nurse children’s/media/files/careers/2013_nursing_annual... · fischer and other children’s...
TRANSCRIPT
As I reflect on 2013, I am struck by how much Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin nurses have focused on
developing professionally to provide high-quality care for our patients and families. We collaborated to align
our standard of nursing practice across our system – in Milwaukee, in Neenah, and at our Surgicenter. I am so
proud of the work that has been done to create an environment where professional practice flourishes and
partnerships are developed to improve the health of the children we serve.
Please enjoy our nursing publication and take time to reflect on the many ways nursing influences the
outcomes of patient care – through direct care, research, education, participation in decision-making, and by
being At Our Best. As nurses, we are part of an intraprofessional team, and our contributions are valued.
I personally want to thank every Children’s nurse for the difference you make in the life of every child and
family we encounter.
Nancy Korom, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
A note from Nancy
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Medical First ...............................................2
Special Needs ........................................... 6
A gift aimed at helping nurses ........10
Nurse of the Year ................................... 12
The Year in Research ............................ 15
Magnet®-Caliber Excellence ..............16
Excellence in nursing ............................18
Looking to the Future ........................ 20
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Jackson Radandt
chw.org2
Jackson Radandt is a special young man under any circumstances, but he also holds a unique place in medical
history as the first single-ventricle patient ever to be discharged with a HeartWare® VAD (HVAD).
Born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), in which the left ventricle is severely underdeveloped, Jackson
began experiencing heart failure at age 11 and his family was told he would need a transplant. Because of his
complex medical condition, he would have to spend that time far away from his Valders, Wis., home in a bed at
the Herma Heart Center at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
While he grew extremely close to the many staff members involved in his care – to the point where Jackson and
his mother, Missy Radandt, said they became like family – Jackson was understandably homesick.
“I was going insane,” he said. “I felt like I was in a tiny yellow box!”
Thankfully, there was a way out of that box. But like just about everything involved in his care, it wasn’t without risk.
Medical FirstChildren’s heart patient becomes first-ever sent home with new technology
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
Andrea Bobke, MSN, CPNP-PC, APNP, helped the
Radandts as they prepared to take Jackson home.
“I was able to witness just how strong a family can be,”
Bobke said. “Not only has there never been a patient
like Jack, but there has never been a mother like Missy,
a father like Jason, sisters like Eden and Ella. No one
had ever taken home a child with one ventricle on
an HVAD. It was a bunch of firsts, and they all did an
amazing job.”
Seeing Jackson back at Children’s for a monthly
appointment, it’s apparent that the close relationships
have continued. They talk medical stuff, sure, but also
about his upcoming basketball games and other life
events.
“They were like family when I was here,” Jackson said.
“I got to know all of them very well. I was happy to not
have to be here, but I did miss them.”
Fischer and other Children’s nurses might be happy
to hear that all the trials and tribulations Jackson
endured might just have started him on his future
career path. He’s pretty sure he’d love to be a doctor,
and nobody has any doubts he can make it happen. u
5
Above: Andrea Bobke, MSN, CPNP-PC, APNP, visits with Jackson Radandt (right) during his monthly checkup at the Herma Heart Center in April.
chw.org4
Making history
The HVAD is a mechanical
pump implanted in the
body to help blood flow
in people with weakened
hearts. The portable
version is carried much
like a laptop bag, with a
strap over the shoulder
and the case down by
the waist. Adults have
had success using them
at home, but it’s much
more rare in children. For
a pediatric patient with
HLHS, like Jackson, it had
never been done.
Being a medical pioneer might sound exciting, but
Missy Radandt said the uncertainty was “terrifying.”
She, her husband, Jason, and others would have to
be trained on how to care for Jackson on their own,
without the expertise of the Children’s staff and high-
tech equipment giving them that sense of security.
Despite their fears, the possible upside was too good
to ignore, and it turned out to be a great decision.
“We were able to live as a family again,” Missy said,
adding that the family’s two daughters, Eden and
Ella, were essentially living at their grandmother’s
house while she and Jason juggled work and making
the 90-minute drive back and forth to the hospital.
“Kids thrive being at home. Just being home for a
week, I thought he looked better, being in that natural
environment. His color looked better. His attitude.
There’s a difference.”
Jackson didn’t just sit at home, however. He flourished
and became incredibly active, running and playing,
and even taking up archery at school. “He was able
to remain a child and live a somewhat normal life,”
Missy said.
