The agenda for the day was crammed with approaches of how to better our organization, elevate our profession and deal with the uncertainties of so-called healthcare reform.
]]> The Association of Clinical Nursing Leaders is the premier professional organization for folks like me in California. Every nurse should be a member. There are memberships for students, friends of nursing, and for healthcare business partners. The money for membership is small compared to the access to a cornucopia of who's who in nursing in California - from CEOs to educators.(Find out the benefits of membership and join by clicking this link: https://m360.acnl.org/frontend/portal/SignupOptions.aspx.) Tell them Daman sent you, then I'll see you at the next meeting.
You, too, can become part of the exclusive, inclusive, professional organization for California nurse leaders.
So now for the plagiarized part: I have enough degrees to know this is a cardinal sin, but my friend and colleague, Col. Jane Prather, said it so well, I figured why reinvent the wheel? Let me echo her sentiments, as I feel exactly the same way.
"I want to tell you about our Fiesta Days parade theme. Last year the NorthBay Healthcare family and friends participated in the Fiesta Days parade with the "Pink Heals" campaign supporting breast cancer patients and survivors and all those affected by breast cancer. This year we are marching in the parade to support the men and women of the Armed Forces, which is perfect since the Fiesta Days' parade falls on Memorial Day weekend.
"I want to formally ask you all to attend the parade and wear red, white, and blue to show your support for those who are, and have, served in this great country's Armed Forces. You are also welcome to jump into our "formation" and walk with us. It is about time that we all come together and support America, the greatest country in the world.
"By the way, every home in Solano County should proudly be flying the Stars and Stripes over this holiday weekend - Jane Prather."
I'll be there carrying the POW-MIA flag at the rear of the NorthBay processional to honor and remember those lost or missing. A message to them: You are not forgotten!
I hope to see you there. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
Be well.
]]>When I was very young, the Maypole at the park, the greased pole and pig contests and festivals marked May. It's funny how traditions change over time.
While in your vehicle, please pay attention to the road, minimize distractions and arrive alive.
The summer months are also the kick-of of the official trauma season. Warmer weather means kids are out of school and more people are vacationing. In addition to our outdoor and water activities, we often add alcoholic beverages to the activities. That means our inhibitions are eased and we operate with impaired judgment. That could lead us to sometimes take risks and forget safety equipment and procedures.
Please remember: Partake in your favorite activity safely by using the proper safety equipment. If you are going to consume alcohol, pleased do so responsibly and do not operate mechanical equipment or combustibles.
Stay tuned for more trauma updates and awareness from the first and best Trauma Center in Solano County.
]]>SEMSC (Solano Emergency Medical Services Cooperative) board members accepted a recommendation from ACS (American College of Surgeons) that Solano County begin the long process of pursuing a Level II trauma center.
]]> An ACS representative provided a detailed report based on actual data in the county record provided by the trauma centers in NorthBay Medical Center, John Muir Medical Center and UC Davis Medical Center. Kaiser Vacaville, meanwhile, provided independent data.Results confirmed exactly what we suspected: Solano could benefit from a Level II trauma center - with the caveat that it be done in an appropriate timeline.
Trauma is like fine wine; you must be careful how you handle it. But if you are careful and you do it properly, it gets better with age. I am proud of our program and the progress we have made. Our team was first in trauma and is second to none.
Speaking of second to none, our trauma services were busy, busy, busy last week. Friday the 13th brought a reporter and photographer from the Fairfield Daily Republic to NorthBay Medical Center to meet our team and view and photograph trauma service in action. Needless to say our visitors were visibly impressed. From the emergency room to X-ray, surgery, and to Maureen Allain, R.N., in the ICU, our folks did a fabulous job explaining ICU care of the trauma patient. Thanks to Judy Winters for letting us barge in on her unit with short notice.
There is no "i" in trauma. It is truly a team sport, and our team was rewarded with a front-page feature in Saturday's news edition. Check out Teri Russell of Radiology and Peter Dhaliwal of the Step-own Unit providing treatment to a patient in the CT scanner. Very cool.
May is National Trauma Month. We have fun and exciting activities, a well as education, planned. Check back here and follow us on Facebook for exciting news and the latest updates.
