Shared Nursing Governance Group Addresses Culture, Education and Patient Safety
Ascension Via Christi Manhattan, Inc.
Shared Nursing Governance Group Addresses Culture, Education and Patient Safety
Strategies that address workforce recruitment and retention are essential to providing optimal health in Kansas. The Workforce Strategies Award recognizes a team of employees, providers or volunteers who have significantly contributed to the well-being, retention or recruitment of health care workers at their facility.
Ascension Via Christi Manhattan’s Nursing Shared Governance group started in May of 2023 to recognize challenges and barriers that exist within the hospital that have an adverse effect on patient care and/or hospital culture. The group collaborated across nursing disciplines to identify evidence-based practices that address challenges. The group placed a particular emphasis on patient safety, as evidenced by their CMS four-star rating and an "A" rating from Leapfrog.
The NSG offered bedside nurses a formal platform to make positive changes that had an impact on direct patient care and frontline nurses were given the opportunity to take ownership and accountability of recurrent challenges. NSG then collaborated with different departments to create programs that addressed some of their most pressing issues.
One of these critical programs has been the formation of a robust Preceptor Program. NSG collaborated with Clinical Professional Development to utilize a self-paced online learning tool in tandem with an interactive session. This gives preceptors consistency during the onboarding process and offers a holistic experience to new hires.
Charge nurses were another group of associates needing additional resources to ensure they were successful in their roles. NSG collaborated with Clinical Professional Development to offer a Charge Nurses Education Seminar. This education focused on conflict management, compassion fatigue, safety huddles, emotional intelligence, leadership skills, patient experience and other important qualities that are important for the charge nurse role.
Another big win for the NSG was the formation of A Ticket to Ride. This program improved patient care by improving the inconsistent handoff process. A Ticket to Ride form includes all the pertinent information about the patient and the form stays with the patient through all of the traveling to/from various areas of the hospital.
“As a result of Nursing Shared Governance Group's initiative, there has been a noticeable change in teamwork, camaraderie and empowerment of our team members to improve work culture. We have been able to implement some really wonderful programs that enhance employee satisfaction, education and patient care, said Tanya Brabender, director of clinical operations.