The AAMC Nursing Blog

‘Nursing Blog’

Welcome to our July 2010 cohort of nursing new grads! For the next few months, this group will journey together through our intensive Nursing Graduate Internship, studying nursing skills, code management, effective communication, critical thinking—even financial planning and stress management.

Later in the year, they will have the opportunity to attend continuing education classes focusing on professional development and research—culminating with the presentation of an evidence based practice project.

Most of our new grads are not new to AAMC—in fact, most of them were employed here as PCT’s while in nursing school. So, while they may not need your help finding the cafeteria, they do need your warm welcome to nursing.  

July 2010 cohort, we are glad to have you!

Lynn Canade (OBS)          Shahde Graham-Coker  (PCU)

Myisha Davis (OR)          Mary Hall (MSU)

Becki Derr (OBS)          Lauren Shaffer (OR)

Anna Drapalski  (WSU)          Kathy Sowa (PCU)

Alyssa Finlayson (ONC)           Kristen Toulotte (ED)

Rachael Fitzsimmons (L&D)          Ashley Waterbury (M/B)

Brittany Foscue (MSU)          Nicole Zentgraff  (GSU)

Recently, the staff of Special Care had the honor of caring for a patient and his wife on their 55^th wedding anniversary. Our patient—let’s call him Mr. Love—began experiencing some cardiac complications just before his planned discharge. When it was decided he needed an echocardiogram, his nurse, Mary Cohn, and Rebecca Howe, SCU charge nurse, quickly rushed him downstairs.

Meanwhile, there was an anniversary to celebrate.

Mary had secretly spoken to Mr. Love about Mrs. Love’s preferences—chocolate, flowers, both?—and Heather Cox, patient care technician, raced to Trader Joe’s to pick up her favorite bouquet. Rochelle Surgeon, food service attendant, arranged for the delivery of a “wedding cake.” Father Flynn heard about the couple and offered to renew their wedding vows.           

When the patient returned from his echo, Heather, Mary, and Rebecca distracted Mrs. Love by asking her to come to the nurses’ station (the Patient Satisfaction Survey is useful in many ways). Meghan Russell, patient care technician, snuck the flowers into Mr. Love’s room so he could surprise his wife. The staff all gathered around the corner of the room to watch as Mrs. Love returned.              

It was awesome! Mr. Love couldn’t hide his huge smile. After a minute or two of conversation, he pulled the bouquet out from behind his geri chair and wished his wife a happy anniversary. She burst into tears—and so did many of the SCU staff.      

This is the stuff of Special Care and AAMC. Everyone, including management, staff nurses, patient care technicians, Dietary, Spiritual Care, physicians, and the Echocardiography team worked hard to make this a special day on Special Care.        

I am so proud to be part of an organization that encourages its staff to think outside the box, enabling us to be a part of our patient’s–and their families–experience in personal and creative ways.

                -Mary Cohn, BSN, RN

For the third year, AAMC has accepted the Buy Local Challenge—we will serve at least one locally grown item per day during the week of July 17- 24. Here at AAMC, we define “local” as within a 150-mile radius from farm to our campus.  Accepting the Buy Local Challenge is a win-win for everyone!  

Did you know that local fresh picked crops have a higher nutritional value? Studies have shown that the nutritional quality of produce is optimal immediately after harvest.

Did you know that produce in the U.S. travels an average of 1,494 miles from farm to store? Buying local produce cuts that down to about 56 miles; greatly reducing oil consumption and carbon emissions.

Did you know that buying local helps improve the health of our surrounding communities? It builds a stronger local economy by putting money back into our farms.

Events throughout the week:

• Stop by the cafeteria to sample the daily dish made with local produce. While you’re there, grab a copy of the recipe so you enjoy it at home. (July 19-23)
• Shop at the Farmer’s Market in front of the Sajak Pavilion. (Monday and Fridays from 2:00- 6:00 p.m.)
• Join Craig Sewell, chef and owner of A Cook’s Café, for a sustainable food demonstration. (Tues., July 20 from 12:45 – 1:00 p.m. in the main cafeteria)
• Locally grown food will be served on patient trays, depending on the patient’s diet.
• Activity worksheets will be provided for pediatric patients and children visiting siblings on the Mother-Baby unit.

Click here for tips on eating locally, including recipes and sample menus. 

Are you up for the Buy Local Challenge? Make it a goal to eat at least one locally grown item per day during the week of July 17-24.

-Charlotte Wallace, RN

 Is cancer almost inevitable? According to the National Cancer Institute, about 41% of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime, and approximately 21% will die from it. As cancer affects millions of American families, it also adds billions of dollars to our nation’s health care bill.

Cancer in childhood is quite rare compared with cancer in adults, but, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is still the second most common cause of death for Americans under the age of 20. Thanks to improved treatment options, the mortality of children with cancer has decreased. However, the percentage of children who are diagnosed with leukemia, brain and other cancers is actually increasing—see the chart below. 

What is causing this upward trend? There is growing scientific literature that links chemical exposures to six categories of chronic conditions, including certain types of cancer. In fact, the American Nurses Association recently partnered with the  Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition, who work to create the foundation for a sound and comprehensive chemicals policy that protects public health and the environment.

While it may be impossible to avoid all exposure to chemicals in our modern world, being aware of their implications and making small lifestyle changes can have enormous benefits. While many products may contain only small amounts of toxic chemicals, chronic exposure may have significant health consequences. For tips on avoiding toxic chemicals at home and at work, click here.

Use your power as a nurse, mother, community member, or friend to limit the chemicals in our cleaners, children’s toys, cosmetics, and other products. Read up on Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) reform, which will require that companies prove that their products are safe, rather than waiting decades to discover that they are not. To communicate with your elected officials, click here.