Last, but not least: NorthBay Trauma Center would like to welcome Solano County's newest medic, Kyle William McBride -- 8 pounds, 10 ounces and 20.5 inches. Welcome to the family, Kyle, and congrats to Cindy and our Medic Ambulance friends.
Be well.
Then last Friday there was an actual mass-casualty event in Vallejo in which nearly a hundred patients were potentially injured by exposure to carbon dioxide gas. While Sutter Solano and Kaiser Vallejo bore the brunt with 40 patients in their Vallejo centers, NorthBay Medical Center did its part as well. We took on 16 patients after calling a Level 1 triage, which means our Emergency Department team sprung into action at a moment's notice.
The other two hospitals set up their disaster tents. While our Fairfield hospital did not require a supplemental venue to treat victims, additional staff from VacaValley Emergency Department and from our Patient Access department was mobilized.
James Pierson of Medic Ambulance and the leaders of Solano County Emergency Medical Services should be commended for efficiently managing this event in the pre-hospital stage with its internal resources (including two city buses) and no request for assistance from outside agencies. Marche Williams and Calvin Green and our Patient Access team rearranged schedules and reported to the Trauma Center in NorthBay Medical Center to bolster the registration of patients in response to this disaster. They are so good I often take them for granted and forget the impact of their efficiency has on the workflow.
Although this incident didn't receive a lot of press, and thankfully the injuries were not critical (no deaths, no admissions), absorbing an additional 16 patients at once is a significant effort for an organization of our size. Big kudos to everyone who participated.
If anyone has feedback on how things could have gone smoother, or how things that went particularly well please you, let me know so I can provide that feedback to the county staff charged with managing emergency situations in Solano.
Be well.
]]>Maybe that is the new mantra for us.
]]> Change in structure. Change in insurance. Change in reimbursement levels. Change in the medical coding structure. Change in regulations and standards. In fact, the only thing remaining static is the incredible speed of change.If you know health care, you know those of us involved are somewhat creatures of habit. We like things orderly. We adopt checklists. We like time to prepare. And once we are settled, we don't like things to change.
In today's environment, that is no longer the acceptable way to exist or to exceed. If you are going to stay afloat, break even, or by chance prosper and grow, you better become nimble, forward thinking and creative in how you deliver care and embrace change.
In the Emergency Department and trauma services we changed our structure a while back (a year or so ago). We had to adjust staffing and our budget. While it has been seamless to you, the consumer, the way we care for people today is much different than a year ago. And we aren't done changing.
Figuring out new ways to deliver excellent (fast, efficient, safe) patient- and family-centered care in an environment of shrinking funding is what we are determined to do. So keep your eyes on my blog as I do my best to keep you informed of the changes "behind the scenes."
It's change for the better, improving the model we use to deliver care to you and your family.
]]>Our goal is to put ourselves out of business. Really. The last thing we want is for our friends and neighbors to experience health problems or emergencies. But when you do, we stand ready 24/7 with an expertly trained cadre ready to assist.
]]> Check out our websites at www.NorthBay.org and our Facebook page for NorthBay Trauma Center. You'll find tips, tricks and lifestyle changes to keep your ticker "true" for years to come.While you are at it, why not contact one of our convenient locations of the Center for Primary Care and schedule an annual physical? Get your blood work done to make sure you are in "fighting shape." Along with regularly seeing your personal physician, it is the best thing you can do for yourself.
February is for the heart. So that should always remind you to engage in heart healthy behaviors, and make that appointment to have your check-up and tune-up.
Be well.
]]>This group represents a very large, diverse group of the "who's who" in nursing in California. So I get to rub elbows with an eclectic collection of some of the greatest minds in administration, academia and clinical nursing practice.
]]> I will write more on outcomes once I return to Solano County and am near a computer.For now, suffice to say, I am confident I will come away refueled and refreshed, filled with new ideas and a renewed passion to bring more advanced medicine, compassionate care, close to home.
Be well.