All told, Jackson was able to spend three months at
home before his transplant in May of last year. Since
then, he has been in good health. He just turned 13 and
has been delivering speeches about his experience to
groups like Wings of Angels and the American Heart
Association.
Like family
Jackson’s medical odyssey not only was transformative
for him and his family, but for the entire Children’s team
that worked with him.
“The Radandt family is amazing,” said Stacy Fischer,
MSN, RN, CPN, who saw Jackson in the ICU. “It was a
blessing that I was able to get to know them through
this whole journey and be a familiar face.”
Fischer called Missy a “rock star of a mom” in how
she handled not only being supportive for Jackson,
but also the extensive training required to do sterile
HVAD dressing changes. This aptitude was reflected in
Jackson, as well.
“I can’t say enough about how smart he is,” Fischer
said. “He is a very special kid. He is so in tune with his
body and knew every medication that he was on and
what it was for.”
Jackson Radandt carried his HVAD around for three months waiting for a heart transplant.
From left: Stacy Fischer, MSN, RN, CPN; Gail Stendahl, DNP, RN, CPNP; and Andrea Bobke, MSN, CPNP-PC, APNP, reunite with Jackson Radandt (front), during his monthly checkup at the Herma Heart Center in April.
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
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Holly Owens has had much more time with her daughter Maya than was ever expected, and she knows it’s
because of the Special Needs Program at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
Holly adopted Maya from India at age 2, and it was just shortly afterward that her little girl started experiencing
health problems. She eventually received the shattering news that Maya had mitochondrial disease, and that the
life ahead of her would be short and full of pain. The focus then became making whatever time Maya had matter.
That’s hard to do when entire days, weeks and months are consumed by a series of doctor visits, hospital stays
and a constant, agonizing effort to keep it all coordinated. Holly remembers spending hours on the phone trying
to reach the right person for this or that appointment, the right specialist for this or that ailment, only to end up
having to do the whole thing over again the next day.
From their home in La Crosse, Wis., Maya frequently would have to be transported to Children’s – sometimes as
often as twice a week – when her medical needs could not be met locally. That also meant Holly having to rent a
Special NeedsProgram gives Maya and her mom a new, simpler life
Maya Owens (left) and Mary Krauthoefer, BSN, RN, CPN, share a moment during one of Maya’s recent visits to Children’s Hosptial of Wisconsin.
chw.org6 Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
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“I have cried and laughed with them. I have worried when they worry, and I have been able to celebrate when they celebrate.”
– Mary Krauthoefer, BSN, RN, CPN, about her experience working with Maya Owens and her mother, Holly
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car to drive down. Though Maya was a fighter, and
Holly remained determined and vigilant as ever, it was
all beyond overwhelming.
There had to be a better way.
“I knew what I was looking for, but I couldn’t put it
into words,” Holly said. “I needed [a program] that
could look at my daughter outside of a textbook,
because she’s not a textbook. I needed people to
be looking at her beyond one organ system, looking
at her as a person, as a child, not as someone who
needs to live in the hospital. I was just at a loss where
to find this.”
Then, during one of Maya’s stints at Children’s, she
learned about the Special Needs Program.
The official description for the program says it helps
coordinate medical and nonmedical services for
children with medical complexity due to multiple
chronic conditions. For Holly, that’s a rather low-key
way of saying that she and Maya were headed toward
a whole new life.
All those doctors Maya had to see would now be
communicating with each other along with everyone
else involved in her care. No more conflicting medical
plans, no more frustrating phone calls, and no more
of that hopeless feeling of not knowing where to go.
“I know that if I had not come to Children’s and
become part of the Special Needs Program, Maya
wouldn’t be here,” Holly said. “I have no doubt in
my mind. It’s made that big of a difference.” The
year before joining the program, Holly said Maya
spent more than 200 days in the hospital. Now she
averages about four to six weeks per year, which still
sounds like a lot to most people, but Holly said it feels
like nothing compared with their old routine.
Four years ago, Holly and Maya moved closer to
Children’s, a decision made much easier by the help
she received from the Special Needs team.
Now 15, Maya still faces many challenges, but she
lives her life with a joy – and a smile – that brings
inspiration to her mom and everyone around her. For
Maya, the Special Needs Program has meant getting
more of a chance to be a normal kid. Part of that is
a more organized effort toward her health care, but
it also means having a mother who can focus on the
job of raising her.