What changes can you make to reduce your family’s chemical exposure?  Share your story here.

-Charlotte Wallace, RN

The concept for CaringBridge was born in 1997 with Baby Brighid, a little girl who arrived three months early, weighing only one pound.

Sona Mehring was a dear friend of Baby Brighid’s critically ill mother and was tasked with keeping family and friends up to date on the conditions of both mother and baby. Instead of making numerous phone calls to each individual family member and friend, Sona decided to create a private Web site, where loved ones could access current information as often as they wished.

Sona’s daily postings made it easier for the recovering mother to rest and for the family and hospital staff to focus on caring for Baby Brighid and her mother.       

The family also posted daily progress updates. Extended family and friends were able to communicate their love and encouragement through online messages. When, sadly, Baby Brighid died in surgery at nine days of age, this Web site became an avenue for family and friends to offer their condolences.

The idea behind Baby Brighid’s Web site evolved into CaringBridge—which was named for her. 

As AAMC continues to work towards an environment of Patient- and Family-Centered Care, www.CaringBridge.org is a valuable resource for our patients and their families. Our patients can create their own website—free of charge, secure, and private—to provide medical updates, pictures and other information they wish to share with those close to them.

Don Jump, Auxiliary member and part of the Care Delivery Model Committee, has helped rally our Auxiliary partners to assist in the promotion of CaringBridge. As ambassadors to our patients and families, Auxiliary will help convey this information via cards and table tents.    

Charge Nurses are also being provided with CaringBridge posters and post-it notes to share with staff, patients, and families on their units.

Look for the CaringBridge bulletin board in the cafeteria between July 11-16.  

-Renee Lester, RN

To schedule a presentation slot with the Board of Review, please submit your Clinical Ladder Application—see how to access below—to the Department of Clinical Education and Professional Development. A representative will then contact you to schedule your meeting time.

Board of Review presentations are held in the Health Sciences Pavilion. They are scheduled every half hour from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the following days:

August 11

August 26

September 7

September 27

October 28

November 10

November 30

The Light House, a Homeless Prevention Support Center in Annapolis and our community partner, currently has a great need for non-perishable panty items. Because they receive a lot of their donations from schools, their supplies often dwindle during the summer months.

The PNC will be collecting these pantry items between now and July 12. Look for a donation box on your unit or talk to your unit’s PNC representative to find out more.

View the Light House’s online pantry wish list here.

AAMC continues to partner with the Light House by providing nursing education for their residents, as well as delivering boxed lunches for distribution in our community. They go fast—recently 75 lunches were distributed in just 15 minutes.

Thank you to all our staff–it is because of your giving spirits that this support is possible.

Climbin' the Ladder: the OR team celebrates with C.J. and Gerianne

The Professional Development Committee set out to develop a clinical ladder that honors the expertise of nurses who make a difference at the bedside and recognize those who show leadership on a daily basis within their unit and the facility.

It is an honor for the Professional Development Committee to announce the name of AAMC’s Nursing Clinical Ladder: C.A.R.E – Clinical Advancement to Reach Excellence. Thanks, Melissa McCoy, RN, of the Flex Unit, for your creativity in naming the Ladder. 

On May 27, we had our first Board Review Appointments. The day went off without a hitch (that is, if you ignore the 10 minute fire alarm drill that began as the first applicant entered the room—what an ice breaker).

It was a monumental day. We laughed and we cried—and I am not talking about the applicants. Our nurses did such a tremendous job presenting all of their hard work that they had the board members in tears!

The Professional Development Committee would like to congratulate our first group of Ladder appointees: Cheryl Briggs, Stephanie Dolle, Gerianne Fraddosio, Jennifer Herzig, Carrie Jackson, Maria Reinitz, and C.J. Rovaldi. You all should be very proud of the work you have done.

We would like to especially thank all of our Board Review Members for being such an asset to the new Clinical Ladder.

Thank you, also, to all of the folks who are so actively engaged in enhancing the care of our patients and documenting their own professional development.

For all of you eager nurses who are ready to participate in Clinical Advancement to Reach Excellence, look for additional Board Review dates in the upcoming months. For any questions, please contact Clinical Education and Professional Development. We look forward to hearing from future applicants. 

-Jamie Cinotti (Dotson), BSN, RN

You walk into your patient’s room to talk to him about his lab results. He is being treated for lung cancer and has had several admissions over the last few months. He asks a lot of specific questions about his labs and plan of care. As you carefully answer his questions, he pulls out an iPhone. “Hold on,” he says, “I need to Tweet this.”

You walk out to the nurses’ station. There’s been a call out for tonight. The charge nurse goes online and posts the open shift on the unit’s Facebook page. Within a few minutes, a coworker responds that she can cover the shift.  

Before making an appointment with a fertility doctor, your friend and her husband check out several of the many “rate your doctor” websites to find who has the highest rankings in their area. After reading several reviews about a particular physician who is rated high in bedside manner with a courteous staff, they call to make an appointment.

A friend of mine recently had major surgery to remove a large abdominal cyst. She posted details about her recovery—and pictures of her healing  scars—on my Facebook page, wondering if I thought the wound was healing properly.

These are just a few examples of the way technology is changing the culture of healthcare. Don’t believe it? Well, you are reading the Nursing Blog right now.

Recent statistics show that over 60% of adults seek health information on the internet. Many patients, like the man admitted for cancer in the first scenario, use social media to communicate with their family and friends—and save making multiple phone calls or emails. Some nurses use social media like Twitter to educate the public and promote health and wellness.

Technology has given us the opportunity to share as much as we want about our medical experiences, knowledge, and personal health issues with the world—or our 500 Facebook friends.  

Do you Facebook, Twitter, or blog? How do you see technology and social media changing your nursing practice?