May 9, 2003

Nurses recognized for the exceptional jobs they do

Every day, nurses assume a myriad of different roles — caregiver, confidant, advocate. While medical care and procedures continue to evolve and improve, nurses are constantly working to create a safe environment for patients and their families. Patient safety was just one of the many topics discussed during Nurse Recognition Week, May 4 through 9.

To be able to provide the best possible care, patient safety issues are consistently being revisited and re-evaluated, particularly important in today's fast paced and complex hospital environment. Patient safety was the focus of a presentation May 6 called "A New Look at Patient Safety: Understanding the Complexity of Work," a part of Nurse Recognition Week festivities. Patricia Ebright, RN, DNS, assistant professor at Indiana School of Nursing, and Kathy Rapala, RN, JD, risk manager at Clarian Health Partners, Inc., were guest speakers.

Ebright, a nurse for 33 years, described the key elements of patient safety and how errors can be avoided in a large institution such as the MGH. With nurses working in such a dynamic field — with multiple tasks to be completed — patient safety is always a top priority. Ebright also spoke about a variety of safety-related topics, such as preventing falls, guarding against hospital-acquired infections and ensuring medication safety. "When errors occur, we need to evaluate the system in which it occurred in order to improve patient safety," said Ebright.

Rapala, a nurse for 22 years, described how Clarian Health Partners has worked to make patient safety a top priority. Clarian initiated the Safe Passage Program, which includes having a safety nurse on every floor who works with nursing and risk management staff. The goals of this program are to prevent errors through planning for change, analyzing and learning from errors and increasing efficiency. "All who work in patient care must work together to achieve patient safety," Rapala said.

Other activities for Nurse Recognition Week included breakfast and an afternoon reception for staff nurses; "The Genius of Nursing," a presentation by Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MS, senior vice president for Patient Care and chief nurse; and a variety of educational seminars. The week concluded with a celebration at the Museum of Science.