rosenj, Author at Kaiser Permanente Northern California 2024 Annual Nursing Report

Reducing surgical site infections

Surgical site infections (SSI) contribute to increase length of stay, and serious complications. A multidisciplinary SSI Reduction Multidisciplinary Performance Improvement Team implemented the following interventions:

SSI bundle adherence
Preoperative umbilical cleaning
Environment of care rounds
December 2024 NSQIP 12 month odds ratio was 0.97, compared with 1.03 in December 2023.

C-Section SSIs

Risks of maternal morbidity and mortality are higher with c-sections. and surgical site infections (SSIs) count for one of the highest complications of this very common procedure. C-section SSI adds burden to recuperating patients who just experienced childbirth.

The multidisciplinary c-section SSI workgroup implemented the following interventions:

Deep dive on c-section SSI cases to identify opportunities from a multidisciplinary approach
Weekly SSI Bundle fallouts audits performed by RN Champions
L&D RN Champion providing peer to peer feedback regarding c-section SSI fallouts.
December 2024 NSQIP 12 month odds ratio result was 0.5 compared with 0.9 in December 2023

Cardiothoracic Telemetry Unit earns prestigious Beacon Award

The Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center’s Cardiothoracic Telemetry Unit has earned the prestigious Beacon Award for Excellence, Silver Designation, from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). This recognition highlights the unit’s exceptional performance in quality, work environment, and nursing workforce, surpassing national benchmarks.

The award, secured through a comprehensive 48-page application, acknowledges the dedication of the 31-bed surgical telemetry unit, which serves patients with critical cardiothoracic needs. This achievement is a key step towards the medical center’s goal of Magnet Designation, aligning with Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to high-quality care and a healthy work environment.

The Beacon Award emphasizes the staff’s expertise, continuous learning initiatives, and commitment to delivering top-notch patient care. These initiatives include robust orientation programs, mentorship, and ongoing development. The recognition, coupled with previous accolades such as being named a top cardiothoracic surgery hospital and receiving consistent “A” grades for hospital safety, reinforces Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara’s reputation as a leader in healthcare excellence. It motivates the staff to continue pursuing higher standards in patient care and professional practice.

Central line-associated bloodstream infection prevention

Each case of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) extends the patient’s hospital stay and incurs additional costs. The comprehensive physical, emotional, economic, and social impact on patients is significant, underscoring the critical need for improved CLABSI prevention strategies.

In 2024, CLABSI champions, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary CC CLABSI committee, spearheaded several initiatives, including:

Developing a staff/onboarding job aid for CLABSI based on current policy standards and practices.

Creating a job aid for blood culture collection in line with current policy standards and practices.

Integrating CLABSI and blood culture practices, education, and expectations into the onboarding process for all critical care staff and travelers.

Optimizing the CLABSI bundle audit tool and conducting regular audits.

Providing StatSeal staff education and training.

Conducting trials for Steripath and Cathgrip.

These efforts are aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and reducing the incidence of CLABSI, resulting in 95 days without a CLABSI in ICU; and 204 days without a CLABSI, as of December 31, 2024.

Sonjanae Shand speaking at the Juneteenth event.

African American Association hosts inspiring Juneteenth celebration

In 2024, the Kaiser Permanente Redwood City African American Association hosted a vibrant Juneteenth celebration centered around the empowering theme, “Breaking Every Chain.” The event brought together staff and community members to honor the legacy of Juneteenth, reflect on progress made, and envision a future of equity and unity.

Home Health and Hospice Site Director, Sonjanae Shand, MSN, RN, delivered a powerful keynote address, sharing the history of Juneteenth, its origins, and the strides we’ve made toward freedom and equality. She also spoke about the ongoing work needed to break barriers and build a more inclusive future.

The celebration featured local food trucks, nutrition learning events, and a blood pressure management station, while emphasizing the importance of holistic wellness within the community.

V for Victory: 5 East ends year with excellence in patient experience

The Victory Award concluded 2024 by honoring 5 East in December for achieving an outstanding 96th percentile in Likely to Recommend (LTR), demonstrating their commitment to 5-star patient care. The IP ECX Committee recognizes departments that go above and beyond in delivering an exceptional care experience, with the rotating glass V trophy symbolizing their dedication to excellence at Vallejo Medical Center.

Geriatric Resource Nurse graduation group picture.

