Projects showcased at nurse conference
San Leandro had 5 accepted posters – from NPDS, 1 NICU, 3 Post-Partum Unit that were showcased at the Kaiser Permanente National Nurses Conference.
Redesigned Patient Care Services orientation
In early Spring 2024 the Nursing Professional Development Specialist collaborated to redesign the existing process to align with adult learning theory. Patient Care Services Orientation for clinical personnel is now spread over a 3-day period. Orientees are informed each day of PCSO will build on and reinforce the materials in different but important ways.
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.
Emergency department significantly reduces ambulance offboarding time
In January 2024, Assembly Bill 40 was passed, mandating hospitals to reduce ambulance patient offload time (APOT) to under 30 minutes 90% of the time. APOT is the interval between an ambulance patient’s arrival at the emergency department (ED) and the transfer of the patient to an ED gurney, bed, or chair, at which point the ED assumes full responsibility for the patient’s care.
At the time of AB 40’s passage, Kaiser Permanente’s ED had an APOT time of 88 minutes. In February 2024, an APOT summit was held to discuss the impact on the community, emergency medical services (EMS), the fire department, and local emergency departments.
An ED task force, consisting of frontline nursing staff, an EMS liaison, an EMS medical director, and the ED service line nursing director, collaborated to reduce APOT time to a target of 30 minutes. The group developed a model called Ambi ROAD (Rapid Offloading of Ambulances into the Department) to achieve this goal.
The initiative’s three objectives are to reduce APOT to 30 minutes or less, facilitate the transfer of care to return EMS personnel to the community, and obtain EKGs within 10 minutes of arrival for high-risk patients requiring immediate care. By May 2024, Roseville’s APOT time had dropped below 30 minutes and has been sustained.
South Sacramento nurses show dedication to continuous improvement
South Sacramento nurses show dedication to continuous improvement through multiple RDO submissions and ongoing research.
Ongoing research study
A research team led by Shavinderpal Sanga, MSN, RN, CNS, ACCNS-AG, GERO-BC, is currently reviewing retroactive data to evaluate the effects of patients using the enclosure bed. This study will be completed in 2025 and will provide important information regarding patient outcomes associated with this particular bed’s usage.
Current Improvement Projects & Project Leads:
- Implementation of Family Integrated Care in the Special Care Nursery, Lisa Rael, MSN, RN
- Utilizing a One-Day Shared Governance Model to Increase Engagement and Operational Sustainability, Christen Straw, DNP, RN, CNL, CENP, NEA-BC
- Evidence-Based Practice Immersion Program for Nurse Leaders, Reid Hirsch, BSN, RN, CCRN (previously Kendal Bailey, MSN, RN)
- Facility Level Nursing Mentoring Program, Kendal Bailey, MSN, RN
- Pilot of the Broset Violence Checklist (BVC) within a Community Hospital Emergency Department, Rachel Wyatt, DNP, MHA, RN, NEA-BC
- Implementing AGS Co-Care: HELP on Medical-Surgical Unit, Shavinderpal Sanga, MSN, RN, CNS, ACCNS-AG, GERO-BC
- Feeling Tipsy? Preventing Falls in the ICU Using the Tailored Intervention for Patient Safety (TIPS) Goals, Amber Glukhenkiy, MSN, RN, APRN-CNS, ACCNS-AG, CCRN
- 2024 Implementation of a Professional Development Day for Acute Care Patient Care Coordinators, Emily Melville, BSN, RN
- Reinforcing Evidence Based Practices to Reduce Falls, Chanae Joi Haylock, MSN, RN, PCCN, PMHNP-BC
- HAPI Hour 2.0, Andrew Bilog, BSN, RN, and Amber Glukhenkiy, MSN, RN, APRN-CNS, ACCNS-AG, CCRN
Utilizing play to reduce fear, anxiety and pain
Desiree M. Peterson, RN and Ambulatory Surgery Unit nurse implemented the project “Utilizing Play and Fantasy to Effectively Reduce Pediatric and Parental/Guardian Perioperative Fear, Anxiety, and Pain” in South Sacramento.
First Coordination of Care Nursing Professional Development practitioner welcomed
Addition of a dedicated Nursing Professional Development Practitioner for Coordination of Care department sees early benefits as team works to provide professional development opportunities specific to the Case Manager role.
Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento welcomed the first Nursing Professional Development Practitioner for the Coordination of Care Department in the Northern California Region, Emily Melville, BSN RN ACM-RN. In her new role, Emily completed a Resource Development Opportunity (RDO) to create the department’s inaugural Professional Development Day for Patient Care Coordinators.
This evidence-based project featured interactive learning activities that were well-received by staff, with participants expressing high engagement and enjoyment. Several staff members (Chet Nazareno, Mona Roque, & Sylvia Placencia), also stepped up to instruct in key areas, sharing their expertise and enhancing the learning experience. The initiative was designed to enhance skills and knowledge, focusing on improving confidence in their abilities and supporting ongoing professional growth.
Pictured: Fanta Barrie, BSN, RN, Sajeev Singh, BSN, RN, Emily Melville, BSN, RN, Orlando Benjamin, BSN, RN, Laura Levin, BSN, RN, Mary Rose Andres, MSN, RN, Lillian De Los Santos, MSN, RN, Sylvia Placensia, BSN, RN, and Daniel Paterson, RN
NK Interventional Radiology nurses aim to optimize patient outcomes
Initiation of Jardiance/Ozempic holds for procedural and General Anesthesia cases to optimize patient clinical outcomes. This project was led by Nursing staff to clarify preparation instructions and provide medication safety in patient populations utilizing this growing class of medications. This includes education surrounding use of the medication and dose adjustments that may be required pre procedurally.
Standardization of HCG testing workflow was developed and implemented by Nursing Staff to ensure safe patient outcomes.
ICU education council holds 2nd annual ICU critical care symposium
The ICU Education Council, a group of dedicated clinical nurses, plays a crucial role in the success of all educational training events. In October 2024, the ICU Education Council hosted its 2nd annual symposium, which was a huge success. The dedication and leadership of the ICU nurses are shown in their work.
The symposium focused on various topics relevant not only to critical care nursing but also to other nursing areas, such as the emergency department and PACU. Based on post-symposium feedback, more than half of the participants rated their knowledge as substantial or very substantial for the topics that were presented at the symposium.
Their commitment to excellence and hands-on approach to facilitating these events have been instrumental in the success of the ICU Symposium and other educational initiatives.
Pictured above: Navroop Dhillon, BSN, RN, CCRN, Amber Glukhenkiy, MSN, RN, APRN-CNS, ACCNS-AG, CCRN, Jeffrey Murto, BSN, RN, Kanwalpreet Gill, BSN, RN, CCRN, Paul Affron, BSN, RN, Thanh Dieu “Jenny” Nguyen, MSN, RN, CCRN, Lisa Miller, BSN, RN, CCRN, Joel Schaefer, BSN, RN, CCRN, Lisa Prillwitz, BSN, RN, Anne Laroco, RN, Nathan Campbell, BSN, RN, Lisa Kendall, Benny Tabingo , BSN, RN, CCRN
Gastrointestinal/endoscopy team develop inpatient procedure preparation optimization workflow
This project was developed by Nursing staff in the gastrointestinal (GI) department. The project included collaboration with inpatient teams to optimize procedure preparation with education to the inpatient staff for best pre procedural workflow and procedure success.
Standardization procedures for G-tube patients: Standardized Procedures (RNx) are authorized in the Business and Profession Code, Nursing Practice Act (NPA) Section 2725 and further clarified in California Code of Regulation (CCR 1480). Standardized procedures are the legal mechanism for registered nurses, nurse practitioners to perform functions which would otherwise be considered the practice of medicine. Standardized procedures must be developed collaboratively by nursing, medicine, and administration in the organized health care system where they will be utilized.
Because of this interdisciplinary collaboration for the development and approval, there is accountability on several levels for the activities to be performed by the registered nurse. By utilizing this standardized procedure, this project expands scope and provides autonomy for nurses as they work with G-tube patients on optimization of device placement, replacement, handling, and ongoing follow up for G-tube care.