So far, the numbers are staggering. We have achieved twice the volume predicted in the initial feasibility study conducted by The Bishop Group.<
The key now is to hone and perfect our Level III trauma services and learn from our experiences so that we are a world-class center, an integral part of a trauma system supported by our world-class partners - UC Davis (Level 1) and John Muir Medical Center (Level 2).
Rushing to bring new specialties, or advanced trauma levels, without the volume of patients, the hospital and the county infrastructure to support them is foolish and reckless. Rushing to the next level - fiscally and morally - will not strengthen, but weaken our established trauma system. This is my passion. This is my profession. You are my customers - no, you are more like my extended family. We must not pursue any plan or timeline not in the collective best interests of the community that we serve.
Work, play, travel, relax and rest safely and responsibly. But put your mind at ease knowing that if you are injured, NorthBay Healthcare and our partners in emergency medical services stand ready to provide cutting-edge trauma resuscitative services - from the ambulance to the rehab centers.
At NorthBay Trauma Services, we never sleep. Be well.
]]>
In the months that followed, donors contributed to the effort as word spread far and wide. In December and January, a number of NorthBay employees donated their company Christmas gift certificate toward the endowment as well.
Finally, a donation from the family in January pushed the funds over the goal line.
Now every penny earned as income from the $10,000 endowment will be used by NorthBay Trauma Center to educate and save lives, honoring Morgan's legacy.
We are also thankful that the family wants to take an active role in how those funds will be spent. It's their way of ensuring that Morgan's memory will live on through the generosity of donors.
"Morgan always went out of her way to make people feel comfortable," remembers her mother, Margot. "She was amazing, caring and compassionate. And when she died, there was never a doubt that she would have wanted to be an organ donor.
"It was the right thing to do," remembers Margot.
In fact, Morgan's donations so far have saved five lives, and counting. Because of her, a 51-year-old heart patient has hope, as do two kidney recipients, a 66-year-old lung transplant patient, and a 10-year-old boy with congenital liver disease.
Morgan's family hopes the funds generated from the endowment can be used by the NorthBay Trauma Center to invest in community education in subjects such as head trauma and watercraft safety, and to purchase safety equipment such as bicycle helmets, car seats, life jackets and other items that people may not be able to afford.
"Morgan wanted to be remembered," says her father, Tim, "and we're honoring her memory in a way that promotes safety, education, and compassionate care for those in need. Morgan would have liked that."
Morgan's memory is alive in our department and her photo and story on a plaque near an emergency bay remind us and inspire our hard-working staff every day about the importance of what we do and the difference we make.
Morgan once wrote, "Even I want to keep on living after death. I want people to remember me and know my name. I want to make a difference, big enough that people outside my family will be sad that I'm gone."
I wish I could tell Morgan that she has already made a big difference, and that her legacy continues to inspire us.
Be well.
]]>
Well, 2012 promises to bring a new set of opportunities and challenges. My team and I look forward to both. A personal new-year resolution is to increase my communication - with not only my staff, but you, the patients we serve and the public in general.
]]> A major part of being involved in a trauma system is outreach, education and injury prevention. We are fortunate in Solano County to have a stellar lineup of agencies that coordinate emergency medical services. We have effective partnerships with other health agencies in the county to ensure those who need us most have a network to rely upon for great care and treatment.So start anew, freshen you palate, make some resolutions of your own. And realize you can count on NorthBay Healthcare to meet all your healthcare and health education needs.
Here's wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, prosperous new year. Be well.
]]>Last week, a team from the American College of Surgeons spent two days in NorthBay Medical Center evaluating our trauma program.
]]> We are preparing to seek official "verification" by this prominent organization. That would be all I want for Christmas this year.The NorthBay Healthcare team that was assembled to breathe life into this program was incredible, and the evaluators picked up on it. We received major kudos and affirmation that our program is truly second to none. It was the best early Christmas present I could have received. Below are some comments from the "Boss" (Kathy Richerson, vice president and chief nursing officer) and our trauma program director, Heather Venezio.
"We received some valuable feedback on how we can tighten a couple of things," said Heather Venezio, trauma program director. "It was nice to hear that we have all the right things in place and we built the program the right way."
