Friday, June 15, 2012

Achievement: A Story of our Magnet Journey

KFSH&RC is close to being designated as a Magnet hospital. The journey has been long, indeed, starting with our submission of documentation last October. Our Magnet champions used all possible means to ensure enculturation of the Magnet components among CVT staff. In a brainstorming session, we came up with the idea of having a Magnet Awareness Day to inspire the staff. The planning process was tedious, full of mixed responses from target participants and staff.

Our head nurses (especially our assistant head nurse), however, were very optimistic, enthusiastic, and anxious that our very first Magnet Awareness Day be a success. We had positive, enthusiastic and creative Magnet champions who offered powerful support. We give special thanks to our beloved physicians--Drs. Halees, Fayyadh, Shaltout and Sanei-- for their financial help, as well as to the Recruitment and Retention Department for providing mugs. We also thank Abbas for supplying the bookmarks and Magnet logos. No one and nothing could bring our spirits down now! We were committed to this endeavor.

Magnet Awareness Day, March 4, 2012, started at 7 a.m. with the preparation of the physical set-up in the CVT hallway: Balloons, posters, tables – we stood ready in our eye-catching yellow and green uniforms (courtesy of Marie), our hearts tachycardic with excitement. Our Clinical Instructor, Margo, checked for needed things and placed posters. Program Director Glyn Lewis was our first participant, reviewing nursing values by means of various games that stressed education about the Magnet and its components. Our Professional Practice Model was also reviewed. Then the participants received chocolates, candies, mugs, Magnet logos and bookmarks, and had breakfast in the conference room.

People streamed in after 8 a.m. and signed in. There was a mixture of different personnel from our cardiovascular, vascular, adult and pediatric cardiology doctors to nurses and staff from different units. We had head nurses, other Magnet champions, dietitians, case managers, ward clerks, PCAs, respiratory therapists, phlebotomists, housekeepers, maintenance employees, and even curious patients and sitters. An added bonus was the energizing presence of our Magnet doll.

A brilliant idea was the inclusion in the program of the Infection Control Week campaign (March 1-7). Our Nurse Educator served as the hand-hygiene point person (and also as interpreter), with gloves pinned onto his shoulders to catch the attention of participants and educate them on proper hand hygiene, by going through the process of hand-washing and checking compliance.

It was really a promising and fulfilling day! Executive Director Judy Moseley, and Program Director for Recruitment Ann Casey visited the fourm and they were strongly supportive. Judy was particularly impressed with the Magnet board showing the names of all the staff, signifying the importance of everybody to the Magnet journey. We were delighted with the enthusiastic response from the participants, especially our doctors who took the time to listen to us and go through the hand hygiene process. Of course, the important targeted participants were our nurses who needed to go through all the stations to get an overview of Magnet. We were very proud of our CVT staff that came in full force. Gladys Mouro and Brent Foreman viewed the whole process. Gladys asked Brent to have an event like this hospital-wide.

The event ended at 4:30 p.m. We had more than 180 participants! Other Magnet champions from different units were inspired by our idea and plan to have a Magnet Awareness Day in their own respective units. Magnet Awareness Day is just a start to a whole educational process. We are hoping that this will inspire other Magnet champions. Our committed group was headed by Nada, Cheryll, and Margo, with the Magnet champions Jo Villanueva, Marie Vymazalova, and our new additions, the Magnet doll, Leah Gomez, and the hand hygiene boy, Yasser Alali! Guys, you deserve a big round of applause!! Keep up the good work!






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