UNCH 2020 Nursing Annual Report - 11

A Letter From Dr. Madigan
Special Feature
Magnet® Stories
Staff Recognition Awards
Accomplishments
Magnet® Stories
the Ebola epidemic. Nurses, physicians, infection
prevention experts, and other caregivers shared
their knowledge to create a network that was
capable of providing safe, high-quality patient care.
As 6 BT admitted growing numbers of suspected
COVID-positive patients, the hospital risked
rapid depletion of existing Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) supplies and reserves. The staff
analyzed and revised patient care practices to
create a team nursing workflow that reduced PPE
use, minimized contamination risk, and maximized
care giver efficiency while in the patient room.
Staff implemented additional safety measures
by dividing the unit into a high-risk (HR) and
low-risk (LR) zone to further reduce infection risk.
COVID-positive patients needing specialized care
went in the high-risk zone while patients who had
tested negative were placed in the low-risk zone.
Staff also demarcated the high- from low-risk zones
using signage, brightly colored tape on doors and
floors, and stanchions placed in key areas.
Nurses also transitioned to a team-nursing model
where two nurses (RN) partnered to provide care.
One RN provided patient care in the HR zone,
while the second RN provided support to the
high-risk zone RN while simultaneously staffing the
LR zone. The HR-RN donned PPE and remained
in the high-risk area for two hours, eliminating
the need to remove and discard PPE that moving
within zones would require. This practice also
helped reduce the fatigue that can result from
working in a HR area. The HR-RN relied on the
LR-RN partner to gather needed supplies,
equipment and medications. The LR-RN also
managed communication among the care team
and the patient's family members. Rotating nursing
staff every two hours between HR and LR areas
limited PPE changes to three times per staff
member per twelve-hour shift. This significantly
reduced PPE use for the unit.
Other innovative changes implemented included
the charge nurse leading staff in daily Rocket
Rounds with the Rapid Response nurse and
the COVID physicians discussing the care of
high-acuity patients. When a patient required
additional assessment, the physician and Rapid
Response nurse entered the HR zone to evaluate
them. This rounding process ensured that all team
Turkeisha Brown
members actively participated in the evolving
care plans of each patient and limited exposure to
COVID-positive patients.
Finally, Nurse Manager Turkeisha Brown, MSN, RN,
NE-BC, provided the 6 BT nursing team with daily
COVID updates which kept everyone informed
about changes in staffing, policies, and patient
census. It also provided staff with an opportunity
to share their stress management strategies,
plans for the shift, and to discuss any clinical
practice needs.
In the span of a few weeks, the influx of individuals
suffering from COVID dramatically altered patient
care at every health care institution in the country.
Despite the disruptions and the rapid changes
in practice and procedures that occurred due to
new evidence, not one 6 BT nursing staff member
contracted health-care-acquired COVID to date.
In the midst of the worst pandemic in a century,
6 BT staff persevered, demonstrating ingenuity,
adaptability, and teamwork all with the goal of
providing effective, compassionate care to those
most in need.
2020 Nursing Annual Report | 11
UNCH 2020 Nursing Annual Report

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