“It gives me that much more time to be my
daughter’s mom,” Holly said. “I spent so much time
being my daughter’s nurse, her case manager, her
doctor, her case worker, that I just want to be her
mom. They’re able to take a lot of that time I was
spending inefficiently and let me focus on just being
her mom.” u
8
From left: John Gordon, MD, director of the Special Needs program at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, visits with Maya Owens as Mary Krauthoefer, BSN, RN, CPN, looks on.
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
“Nurses have such a complex job today everywhere,
but especially in pediatric hospitals like Children’s,”
she said. “They have to play so many roles at one time.
They switch from an information technology role right
into a very technical role and then right into a deeply
human, emotional role of holding a patient’s hand. I just
have the utmost respect because they can transition
through these roles, and they embrace each of these
roles so beautifully. … I’ve just been so impressed at
Children’s that the nurses are well-trained in each of
those roles.”
Children’s was first designated a Magnet hospital in
2004, then again in 2009. A team of Magnet appraisers
made a site visit to Children’s in March of this year for a
possible third designation. (Learn more about Magnet
and what it means for Children’s on Page 16.)
“Medically complex”
At 6 years old, Beth’s son Mac has had to endure a
variety of health struggles, including respiratory, spinal,
gastrointestinal and cardiac issues. He’s certainly no
stranger to hospitals, having endured an incredible 36
surgeries – including open-heart surgery, spinal cord
surgery and, on the day he was born, a seven-hour
trachea esophageal procedure. He spent his first three
months in the NICU.
Then, just shy of Mac’s first birthday, the family moved
to Wisconsin, and Beth was understandably nervous
about how her “medically complex” son would fare in
the transition. She credits the Special Needs Program
(see story on Page 6) for making it as smooth as
possible.
“We’ve just been amazed at Children’s with the
continuity of his care and the ability for everybody to
come together and see the different parts of his care,”
she said. “We think an integral part of that continuity
is the nurse at the center really taking the time to get
to know us as a patient and get to know his history,
which is very complex, and being comfortable enough
with his history and their role on the medical team to
advocate for him and us.” u
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin was born 120 years
ago in Milwaukee, a city struggling to cope with
poverty so deep it was affecting the health of children.
So much has changed, and so much has not. In 1894,
the needs of children were met by the founders of the
new hospital, and by the support of the community.
Today, the need to provide dedicated pediatric care
is greater than ever, and our ability to provide the
best care for children as one of the nation’s leading
children’s hospitals (rated #4 by Parents magazine) is
only possible through the continued support of this
community.
It is our vision that Wisconsin’s children will be the
healthiest in the country. It is through the generous
support of individuals, family foundations, corporations
and others that our exceptional nurses, doctors and
other care providers in the hospital and throughout the
community are able to give kids the best care every
day. That same support will help us reach our goal.
How do we get there? Through offering the best
outcomes in the world for the most complex conditions
(Herma Heart Center), guiding new lifesaving
research breakthroughs (whole genome sequencing),
and delivering quality care to children in at-risk
neighborhoods, just as we did in 1894. Children’s
continues to set new standards of excellence in
pediatric health care – and we still do it with the
help of our community.
Your support helps fund our programs, from research
and critical care for the sickest kids and babies, to
community initiatives designed to keep kids healthy. To
learn more about how your gifts make a difference, call
us toll free (888) 543-7233 or visit chw.org/give.
11
How you can help
chw.org10
Beth Daley Ullem is on the board of directors for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, but when she brings her son
Mac in for treatment, she’s just like any other mom.
She’s in full “mom mode,” concerned about her son’s many medical needs and having to entrust so much of his
care to others. The good news is that she is continually inspired by what she has seen from the nurses, doctors
and staff at Children’s. She holds a special regard, though, for the nurses.
“We’ve gotten such fantastic nursing care at Children’s,” she said. “I really like how they’re a very integrated,
central part of the health care team, and they’re great advocates for us as patients.”
It is this personal experience mixed with the broader picture she gets from serving on the board that gives Beth
a unique perspective on all that Children’s is and does. It prompted Beth and her husband, Scott, to donate
$100,000 this year to the nursing program.
