU, PIMCU, NICU)
Decreasing ED Hemolysis Rates by Implementing EBP Specimen Collection Tech-
niques (Adult and Pediatric ED)
Enhancing Patient Safety Through Uninterrupted Shift Report (3W)
Evaluation of Breastfeeding Assessment Tools (7 Perinatal)
Improving Oncology Staff Nurse Retention Through Implementation of Psycho-
social Wellness Training (5N)
Medical Errors Impacted by Staffing Ratio (4S)
Utilizing Pressure Sensor Technology to Minimize Acute Care Fall Occurrences
(3S, 7S)
Be sure to look out for the graduates’ posters throughout the hospital and
acknowledge them for their hard work!
Welcome!
Spring 2018
Vizient / AACN
Nurse Residency
Cohort Four
Cariss Adgerson
Eugenia Apau
Brittany Boezi
Alison Buchanan
Kayla Calvert
Ryan Dague
Christopher Henkel
Angela Holland
Nathan Jenks
Krista Kendrick
Evelyn Kouzov
Zandra Lake
Brooke Lavallee
Shannon Newsome
Jennifer Orial
Sarah Oswald
Shelby Rice
Samantha Robins
Braaten Siverstson
Ann Smith
Jiangnan Song
Allison Stickles
Mary Stramm
Caitlin Swindall
Jennifer Tyson
Shane Whitaker
Sarah White
Samuel Whitten
Vizient Nurse Residency graduates present their posters February 13, 2018
3
College of
Nursing
Celebrates
Diamond Jubilee
American Heart Month
In recent months, AU Medical Center, along with many other healthcare systems
across the United States, has faced an increased frequency of drug shortages,
some of which have been the most severe encountered in several decades. The
intent of this article is to bring light and clarity to drug shortages and the corre-
sponding management strategies.
What is a drug shortage? To put it simply, a drug shortage can be defined as
a supply disruption where the demand exceeds the available supply of the
medication to the point of affecting patient care.
What can cause a drug shortage? Drug shortages may result from one or more
dysfunctions in any process or combination of processes within the supply chain,
including the source of raw materials, manufacturers, regulators, wholesalers
and even individual healthcare systems. More specific reasons are listed below
with an asterisk denoting causes of our most recent shortages.
Active pharmaceutical ingredient and other raw and bulk material unavaila-
bility
Manufacturing issues (i.e., failure to comply with the FDA’s Current Good
Manufacturing Practices)*
Manufacturer decisions related to production and distribution as well as man-
ufacturer consolidation*
Natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, etc.)*
New governmental rules and regulations (e.g., DEA decision to address the opioid epidemic by limiting the amount of controlled substances that may be
produced)*
AU Health employees and their families
once again banded together during the
month of February to raise awareness
and funds to benefit the American
Heart Association. Employees and visi-
tors may have seen the numerous bake
sales held throughout the hospital, or
perhaps purchased clothing and other
accessories at a LuLaRoe fundraiser.
Augusta University and AU Health had
627 participants, who were split into
83 separate fundraising teams for a
friendly competition to benefit the
AHA. Approximately $125,000 was
raised by AU for donation to the AHA
to benefit research, surgeries, and
spreading awareness.
These events all led up to the 2018
CSRA Heart Walk, held on March 10
at Riverview Park in North Augusta. In
total, over 3,000 people attended the
walk. The CSRA AHA estimates that this
year’s fundraising efforts totaled over
$550,000. Thank you to all of those
who participated in the fundraisers or
the Heart Walk!
The Ins and Outs of Drug Shortages: What You
Should Know
4 Continued on page 5
75th
Augusta University’s College of
Nursing is currently celebrating
its Diamond Jubilee, or 75th
year. Alumni and current stu-
dents participated in various
events dedicated to honoring
the rich history and exciting
future of the CON. The celebra-
tion culminated at the Diamond
Jubilee Gala, held on March 3
at the Augusta Marriott. Over
300 attended the black tie
event, including Mayor Hardie
Davis Jr., President Brooks Keel,
and Dean Lucy Marion. A gift of
$1.4 million to be applied to-
ward nursing scholarships from
the Medical College of Georgia
Foundation was presented as
well, ensuring the tradition of
excellence continues for many
years to come.
