ParentsAsPartners.net

Nursing at its Best

PRAISEWORTHY:
ADVANCE Representative, Paul Gerenscer, presents the 2005 ADVANCE Best Nursing Team plaque to
Carol Conley, MS, RN, assistant vice president of patient care director; Terry O'Conner, RN, who nominated
the team; and Ellen Sharpe, RN, vice president of nursing; as the NICU team from Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical
Center, Boston, MA looks on. Team members include: Patricia Aiello, RN, Linda Alexanian, RN, Nicole Croak,
OTR/L, Cathy Everett, RN, Georgette Greeley, RN, Sue Grenan, unit secretary, Lynne Johnston, RN, Amy Lancia,
RN, Justine LaPierre, RRT, Cheryl Luongo, RN, Maureen Mazzarella, RN, Laurie D. McDonnell, RN,
Gina McKinnon, enviromental services, Pat Mitchell, MS, RN, C, Maureen O'Sullivan, RN, Ronald K. Pye, MD,
Cheryl Shabanian, RN, Marlene Sommers, RN, Kathleen Stanton, RN, Mary Staud, RN, Mary Turowski, BS, RN, Judith Webb, BSN, RN, Marua Woods, RN, and Irene Zoppi, RN.

NICU nurses at Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA, take home the ADVANCE Best Nursing Team title

Even though Terry O'Conner, RN,C, a staff nurse on the neonatal intensive care unit at Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical
Center, Boston, MA, submitted her entry form for the 2005 ADVANCE Best Nursing Team contest right under the wire, it doesn't diminish the fact that her team earned top honors. It was just a close call.

"When I told the nurses that I entered us in the contest — and I just made the deadline — one of them said that even if we don't win we can still be the best. While that's true, winning gave us a big morale boost," O'Conner said.

Working in the NICU takes its toll on nurses, especially when the young life of a premature baby is lost. The nursing team relies on each other for emotional support to get through these times as well as the hardships they face in their personal lives.

"Emotionally we are always there for each other — from flowers when you're sick to home-cooked meals and cards to give you a lift. Through the years we have given each other of our time, money, companionship, thoughts and prayers. Whatever was most needed at the time," O'Conner said. Other simple gestures include watching each other's children or picking them up from school if a nurse needs to work late.

Dealing with Change

Above Terry O'Conner, RN pays a visit to young Xander Broadhurst with Xander's mother Stephanie Broadhurst.

Over the course of the past year, the NICU team has dealt with many changes, from losing a nurse manager and two interim directors to gaining a permanent manager.

"We have tried to stay together and centered through all of this in order to keep our goals intact and advocating for our babies as our first priority," O'Conner explained.

The nursing team also brought about some changes of its own. After discussing issues and concerns at monthly NICU operations meetings, nurses with an idea are appointed to a task force to investigate and improve the situation. Nurses have contributed to forms and policies, flowsheet design and even supply room and pod layout.

They consistently try to make parents' time in the NICU pleasant and bearable as well. Thanks to nurse recommendations, four overnight rooms are available for families to be with their children in the hospital before taking them home. This is done to help ease the transition home for both patients and their families. Amenities have been added for comfort, and CPR and car-seat testing is provided prior to discharge.

"Our goal is to foster parents to participate in their child's care independently, but to be there for them when they need advice and direction as well," O'Conner explained.

Kudos

Like others at Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, the NICU team believes in giving recognition when it's due. In 1995 the unit won an award from the American Academy of Critical-Care Nurses for its unit design. The award recognized the unit for the development of a caring and humane environment dedicated to the needs of patients and families. Many of the nurses who worked on the layout planning committee years ago still work on the unit today.

The medical center also offers a "star" program that singles out a person or group for their accomplishments. In addition, the NICU received a "team award" from the ED director for drawing labs and starting IVs on babies who pose a challenge because of their small veins.

Community Service

As a unit, Caritas' NICU commits itself to a different community service project each month.

Recently, the nursing team raised money and walked in the Boston for March of Dimes Walk America event, collected money for muscular dystrophy and volunteered at a local soup kitchen. Presently the unit is collecting items to send to Iraq, where the father of a young patient is stationed.

Other projects this year include supporting a 3-day breast cancer walk, participating in a juvenile diabetes walk and donating to tsunami disaster relief.

Secret to Success

"I have worked with the nurses I work with now for the past 30 years. We have been together for our weddings, the birth of our children and the deaths of our parents. I think we all work well together because of our longevity," O'Conner said. "In sharing our hopes and dreams in good times and bad, our closeness from life experiences has strengthened our mission to care for our 'smallest of patients.'

"What we have done and continue to do is not to ask a nurse why she is leaving, but to ask that longtime, loyal employee why she has stayed," O'Conner concluded. "There are many nursing teams, but our team is nursing at its best."

Emily Marchesani is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to ADVANCE.