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From NorwalkPlus.com Health Third year to Receive this National Honor
Critical care units that receive the Beacon Award have exhibited high quality standards, exceptional care of patients and their families, and healthy work environments, according to the AACN. "Congratulations on the continuing demonstrated excellence of your unit and on achieving the Beacon Award for Excellence for the third time," said Marilyn Herigstad, professional practice associate, AACN. The Norwalk Hospital critical care team works collaboratively with each other and the entire hospital and is comprised of thirty-four registered nurses, a patient care manager, clinical educator, an attendant and three unit secretaries. The AACN found in their review process that Norwalk Hospital succeeded, and often exceeded, standards in the following areas, as measured against evidence-based national criteria: recruitment and retention, education, training and mentoring, research and evidence-based practice, patient outcomes, leadership and organization ethics and healing environment. In the area of patient outcomes, Norwalk Hospital's Intensive Care/Cardiac Care Units were particularly cited for exceeding standards by developing a comprehensive initiative which has virtually eliminated the incidence of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) at the hospital. VAP is the leading cause of death from hospital-acquired infections and the mortality rate for ventilated patients with VAP is 46 percent vs. 32 percent for ventilated patients who do not develop VAP. The Norwalk Hospital Critical Care Team has been successful in pursuing a systematic approach involving early recognition of pneumonia and applying best-evidence based practices. The Units were also commended for their high retention rate and staff satisfaction, which is attributed primarily to the positive relationships between nurses, physicians and staff, educational offerings and the fact that the staff feels supported in both professional and personal affairs. "In these times of a national nursing shortage and particularly in specialty areas, our ICU and CCU have nurses waiting for positions to be available. The unit has the reputation as a great place to work," said Denise White, RN, MHA, patient care manager of the Intensive Care and Cardiac Care Units at Norwalk Hospital. Geoffrey Cole, president and CEO of Norwalk Hospital, said that he is extremely proud of the hospital's Critical Team for being selected again to receive such a prestigious award. "Our staff is committed to providing exceptional care for patients and their families. This well-deserved national award recognizes our critical care team for achieving the highest quality outcomes and for being an inspiration to other critical care units throughout the country," he said. Debbie Bailey, RN, MHA, patient care director of Clinical Education, Research and Standards and Critical Care Services at Norwalk Hospital, maintains that "there are four very important reasons that make us proud of our nurses in the Intensive Care and Cardiac Care Units. It is their commitment to patients; their commitment to families, which includes support, education and tenderness; their commitment to performance during emergencies each and every day; and their commitment to each other and all of the nurses who are caring for patients throughout the hospital." "In addition to attaining the three national Beacon Awards, our Critical Care Nursing Team at Norwalk Hospital has, over the years, received numerous awards for outstanding patient care," said Mary Nolan, RN, vice president of nursing and patient care services at Norwalk Hospital. "They are true role models for the profession of nursing." In 2005, the staff was honored with the prestigious Connie S. and Betty L. Maniatty Award presented at the annual Centennial Society Gala. This award is presented to "nurses whose skill, compassion and philanthropic spirit demonstrate the highest dedication to the well-being of Norwalk Hospital patients and their families." Several years earlier, Debbie Bailey, R.N., who was then the Executive Director of Critical Care at Norwalk Hospital, was the recipient of this philanthropic award for her outstanding leadership in critical care. In addition to being cited for her accomplishments at the hospital, she was praised for her "devotion to nursing which extends beyond the Hospital's walls." The critical care nursing team had also been a recipient of the "Team Award for Clinical Excellence," presented by the Norwalk Hospital Division of Nursing. Two of the nurses from this unit received awards for teaching and clinical support, which was presented by the medical residents from the Norwalk Hospital/Yale University Internal Medicine Residency Program. Many of the nurses from the Intensive Care/Cardiac Care Units have been recipients of the Florence Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing. This statewide award is presented to nurses, who demonstrate excellence in patient care, commitment to the community and go "beyond the call of duty." Members of this team have also been recipients of the American Heartsaver Award and the Fairfield County Medical Association Nurses Award for excellence in patient care. In addition to the numerous awards received individually and collectively, five of the nurses from the Intensive Care/Cardiac Care Units have published scientific articles in prestigious medical journals. Norwalk Hospital's critical care nurses also received recognition from the New England Organ Bank for their support of the organ donation program. Indicative of their caring and compassion for families, this team developed a bereavement program that provides resources for family members as it relates to funeral arrangements, support groups, literature and arrangement of scholarships. Included in the care packages they provide to families is an envelope for family members who would like to keep a lock of hair from their loved one. The Intensive Care/Coronary Care Units have been the first to pilot numerous programs at Norwalk Hospital including the computer physician order entry and bar coding for patient identification and laboratory work. The team also developed an effective hyperbaric safety program for the Intensive Care Unit, according to Ms. White, their patient care manager. "We have an exceptional team dedicated to providing outstanding patient care," "It is an honor to be associated with them," she added. © Copyright by NorwalkPlus.com © Copyright by NorwalkPlus.com. 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