Magnet motivation
A key factor behind the Ullems’ gift was their desire to help Children’s maintain its prestigious designation as a
Magnet-recognized hospital. The Magnet program, administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center,
certifies every four years that a health organization offers the highest quality nursing care in all areas. At last
count, there are 401 Magnet hospitals worldwide.
Beth said all that she learned about the program, and how it promotes an environment where nurses are
encouraged to further their education and pursue advanced degrees, persuaded her that it was a worthy cause.
$100,000 A gift aimed at helping nurses advance their education
Beth Daley Ullem, seen here with her son Mac, donated $100,000 to the nursing program at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
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Heather Sanders, BSN, RN, CPNA look back on life as Nurse of the Year
Last April Fool’s Day was shaping up to be a real doozy for Heather Sanders BSN, RN, CPN. Someone was trying
to convince her that she had been named the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Nurse of the Year for 2013.
“I didn’t believe it at first,” said Sanders, thinking maybe she was being pranked. “I didn’t say much about it to
anyone until I got another call from the freelance writer who was going to write the article and I got an email from
work. Then I started to believe that it was real. I shared it with all my friends on Facebook and all my family, and I
was pretty excited from there on out.”
Yes, the honor was very real indeed. Sanders, who works in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital
of Wisconsin, was singled out by the family of a patient she had last cared for more than a year prior to being
nominated.
Caring for Cody
For four months, Sanders cheerfully and tirelessly worked with Cody, a 14-year-old who had been admitted for
heart-valve replacement surgery only to end up falling into a coma and being placed on a heart and lung machine.
chw.org12
Heather Sanders, BSN, RN, CPN
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
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A lot of exciting research projects continue to be
conducted at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Here
are some highlights from 2013:
Children With Congenital Heart Disease: Kathleen A.
Mussatto, PhD, RN, co-authored a longitudinal study
that found that developmental delays in children with
congenital heart disease were much more common
than expected. Dr. Mussatto was nominated for the
Julie Lathrop Nursing Research Award.
The Infant Feeding Experience: Rosemary White-Traut,
PhD, RN, FAAN, is leading a study aimed at preventing
babies who cannot initially feed through their mouths
from developing oral feeding difficulty, the research
team conducts weekly visits with participating mothers
and babies to monitor feeding behaviors, how feeding
is progressing, growth, interaction during feeding, what
type of feeding the baby is having at time of discharge,
and the baby’s ability to suck on a nipple. The check-ins
continue after discharge at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months old.
Neonatal Pain Management: Michelle Czarnecki,
MSN, RN-BC, CPNP, and Keri Hainsworth, PhD, and
their team are leading a randomized controlled trial
to compare outcomes associated with continuous
opioid infusions with those associated with Parent
Nurse Controlled Analgesia (PNCA), in which a
parent or a nurse is able to administer small doses
to achieve comfort. Both methods were successful,
but the PNCA group used significantly less opioids.
This is an important step toward improving the safety
and efficiency of pain management in a vulnerable
population.
Solid Organ Transplant Care After Discharge: Stacee
Lerret, PhD, RN, CPNP-AC/PC, CCTC, is working on
an innovative study that promotes integrating mobile
health care technology (mHealth) to assist families in
the transition from hospital to home following a solid
organ transplant. u
2013The Year in Nursing Research
chw.org14
She kept him comfortable and was there when he
woke up, making sure he was warm – Cody was always
cold – and helping him go through dialysis.
Then there was the nonmedical care Sanders
provided: Washing Cody’s hair, singing to him and
forging a connection through their shared love of
Christian music.
“Cody was very special to me,” Sanders said. “Not
everyone is able to take care of the older patients.
Sometimes they’re more difficult to deal with … it
has to be just the right fit to find someone who can
connect with a teenager on that level. We had a lot
of fun together, and I’m on the weekend program, so
we always looked forward to spending our weekends
together. We would always have a little spa day, so it
was fun.”
Cody left the hospital only to return with a rare
infection. He was in a different area of the hospital this
time, but his favorite nurse still made time to visit him
after her 12-hour shifts, washing his hair when he asked
and singing with him. Sanders was one of his last
visitors, telling Cody what his family had been telling
him, that it was OK for him to let go. He passed away
in March 2012.
Nancy Rusch, Cody’s grandmother, never forgot
Sanders’ efforts and was moved to fill out a Nurse of
the Year nomination. She called Sanders “an angel,”
and marveled about how she always treated Cody
with “love, respect, compassion and grace.”