Dean Lucy Marion (left) and Mayor Har-
die Davis Jr. (right) with a proclamation
presented to the college (Photo Credit:
Savannah Evan Photography)
What risks are associated with drug shortages? The most
important risk that must be considered during a drug
shortage is the risk to the patient. Special consideration
should be placed on those patients who require the una-
vailable product, and, at times, patients must be priori-
tized in regards to their respective needs and require-
ments.
Oftentimes, healthcare systems must be creative in order
to overcome the challenges of a drug shortage. However,
changes to the status quo always carry the risks of mis-
takes due to unfamiliarity. Some of implementations made
at AU Medical Center due to the recent drug shortages
include:
Utilizing therapeutic alternatives
Purchasing and/or using different concentrations, sizes
or formulations of the unavailable product
Compounding products that were once “premixed” or
commercially available
Changing the preferred administration (e.g., IV push)
How serious are drug shortages? As mentioned previous-
ly, there are significant risks to patients as a result of drug
shortages. For this reason, any and all drug shortages
should be considered and approached as a serious mat-
ter.
How do healthcare systems manage drug shortages?
Healthcare systems address drug shortages by employing
many of the following strategies.
Monitoring for drug shortages
Determining anticipated duration of drug shortages
Evaluating current inventory and historical usage of
medications determined to be on shortage
Identifying alternative concentrations, sizes, formulations
or sources
Following guidance provided by national organizations regarding conservation strategies and therapeutic alter-
natives (i.e., American Society of Health-System Phar-macists (ASHP), Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
etc.)
Effectively communicating (i.e., within individual depart-ments, between departments within a healthcare system,
and between different healthcare systems)
How/when can we expect resolution to drug shortages?
Although manufacturers provide estimated dates for re-
lease of product and time to supply chain health, there is
oftentimes not a clear-cut resolution. Many factors, such as
current inventory, availability of product for purchasing
and current medical necessity may influence a healthcare
system’s decision to decide a drug shortage has resolved.
Where can I find more information about drug
shortages?
ASHP Website (https://www.ashp.org/Drug-Shortages/
Current-Shortages)
FDA Website (https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/
DrugShortages/default.htm)
How can I help with drug shortages?
Always keep the patient in mind! Medication safety should
continue to remain our top priority.
Please take every opportunity to remain vigilant and up-
to-date with the changes that are occurring with both new
drug shortages and the resolution of long term drug short-
ages.
Make your voice heard! Now is the time to reach out to
your congressional representatives to detail your concerns.
Write a letter, send an email, or leave a voice-message
and let our government know what you are experiencing
on the front line of drug shortages and patient care.
Prepared by: Paul Bauman, Pharm.D., PGY1 Pharmacy
Resident at AU Medical Center and The University of
Georgia College of Pharmacy
Edited by: Stephanie Lively, Pharm.D., BCPS
5
“drug shortages … the most severe encountered in decades”
HealthStream® Heartcode went live the week of January 8, 2018. If you were
assigned a key in error or you need a key due to an impending expiration, email
Wayne Deas in the AHA Center at [email protected].
The HealthStream® system is programmed to send renewal assignments 60 days
prior to Heartcode expiration date. It is recommend modules be completed while
clocked in at work. Computers with speakers are necessary for the modules.
Instructions:
Navigate to www.healthstream.com/hlc/augustauniversity
Assignments resides in the TO DO tab on the landing page.
After completing the online assignment, print your certificate.
To sign up for a return demonstration session, navigate to the PAWS page on
the intranet.
Click on the AHA tab in the Quick Access Links at the top of the page.
Sign up for the skills check off session convenient for you.
Flu 2018 — Leaving Augusta Soon?