NICHE geriatric resource nurrses and patient care technicians graduations

Kaiser Permanente Vallejo proudly celebrated the graduation and pinning of our newest NICHE Geriatric Resource Nurses (GRNs) and Geriatric Patient Care Technicians (PCTs). This ceremony honored their dedication to enhancing geriatric care and recognized the contributions of our existing GRNs for their hard work throughout the year. Join us in applauding their commitment to excellence in elder care.

The GRN graduates are: Maryanne Martinez, BSN, RN, Michelle Pecson, MSN, RN, Nicole Jellison, BSN, RN, Czarina Veneracion, BSN, RN, Hyacinth Noval, BSN, RN, CCM, Maricor McKinney, BSN, RN, PCCN, and Maureen Murphy, RN.

The GPCT graduates are: LaTiara Stewart, Jacqueline Abangan, and Linda Quinn.

Closing the loop in comfort: Improving patient reassessment compliance in 5West

Glory Nwaoha, MSN, RN of 5West, is shown with her poster board, driving efforts for regulatory compliance around timely pain reassessment. This focused initiative highlights their dedication to optimizing patient comfort and ensuring adherence to high standards in pain management protocols. Their collaboration serves as a cornerstone for quality improvement within the unit.

In-patient discharge board checklist: “A road to speedy recovery” on 3 South A

Nurses at the Walnut Creek Medical Center noticed that some of our patients were experiencing longer hospital stays than they’d like, and the team wanted to use innovation to work on getting our patients back home quickly.

After interviewing many patients and staff, our team learned there’s a bit of a gap in understanding when it comes to the discharge process. Sometimes, patients aren’t aware of the things that might be holding up their release, which can make it hard to feel motivated to participate in activities that could help. Sometimes families aren’t able to provide the level of support needed after discharge, which can add to the delay.

To help address this, our team developed the “Road to Discharge” checklist tool. Imagine a visual guide that clearly shows all the tasks and goals needed for the patient’s specific situation, whether it’s related to surgery, a medical condition, or something else. Thorough patient education about their care plan is an included in the tool, and nurses use a “teach-back” method to ensure everyone is on the same page.

We believe that setting clear expectations right from the start will help everyone feel more confident about the discharge timeline. And, involving the patient family and support system every step of the way, so they can be a part of the journey home.

Our goal is to make our patient’s hospital stay as comfortable and efficient as possible, and we’re committed to working with them to ensure a smooth and timely discharge.

Vallejo leaders accepting the Soteria award.

Guardians of safety: Kaiser Permanente Vallejo recognized as Soteria Patient Safety Top Performer

Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center was honored as the Soteria Patient Safety Top Performer across Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Named after Soteria, the Greek goddess of safety and protection, this prestigious recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to patient safety and excellence in care.

This achievement is the result of the collective efforts of our incredible team. Through vigilance, collaboration, and strict adherence to safety bundles and best practices, patient safety has become more than a priority—it’s our culture. The impact? Vallejo Medical Center is the NCAL Top Safety Priority Index (SPI) Performer, finishing at 0.66, exceeding the regional goal of 0.83.

As Robin Betts, VP of Quality and Safety, stated, “This award isn’t just about metrics; it’s about the compassion and commitment that drive our work every day.” At the award ceremony, our team stood united, proud of the strides we have made to ensure every patient receives the safest care possible.

This recognition goes directly to our frontline staff, whose adherence to safety bundles, understanding of data, and ownership of their professional practice have made this success possible. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Being named the top performer is not just an honor—it’s a call to action. We are inspired to build on this success, to embody the spirit of Soteria in everything we do. We are not chasing numbers; we are chasing quality and nursing excellence.

Kate Purdy and Michelle DeGuzman Carey at the APHON

Supporting our pediatric oncology nurses

Michelle De Guzman Carey, BSN, RN, CPHON; Katie Purdy, MSN, BSN, RN, CPHON, CPNP-PC; and Laura Ramos, BSN, RN, CPHON all attended the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Conference (APHON) to be successfully trained as APHON pediatric chemotherapy and biotherapy instructors.

As instructors, they will support the education and training of our pediatric nurses to safely care for our oncology patients. This population can occupy 40-60% of the unit census at any time.

Ramos pictured at left, Carey and Purdy pictured above.

Northern California medical centers

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