"They (the visiting evaluators) deemed us ready to go for a verification visit within the next six months," Kathy added. "American College of Surgeon verification is the gold standard for any trauma center, and my team looks forward to adding this to our list of accomplishments."
Check us out on Facebook. Search: NorthBay Trauma Center.
This we do so others may live,
Be well.
Social networking that is. Check us out on Facebook.
]]> Just search for NorthBay Trauma Center. You can "like" us, ask us a question, comment on a post, read about current events and stay current on what is happening with Solano County's first Trauma Center.Let me add a shout out to my "partners in crime" at the NorthBay Healthcare Foundation and the NorthBay Center for Women's Health who helped Solano County go pink. The EMS folks and many of our departments sported pink in honor of breast cancer awareness during the last week in October.
Meanwhile, we are awaiting word from the county emergency services staff on the status of our application to become the Solano's first STEMI receiving center. That would make us, in a sense, the trauma center for heart attack patients.
We expect the positive news soon. More to come as soon as I get the official word.
Be well.
]]>
More importantly, this will mean another "score" for the citizens of Solano County. No longer will STEMI patients who call 911 be diverted to hospitals outside of our county. They will be rushed here to NorthBay Medical Center, where they will receive the most advanced STEMI treatments available.
About the survey...
It was definitely challenging, but in typical NorthBay fashion, we were ready for it. While here, surveyors toured our facility and traced the path that a STEMI patient coming to our Emergency Department would follow. Direct care staff members from some of the key departments (ED, Cardiac Cath Lab and ICU) were interviewed (on the spot) about their role in caring for a STEMI patient. Each member interviewed did an excellent job of demonstrating their knowledge regarding the care of STEMI patients.
Additionally, all of our policies, protocols and supporting documents were reviewed in detail by the surveyors. In their final summation, the surveyors were very complimentary of our program, and provided some excellent recommendations for making it even better.
Hopefully, we will hear very soon that NorthBay is the first STEMI Receiving Center in Solano County.
]]>And perhaps you are weary of hearing about our trauma program. But let me put a new spin it. In fact, check us out on Facebook. Search for NorthBay Trauma Center.
]]> On Friday at 8 a.m., NorthBay Medical Center officially received the first trauma patients in the first and only trauma center in Solano County. At 4 p.m. that day, a host of dignitaries unveiled our new sign at the corner of B. Gale Wilson Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue.Solano County is no longer the only county in Northern California without a trauma service. Had you been there, you would have been a witness to history. There may come other trauma centers, but they will not be the first.
When Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Kathy Richerson asked me to take command of this ship I made her a promise: I would deliver a quality trauma program by the fall of 2011. She and the administration gave me the support needed and my team delivered the "goods" - an officially designated Level III trauma center.
In March, with four simple words, I was introduced to a young lady I've never met whose story moved me and has changed my life forever. Her name is Morgan Gallegos. As I have related in my previous blog posts, Morgan succumbed to injuries suffered in a watercraft trauma on March 28, 2010. She was 14. But Morgan did not die that day, for her spirit and her gift live on in five transplant recipients who received her organs. In the minds of friends and loved ones, and in the work done every day in the trauma room that bears her name, she lives on.
An endowment established in her name will serve in perpetuity to prevent future traumas and tragedies. I will tell her story to any and all willing to listen, another promise I made a while ago.
Be well.
]]>
Fueling our desire to have a state-of- the-art trauma center was our aspiration to give those injured in Solano County the best chance of surviving a trauma. So it is with great pride and pleasure that I relay the news that NorthBay Medical Center received official designation as the first, and only, trauma center in the county.
This is the culmination of years of preparation and months of a full-court press to put all the necessary pieces in place to make this venture successful. Our team was unbelievable in its dedication to quality. The results are no less than stunning.
This designation is, to date, one of the proudest moments of my healthcare career and a huge victory for the patient population we serve. Residents, all residents, of Solano County have been able to count on NorthBay for advanced medical treatment regardless of their ability to pay since 1956. I am now proud to say that with the full support of the Board of Directors, administration, medical staff and nursing operations, you can now add trauma services to the list of advanced medicine you receive close to home.
Be well. ]]>