It is no doubt that this year’s flu season was—and contin-
ues to be—overwhelming. According to the CDC, the flu
continues to be categorized as widespread in the state
of Georgia late into February, with high influenza-like
illness intensity.
This year’s flu outbreak was especially devastating due
to the fact that the flu vaccine was only 36% effective,
according to the CDC. Spot shortages of Tamiflu further
complicated the issue, leading to longer recovery times
and higher out of pocket costs at the pharmacy for many
patients.
AU Health responded quickly to the high rates of staff
absenteeism due to influenza symptoms by requiring all
employees to be seen in Employee Health for clearance
before returning to work. This, along with the quick im-
plementation of droplet precautions for anyone who
showed symptoms, surely helped alleviate some of the
strain on our resources.
Experts believe that the worst is over, but remaining dili-
gent will protect the health of you and your family, as
well as our patients. Remember to practice excellent
hand hygiene, use personal protective equipment appro-
priately, and stay home if you are experiencing a fever,
chills, runny nose, or cough.
6
HealthStream® Heartcode Instructions and Update Considering
Clinical Ladder? Intents for the May 2018 Submission cycle are due by March 31st. The Clinical Ladder Com-mittee has developed a 12-month submission time-line to help guide appli-cants in planning for the submission process. A BIG thank you to Clinical Lad-der members that re-viewed the 195+ portfo-lios submitted in Novem-ber. That was no small task!
Kimberly Aiello CL3 Annette Frazier CL3
Peggy Moyer CL3
Kimberly Alexander CL3 Sharon Byers CL3 Kimberly Musolf CL3
Margret Allen CL3 Robin French CL3 Vijaykumar Nair CL4
Alicia Alvarado CL4 Ann Gadia CL4 Kerri Neel CL3
Kristina Anderson CL3 Lisa Garrard-Clem CL3 Melinda Noe CL3
Janis Arnold CL3 Angela Gifford CL4 Cynthia Norris CL3
Kathy Asbelle CL3 Heather Glover CL3 Jacqueline Nunnery CL3
Maura Bailey CL3 Hugo Goddard CL3 Karen O'Brien CL3
Ashley Ballis CL3 Whitney Green CL4 Kelly Oglesby CL3
Mildred Barber CL4 Kimberly Green CL4 Patricia O'Neill CL3
Tammie Barnard CL4 Rene Grier CL3 Shirl Palmer CL3
Whitney Berry CL3 Ashton Griffith CL3 Josephine Panes CL3
Jennifer Bittinger CL4 Lindsey Gunn CL3 Patricia Parker CL4
Emily Bowden CL3 Susan Gurley CL4 Veena Patel CL4
Stephanie Bowden CL4 Toni Hall CL4 Christy Peacock CL3
Melanie Bowen CL4 Cathryn Hardman CL4 Santha Philip CL4
Peggy Boyd CL3 Desiree Hare CL3 Shelley Prichard CL3
Marianne Bradford CL3 Belinda Harrison CL3 Lisa Prince-Clark CL4
Taylor Breaux CL3 Lisa Hart CL3 Katie Pritchard CL3
Erica Broadbelt CL3 Erika Heaton CL3 Kristi Prosser CL3
Kenyatta Brown CL3 Angela Henry CL4 Andrea Putzier CL4
Aubrey Buenaventura CL3 Jason Herold CL4 Catlin Pye CL4
Carmen Burdette CL3 Stephen Hoggard CL3 Jessica Reynolds CL4
Tiffany Butts CL3 Kelli Holder CL3 Carlesa Rinker CL3
Teresa Cadle CL3 Stephanie Holder CL3 Katie Roon CL4
Myra Calzado-Norman CL3 Lydia Holt CL3 Daniel Rowland CL4
Kevin Cassedy CL3 Susan Hood CL4 Carla Ryans CL3
Tina Chrisman CL4 Virginia Hopper CL3 Zala Salimi CL3
Bonnie Clark CL3 Angela Hornsby CL4 Patricia Salley CL3
Mary Clark CL4 Chanda Howard CL4 Teresa Salter CL3
Heather Clarke CL4 Jennifer Jackson CL3 Mollie Samaha CL3
Ashley Cobb CL3 Clovalyn Jeffrey-McGann CL3 Priscila Santos CL4
Tamara Collier CL3 Elisa Jenks CL4 Tod Schnetzler CL3
Lisa Collier CL3 Emily Johnson CL3 Bobbie Sconyers CL3
Pauline Cooper CL3 Barbara (Bobbi) Johnson CL4 Lisa Marie Sconyers-Smith CL3
Lisa Cooper CL3 Cara Collins Jones CL4 Kristina Seguin CL3
Jessica Coursey CL3 Linda Jones CL3 Cheryl Shepherd CL3
Catrina Crawford CL4 Shikara Jordan CL3 Berkley Shields CL3
Janet Crowley CL3 Lutricia Jordan CL3 Samantha Skadan CL4
Shengji Cui CL4 Daison Joshua CL4 Melanie Sleister CL3
Karen Cunningham CL3 April Kareis CL4 Leticia Smith CL3
Sara Curry CL4 Charles Kelly CL3 Katie Stephens CL4
Elizabeth Daniels CL3 Christina King CL3 Linda Talledo CL4
Carrie Dellinger CL4 Brooke King CL4 Traci Talman CL3
Lauren Dimmick CL3 Kimberly Kirkbride CL4 Amy Terry CL3
Brandy Disch CL3 Rita Kitcey CL3 Teresa Thompson CL4
Sheila Dixon CL3 Shawn Kneece CL3 Melissa Thorpe CL3
Nancy Doby CL3 Veronica Lack CL3 Allison Tihey CL3
Lacy Dorn CL3 Jeana Lauderdale CL3 Traci Todd CL3
Mary Duckworth CL3 Rachel Lloyd CL3 Godeharda Torda-Valencia CL4
Brenda Dunn CL4 Amanda Loper CL4 Brie Tucker CL3
Lauren Dye CL3 Audrey Lown CL3 Chenise Turman CL3
Leslie Edney CL4 Denise Lyda CL3 Latoya Tyler CL4
Kelly Edwards CL3 Rachel Mallard CL4 Makenzie Vick CL3
Britany Effinger CL3 Cynthia Mandarino CL4 Angelique Vowell CL3
Jean Evringham CL3 Mary Mantone CL3 Deborah Wall CL4
Dawn Faircloth CL4 Harriet Martin CL3 Connie Walters CL4
Amy Farris CL3 Andrea Mathis CL3 Kimberly Whitfield CL4
Celeste Ferris CL3 William Mathis CL3 Jane Williams CL3
Emily Fleming CL3 Shanna McBride CL4 Jennifer Wilson CL3
Carolyn Ford CL3 Cynthia Mitchell CL4 Brandy (Hope) Wilson CL3
Kevin Foutch CL3 Tia Mode CL3 Janice Wilson CL4
Marsha Fox CL4 Eric Mongilo CL3 Angela Wise CL3
Constance Fraizer CL3 Gloria Moxley CL4 Linda Wise CL4
Kristin Franklin CL3 Madeline Moyer CL3 Margaret Wyman CL3 7
Congr
atu
latio
ns!
Successful Clinical Ladder Submissions for November 2017 Cycle
“celebrate nurses who provide extraordinary, compassionate and
skillful care every day”
DAISY Award Honorees
Kimberly continues to be a nurse
with such care and compassion. She
provides patient and family cen-
tered care by ensuring the families
the unit are well taken care of. 3 North tends to
have a tremendous amount of families from far
away. Kimberly goes home to cook meals for these
families without missing work or altering her
schedule. On our unit, an elderly patient started
to become depressed and voiced concern that she
was missing church and couldn’t hear the gospel.
Kimberly provided a CD player, along with some
sermons and gospel CDs. This patient’s mood
changed tremendously. And once she was dis-
charged to the nursing home, Kimberly provided
a portfolio of gospel CDs, sermons and some gowns.
On a weekly basis Kimberly gives our patients
and families lotions, soaps and other items that
they otherwise wouldn’t receive in the hospital.
There are so many things Kimberly quietly does
for 3 North patients and families. I didn’t want
to miss this opportunity to say, ‘Thank you Kim-
berly, 3 North appreciates YOU! ’ ”
Kimberly Allen (above & below left), 3 North
Senior Staff Nurse and Daisy Award recipient,
pictured with her Nurse Manager, Roslyn Marshall.
8
DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem. The DAISY Foundation was formed in November of 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. The nursing care Patrick received when hospitalized profoundly touched his family and they established this award to recognize and celebrate nurses who provide extraordinary, compassionate and skillful care every day. Nurses can be nominated by pa-tients, families or staff. On March 15th, three nurses at AUMC were recognized for the outstanding care they provide. Kim-berly Allen was nominated by a fellow staff member on 3 North for the quiet, compassionate gestures she makes to provide her patients holistic care to make them more comfortable. Gregory Hall received three nominations by patients and family members of patients on 5 West, all describing how Greg made them feel special. Regina Snodgrass from the Float Pool received a nomination from a patient that had never been hospitalized and was grateful for the way Regina took care of him and his wife and for how she advocated for him and followed through with all of her commitments. Each of these nurses received a certificate from the Daisy Foundation, a Daisy pin and a Healer’s Touch statue to commemorate their award, and they each signed the Daisy banner. Since joining the Daisy program in 2010, sixty-eight nurses at AUMC have re-ceived Daisy Awards. Thank you Kimberly, Greg, Regina and our many other dedicated nurses for all that you do!
Gregory Hall (above), 5 West Senior Staff Nurse
and Daisy Award recipient, pictured with certifi-
cate and Healer’s Touch statue. Greg joined previ-
ous honorees by signing the Daisy banner. Pic-
tured left (from L to R) Kathryn Mathis, Assistant
Nurse Manager, Jeremy Graham, Nurse Manager,
Greg Hall, Venita Davis, Assistant Nurse Manager
and Paul Smith, Clinical Outcome Manager.
Nurse Greg has gone above and beyond on
behalf of *B* and her family. He has made
her feel valuable and comfortable, and he has
attended to her every need. When dealing with
the family, he has helped us find a hotel near the
hospital, recommended auto care when our vehicle was broken
down, and he has reassured us with the medical practices
here at Augusta University Health. Nurse Greg, we appreci-
ate you more than you could ever image. You have been a
blessing to our family. You have been given your gift by God.
Make him proud and continue to use it to bless others.”
This was my first time ever in the
hospital. Regina made me feel com-
fortable. She talked to me; even joked
with me. She kept me and my wife
informed, followed through with every-
thing she said she would, welcomed my
wife, and made her stay with me comfortable as
well. She encouraged us through difficult times
during my stay. She was very attentive and
helped us get answers to all of our questions.
From someone who does not like needles, she was
very gentle and understanding anytime she had
to use a needle on me. She always took the time to
acknowledge me and my wife even if it was when
we were walking in the hall. She took the time to
answer all of m wife’s questions during a time of
difficult decisions. Regina could not be a better
choice for what she does with her patients and
their families. I am very grateful that she was my
nurse for the majority of the time I was there. ”
Regina Snodgrass (below), Float Pool Staff Nurse
and Daisy Award recipient, pictured after receiv-
ing Daisy certificate and Healer’s Touch statue.
9
Call for Daisy
Award
Nominations
Remember to nominate
our exceptional nurses
for Daisy Awards!
How to nominate:
On the PAWS page, click the
Nursing tab. On the left hand
side, select Shared Govern-
ance. Then select Daisy
Award and complete
Evidence Based Practice Committee
Looking for outlets to communicate eligibility and market the program. May start educating new staff at New Hire Orientation and
new RNs at Nurse Residency.
Clinical ladder recommended submission timeline to be made available once completed.