The gesture meant a lot to Sanders, especially given
how much time had passed.
“I had no idea that anyone had filled out the
nomination for me,” she said. “They hadn’t been in the
hospital for quite some time, so I had thought that of
all people it might have been somebody who was still
[here]. But it was someone for who the care I gave
still stuck with them a year later. It obviously meant
something to them, and that was very heartwarming
to me.”
Above and beyond
While Sanders said her day-to-day life on the job
hasn’t changed all that much, the award is a wonderful
validation for her career choice.
The Muskego native, who joined Children’s upon
graduating from Marquette University in 2008, said
she initially wanted to be a pediatrician, but shifted
into nursing when she learned she could be more
hands-on in that role. Her passion for the medical field
came from watching how nurses helped her mother
deal with multiple sclerosis, a disease that claimed her
life when Sanders was only 10.
“I look forward to waking up and going to work every
day,” she said. “I like the people I work with, and it
really is a well-rounded hospital. It’s not just about the
care of the kids. It’s about the family as a whole. I like
the opportunity to work with adults and children.”
Sanders also delights in the fact that her award helps
raise the hospital’s profile, alongside other distinctions
including Children’s being ranked No. 4 by Parents
magazine in its list of the nation’s best children’s
hospitals.
She does see herself pursuing an advanced nursing
degree, but right now she’s perfectly content
interacting with patients, as well as taking on the
responsibilities of becoming a certified lactation
consultant, serving on three hospital committees,
mentoring new nurses and participating in research
projects.
As a mother of two young boys, Nathan and Myles,
Sanders knows how important it is to make sure
quality care exists for children and their families.
“I give the kind of care that I would expect my son to
be given if he were in the hospital,” she said. “I try to
go above and beyond to give the care that I would
want for him.” u
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
17
with shared governance councils, leaders, physicians
and other team members, and reviewed outcomes
related to quality care, nurse satisfaction and patient
experience.
The feedback from the appraisers was extremely
positive, with words like “exemplary,” “extremely
nimble” and “impressive” included in their comments.
Nancy Korom, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, chief
nursing officer and vice president, called the visit a
transformative experience. “In our closing session,
they let us know how engaged we have been in this
process,” she said. “The appraisers told us they felt the
engagement at all levels. They were impressed with
how well our nurses, physicians, leaders and staff can
all articulate the Magnet work we do.”
The appraisers submit a report of their findings to the
Commission on Magnet, which is expected to make the
final decision on our designation in May or June. u
chw.org16
In 2013, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and Neenah, Wis., and Surgicenter embarked on the journey
toward Magnet designation. Awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, Magnet is the highest honor a
health care organization can receive for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in nursing practice.
Organizations apply for Magnet status every four years, and Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee has been Magnet-
designated since 2004. Given that less than 8 percent of the nation’s hospitals receive Magnet designation, this
makes Children’s part of an elite group!
Due to an organizational change in 2010, all three Children’s sites are now eligible to apply as part of this
designation — the third for Milwaukee, and the first for the Neenah hospital and Surgicenter. Our application
included evidence that reflects how nurses and team members in all areas demonstrate Magnet excellence. This
information was submitted to the Magnet office in April 2013. Three reviewers then evaluated the information and
determined that we met the standards to receive a site visit.