Clinical Ladder intents due between March 1-March 31. Portfolios are due 5/1 before 5pm. Results will be communicated by June
15. New applicants are highly encouraged to have a mentor. Requests for mentor can be made to
AU Nursing has a new Facebook page. Search “Augusta University Health Nursing” to join. Anyone in the group is able to post within
the page.
EBPC will be re-introducing research training to increase nurse-driven research. In the past, a contact hour was provided for complet-
ing the web-based training. The committee is in the process of updating the material and revising it to make it more cohesive.
Steph Hendren, Nursing Librarian, set up a libguide to house documents the committee may need to access.
After reviewing various research models, the committee has agreed upon the John Hopkins model and is making the recommendation
that we adopt the John Hopkins model in place of the Larrabee model.
EBP Committee is planning to complete a research project around nursing self-efficacy regarding research. The general plan is to
administer a pre-survey where nurses rate their comfort level and knowledge of research. A literature review has been performed to identify potential survey instruments. The committee members are currently reviewing various tools to determine the most appropriate for this project. Members are also in the process of completing CITI training which is a requirement to get the project through IRB. The intervention will involve education and training. Then a post-survey will be administered to determine the effectiveness of the inter-
vention in increasing knowledge and comfort level as well as readiness to perform nursing research.
EBPC is working to clean up the roster and find new members from areas where there are voids in representation. Dr. Lufei Young
with the CON has agreed to join the committee as an advisor.
A research request was received from Patti Runyan and Dr. Hadley around nursing practice specific to the use of ketamine for pain
management as opposed to fentanyl. Steph Hendren will conduct the literature review and forward articles to EBPC for review.
Clinical Ladder Committee
10
SHARED GOVERNANCE UPDATES
Continued revision to BLS/ACLS recertification procedures. Now online through HealthStream
with in-person check off.
Continued diabetes education with Jenny Grimm. Staff members may now see posting of
common snacks along with their carb count throughout the unit. RNs also have the option of
attending Diabetes Lunch and Learn sessions; look for details in your emails.
Education Committee
Six nurses have been selected as Daisy
Award Honorees. Three were awarded on
3/15/18 and the others will receive their
awards in the coming weeks.
Beginning to plan Nurses’ Week activities.
Finalizing Nursing Gala plans. Will be held
May 5 at Westlake Country Club. Have
secured the same band as used last year.
Special Projects Committee Nurses Gala 2018
Mark your calendars! The 2018 Nurses Gala
will be held May 5, 2018 at West Lake Country
Club. Further details to be announced.
Planning to restart the supply task force committee.
Continued need to develop appropriate signage for our patients and visitors.
Exemplary Professional Practice Council
Kimberly Prince, Digestive Health Cen-
ter Senior Staff Nurse, recently earned
her MSN.
Susan Bock, 4/5 CHOG Nurse Manager,
completed her MSN coursework in Feb-
ruary.
Christy Peacock, Perinatal Senior Staff
Nurse, passed her RNC-OB certification
exam. Christy also graduated with her
BSN in December.
Ebony Coe, Perinatal Staff Nurse, gradu-
ated with her MSN in March.
Elizabeth Holmes, 5 CHOG Charge
Nurse, earned her CPN certification.
Teresa Cadle, 4 CHOG Charge Nurse,
earned her CPN certification.
Taneka Brown, 7 North Senior Staff
Nurse, earned her BSN in December.
Kimberly Griffin, Pain Management
Clinic Practice Site Coordinator, earned
her MSN in December and passed her
FNP certification exam.
Shawn Bell, Cancer Clinic Infusion Suite
Senior Staff Nurse, earned her OCN
certification.
April Jernigan, Cancer Clinic Infusion
Suite Senior Staff Nurse, earned her
OCN certification.
Tyler Shealy, 3 North Staff Nurse, earned
his CNL certification.
Do you know an RN who deserves recognition for their professional or educational achievements? Please email [email protected]
with their full name, floor, and their accomplishment so they can be fea-
tured in the next newsletter!
RN SPOTLIGHT
11
Nursing Informatics Committee
Issues with go-live for NPO after midnight orders and modification to advance direc-
tives and bloodless medicine forms.
Transfer notes for patients who are transferred from outpatient to an inpatient setting
to be standardized.
Improve procedures for preparing patients for surgery.
Need for improving documentation of discharge education to include exactly what was
taught, whether the patient understood the teaching, and stressing the use of official
hospital documents for patient education.
Updates to Nursing Documentation
Updates to Artificial Airway, Central line, Urinary Catheter and Artificial Airway Dy-
namic Groups.
Modifications have been made to identify the appropriate line documentation, discon-
tinuation, assessment, etc. The appropriate responses will open from the appropriate
question.
Braden and Braden Q Score documentation will be red in IView if the scores are high
MAR Summary Default Hours forward are set to 8 hrs
Flu assessment Compliance
Compliance rate of 95% is required, but our audits show us at 93%.
Complete the vaccine assessment task by documenting all required fields.
Pay attention to all alerts and re-assess vaccine assessment when appropriate.
Document contraindications.
Administer vaccine when ordered.
Discharge Follow-up Appointments
Modifications are needed to the follow up discharge appointment process to ensure that
patients receive the correct follow up discharge information. Still in process.
Nursing Student Documentation
All Nursing Student documentation must be verified before they leave the units. Student documentation should be authenticated/verified by the Nursing Instructor or the student’s preceptor at the time of administration. If the student’s medication administration is not veri-fied, no other medication task will be available and the medication will have to be reor-dered. A weekly report is being sent to assess compliance and to communicate with nursing instructors so that this will not continue to be a problem. Instructions are located on the Nurs-
ing Webpage.
Multiple Monitor Association Alert
A report is being run daily, Monday-Friday to capture patients that have been associated to more than one cardiac monitor or more than one ventilator at the same time. The alert fires upon entering and exiting the chart. The report shows every time the report fires and the employee that received the alert. The report is sent out daily for management to follow up
with staff.
Rescheduling Medications
When rescheduling medications, remember to reschedule the entire series. Please see train-
ing document that was sent to all AUMC nursing staff.
Single Point Lessions
Accessing the Surgery Schedule
Confirming IV Medication Volumes
Patient and Family Education
Projects Currently in Progress
Table of Contents
Nurse Workflow Handoff
Ticket to Ride
History Controls
Nursing Admission Database Optimization
Charting and computer concerns
should be reported to
IT at 1-7500.
Charting concerns should also be
reported via email to
Welcome
New Nurses!
Susan Polk (4S)
Shelby Bailey (Float)
Karen Crescenzi (NICU)
Taneka Brown (7N)
Aimee Nyikos (Float)
Anthony Neal (Cardiac Svcs)
Avia Newton (Quality Mgmt)
Adelaide Turner (Perianes)
April Glosson (6S)
Courtney Worthington (5S)
Kirby Brown (EP Lab)
Robert Sarfo (4S)
Florence Verne-Jolliet (8S)
Sabrina Benson (Psych ED)
Dawn Echevarria (PICU)
Catherine Richardson (Float)
Victoria Roldan (7S)
Tiffany Casper (6S)
Rachel Watts (5N)
Jamie Arroyo (5S)
Kimberly Wright (4S)
Rachael Marsh (8S)
Ayesha Patel (5N)
James Freeman (3W)
Karen Dudich (NICU)
Haley Spence (3N)
Kelly Porterfield (MICU)
Emma Buchele (PICU)
12
SHARED GOVERNANCE CALENDAR
March 29—Chick Fil A sale and
Bake Sale on the second floor.
11AM until sold out. Meals in-
clude sandwich, chips, and a
drink for $6. Baked goods sold
for $1-2 per item.
Stay tuned for details regarding
a “Best of the CSRA” basket
raffle. Raffle tickets to be sold in
March with winner chosen in
April.
April Chick Fil A sale and Bake
Sale. Stay tuned for dates and
further details.
Special Projects
Upcoming Events