In March 2014, three appraisers visited all three locations to conduct the site visit. They were seeking to clarify,
verify and amplify the information submitted in the application. They spoke with nurses in all areas, held meetings
ExcellenceChildren’s Hospital of Wisconsin sites demostrate Magnet®-Caliber
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
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Stacy Fischer,MSN, RN, CPNWest 3
Go
ld L
evel
Silv
er L
evel
Bro
nze
Leve
l
Cori Gibson,MSN, RN, CNL*Patient Care Services
Laurie Osborn,BSN, RN, CCM*MACC Fund Center
Karen Sherry,MS, RN, CPNP GI Clinic
Sheryl Cerniglia,BSN, RN, CPN* Center 7
Alyse Bartczak,BSN, RNClinical Resource Unit
Erin Lorenz,BSN, RN*West 5
Jane Sowinski,BSN, RNCardiology Clinic
* Indicates repeat REACH recipient
Rachel Grycan,BSN, RN, CPN*West 5
Jackie Blair,BSN, RN, CPN* East 8
Ashley Mathisen,BSN, RNWest 4
Lisa Van Dyken,BSN, RN, TNSTransport
Anne Mussatti,ADN, RN, CCRN* NICU
Patricia Dresen,BSN, RNClinical Resource Unit
Heather Menting,ADN, RNFox Valley-NICU
Andrea Vorpahl,BSN, RNClinical Resource Unit
Cynthia Rivera,BSN, RN, CCRN* West 3
Lisa Ettienne,BSN, RNWest 11
Amy Seiler,BSN, RNSurgicenter
Kristen Werginz,ADN, RN*West 5
Linda Wallenkamp,BSN, RN, CCRN* West 3
Genesee Hornung,BSN, RNNICU
Michelle Stampa,MSN, RNCenter 7
chw.org18
REACH is Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin’s professional advancement program for registered nurses practicing
in direct patient care roles. REACH stands for Recognizing Excellence, Expertise and Achievements at Children’s
Hospital. Nurses participating in the REACH program provide evidence of their work and related outcomes in four
areas: clinical practice, facilitation of learning, shared leadership and best practice. They can choose to apply at
one of three levels:
• Bronze: Reflecting outcomes that impact individual nursing practice
• Silver: Reflecting outcomes that impact the unit or department
• Gold: Reflecting outcomes that impact the organization or community
Each of the three levels has prerequisites, including years of experience, education and certification.
Applications are reviewed by the REACH Committee, which is made up of a group of nurses representing
different practice areas. Co-chaired by Linda Flannery, BSN, RN, and Deena Davis, BSN, RN, CCRN, the group
provides feedback and determines the REACH level demonstrated in the application.
REACH nurses are recognized in a variety of ways. Recipients receive a stipend that can be used to support
professional development, including certification renewal, professional organization dues, journal subscriptions
and conference fees. They also receive their REACH award pins at a dinner, where their accomplishments
are shared.
The 2013 REACH recipients include 23 nurses, representing inpatient and ambulatory services at Children’s in
Milwaukee and Fox Valley, as well as the Surgicenter.
“I am so proud of the accomplishments of our REACH nurses,” says Nancy Korom, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, vice
president and chief nursing officer. “They truly showcase Magnet-caliber excellence, and are role models for their
peers.” u
REACHRewarding excellence in nursing
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
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Many exciting changes and improvements impacting Children’s nurses will occur in 2014.
Milwaukee campus
Patient Placement Plan: The new and expanded NICU,
which will be located on Center 7, Center 8 and West
8, will make necessary a series of patient placement
adjustments and physical unit moves throughout
Children’s Hospital-Milwaukee over the next three
years. Phase 1 will begin this summer, with Center 7
South Medical Unit moving patients to West 12 in June,
East 8 Acute Care Monitored Unit to Center 7 South
in July, and Center 7 North Newborn Progressive
Care Unit moving patients to West 8 in September.
To support these physical moves, the following
adjustments to patient placement will take effect in
summer 2014:
• West 12 (previously Center 7 South) will open as a
medical floor, focusing on patients under 1 year old
• West 10 will continue to care for surgical patients
over 1 year old and become the primary home for
hematology and viral oncology patients
• West 9 will continue to care for surgical patients,
and patients older than 1 with respiratory diagnoses
also may be placed here
• East 8 will temporarily move to Center 7 South in
July 2014, then move to its new permanent location
on Center 4 North in 2015. The unit will house acute
care monitored beds acute care monitored beds,
including patients from cardiology, hepatology,
nephrology, solid organ transplant, ingestions and
short stay infusions
• PICU (West 3, 4 and 5) patient placement won’t
change, except for placing acute care cardiac
patients on the acute care monitored floor
Fox Valley
Epic Refresh: Electronic health record documentation
enhancements support increased alignment between
Fox Valley and Milwaukee’s Epic documentation
NICU: A clinical practice group focused on aligning
practice between Fox Valley and Milwaukee has
formed, and exciting synergies have been identified.
Both units will be sharing best practices and
leveraging each other’s strengths to improve care for
neonatal patients.
Bar-coded medication: Implementation planned for
April, which will support enhanced safety and patient
identification practices.
Cardiology clinic: The rapid-improvement project will
standardize workflow for medical assistants and RNs,
with the goal of creating a more consistent patient
family experience and improve safety. u
FutureLooking to the
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin