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In The Know With The CAO
Lissette Grimaldi, MHA, BSN, RN, CPXP
Chief Nursing Officer &
Chief Administrative Officer
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Volume 1, Issue 11
March, 2024
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Greetings,
So far, the year 2024 has brought many 'firsts' for Baystate Noble Hospital. In January, we launched our shared governance model and added the BNH Employee Advisory Council, which meets with me monthly. This is a multi-disciplinary team of frontline team members looking across the entity to resolve issues or increase support as a united BNH team. In future 'In the Know with the CAO' newsletter editions, I will share some of the incredible work we have achieved as a team thus far.
Additionally, Baystate Noble Hospital is the first Baystate Health hospital to roll out the new De-escalation & Workplace Safety: Strategies and Techniques to all team members; the first to roll out the new Zoll defibrillators; and the first entity to become a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) site facility.
Thanks to our fantastic education department team, we now offer on-site BLS, ACLS, and PALS classes. I am proud to see the 'little engine that could' making such great strides - and this is just the beginning!
Don't forget to complete your web-based training!
Thank you.
Lissette
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The information, achievements, and celebrations highlighted in this newsletter are important and I want to be sure you are able to access it and share as needed. To that end, this newsletter is in video format that you can access by clicking the video snapshot below and also by using the QR code. | |
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EDUCATION
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
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From left: Tami Westcott and Tracy Marshuk | |
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Baystate Noble educators, Tami Westcott and Tracy Marshuk, participated in the Annual Career Expo & Job Fair on March 13, at Westfield State University.
Eleventh-grade students from Westfield High School, Westfield Technical Academy, Westfield Virtual School, and St. Mary's High School attended.
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Brittney Marshall, RN, Flex | From left: Tracy Marshuk; Molly Carlin; Elizabeth Goncalves; David from Zoll; Tami Westcott | |
On Monday, March 18, Baystate Noble started their educational training for the new ZOLL defibrillators. A total of 35 classes were offered in a five-day period, in preparation for a go-live date of Monday, March 25.
Class times varied beginning at 6 a.m. through 8 p.m. to accommodate the schedules of our providers, nurses, administrators, PCTs, and respiratory therapists.
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De-escalation & Workplace Safety: Strategies and Techniques
This training is described as designed to provide a well-rounded training experience, emphasizing workplace safety and staff well-being. As we know, workplace safety events will happen, we can't control that. However, we can control and make sure we have the education and training needed to feel empowered, knowledgeable, and confident in our actions and skills, regardless of the situation. This training covers key topics of de-escalation, including how to be proactive with de-escalation techniques, as well as material such as awareness of self and the "emotional brain."
Baystate Noble Hospital is the first Baystate Health entity to roll out this program to all employees. The program is now part of the onboarding process to ensure all team members obtain this crucial education.
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CULTURE COUNTS
We Appreciate and Value You!
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Great Catch - Security
Alexa Smith - Security Liaison/Lead Security Officer
While issuing badges for new team members, Alexa recognized that staff job codes were incorrect. She immediately notified Human Resources and the corrections were made.
Thank you Alexa for paying attention to the details!
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Great Catch - Patient Care
Ixia Hernandez - Patient Care Technician
Ixia was recently recognized for another Great Catch. She identified a patient who was opening a window in Telemetry and throwing hospital gowns out onto the roof below.
Thank you Ixia for always watching out for our patients, we appreciate you!
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Great Catch- Patient Safety
Shelly Pulaski - Food & Nutrition
The team recognized Shelly recently. When Shelly was in a patient's room she noticed that the patient's medication was on the floor. She immediately brought the medication to the RN.
Thank you Shelly!
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Amanda Graveline, manager, Diagnostic Imaging
Amanda was recognized recently by the team because while she was AOC over a recent weekend she was able to address multiple clinical challenges. She was a great help to the team and to the nursing supervisor.
Thank you Amanda for rising to the challenge and for your willingness to assist your colleagues!
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Ian Braithwaite - Baystate Bronson Rehab Unit
Ian was recently recognized by Amanda Graveline, manager, Diagnostic Imaging. Amanda appreciated that Ian helped her team with Hoyer lift needs for an outpatient who had come in to Radiology.
We appreciate you Ian!
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Roshawna Flores - Registration Department
Roshawna was recognized for her assistance with an I&T issue. There was an issue with a patient who was "stuck" and could not be properly discharged from the system. She was able to help and figure it out when others could not.
Thank you Roshawna, for your tenacity and for assisting your colleagues!
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From left: Christina Afonso, new team member, chef Ron |
Christina Afonso, Food & Nutrition
Christina was recognized at a recent Tier 3 Huddle for helping a new employee. She proactively offered to show the new team member all around the hospital.
Well done Christina!
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On March 19 we celebrated our Certified Nurses. It is an annual day of recognition dedicated to nursing professionalism, where employers, certification boards, education facilities, and healthcare providers celebrate and publicly acknowledge nurses who earn and maintain the highest credentials in their specialty.
Click the button below to see a complete listing of Baystate Noble's certified nurses.
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At Baystate Noble, we recognize the value of nursing certification and of nurses growing in excellence. Did you know that:
- We signed a contract with Relias Learning Management System - a platform that allows access to 50 different free certification review courses for nurses. The platform also allows for unlimited free CEUs, which helps with maintaining certification requirements
- Once the nurse schedules the certification exam, they can submit their receipt for immediate reimbursement (they no longer have to wait until they successfully pass the test). Nurses are encouraged to retake the exam again if they fail initially - and will be reimbursed for multiple exam attempts
- Certification renewal fees are also reimbursed
- Newly certified nurse’s receive a one-time bonus of $500
- If a nurse is certified in their specialty and would also like to become Holistic Nursing Certified, they will also be reimbursed for the cost of the holistic nursing certification exam (this is the only certification that qualifies for dual reimbursement)
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Kayla Martin, LICSW, Baystate Bronson Rehab Unit | Angelica Colon-Torres, Case Management | |
It's Social Work Month! A time to celebrate the essential role our social workers fill at Baystate Noble Hospital! Social Workers help patients and families understand their illness or condition and provide them with information about the resources available to them to cope with the emotional, financial, and social needs that arise with a diagnosis. They are advocates for the patient, ensuring that patients’ emotional and social needs are met throughout their medical treatment.
Thank you for all you do each and every day!
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Culture Counts content submitted by: Denise Volpi, executive assistant, Human Rights Officer | |
Many incredible people provide safe patient care at Baystate Noble Hospital. Every day, we interact with nurses, providers, and PCTs as they are the frontline team that work on the units. As mighty as these teams are, many others behind the scenes support our patients by ensuring a safe discharge or monitoring the quality of care we provide. This month, I will introduce you to Baystate Noble's Case Management, Quality, and Transport teams. | |
From left: Rachael Brodeau; Angelica Colon-Torres; Elizabeth Lyford; Karen Russell; Mark Penna | |
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Case Management:
Did you know that the Case Management Department is more than just assisting with discharge planning for our patients?
Though we are small, we are mighty! We assist patients and families with knowledge on how to achieve short- and long-term goals, whether it be to assist with family meetings or goals-of-care discussions for end of life or to help explain the rehab journey and their transitions to the various levels of care.
We assist with coordinating care between the interdisciplinary team to ensure the patient's needs are met and advocate for our patients. We also help with complex discharge planning needs to overcome discharge barriers and utilize our critical thinking skills to ensure the patient can have a safe discharge.
Case management provides the utilization review of the patient's charts and communicates with the insurance companies about the patient's inpatient stays while collaborating with the providers to ensure the patients are at their correct level of care status.
In addition, the team participates in different projects with various departments, from identifying health disparities to analyzing readmission data. Our emergency department is going for its Level II Geriatric Certification, and the case management team is currently going through the GRN (Geriatric Resource Nurse Pathway) to become Certified Geriatric Resource Nurses as part of the Level II Geriatric Certification, which Dr. Shukla is applying for.
I am proud to be a part of this team!
Submitted by: Rachael Brodeur, RN BSN, supervisor, Case Management
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Administration:
Meet Jeff Castonguay. Jeff was recently promoted to the position of Administrative Coordinator. Jeff will support all hospital managers. He has been with Baystate Noble for six years and most recently was an operations associate in the Emergency Department.
Congratulations Jeff!
Submitted by: Denise Volpi, executive assistant, Human Rights Officer
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Our New Transport Team:
Aidan Van Alystyne (left) and Arliyo Sidow (both in green scrubs) have joined Baystate Noble Hospital to provide patient transportation. In the photo they are learning how to transfer patients from the bed to a wheelchair safely.
We are so happy to have you both as part of our team, welcome!
Submitted by: Chelsi Derrig, RN BSN, SANE, nurse manager, 2North
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Patty Kolb, MA, BSN, RN
Quality Manager
Patty has been the manager of the Baystate Noble Quality Department for three years. She has many years of experience as a nurse manager in various ICU’s and Pediatric units. In those roles, Patty was heavily involved in quality and patient safety preparing her for her management role in Quality. The Quality department is located on the ground floor and welcomes ideas or concerns about patient care at Baystate Noble.
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Krysten Gasparrini, BSN, RN
Quality Specialist
Krysten has been a nurse for 15 years, her background is in Interventional Cardiology, Telemetry, Labor and Delivery, Outpatient OBGYN, Dementia Care, and Nursing Leadership as Director of Nursing in Assisted Living.
Krysten has been with Baystate Health for almost seven years, between Baystate Medical Center and Baystate Noble. Throughout Krysten’s nursing career, patient advocacy has been a pillar of purpose. As a quality specialist with a focus on process improvement, she aims to enhance the systems and clinical practice to advocate for patients and employees in healthcare. She additionally is the BNH sepsis specialist and enjoys teaching. Krysten is eager to learn and help others. She encourages you to reach out to her with any questions, ideas, or projects you need assistance with.
In Krysten’s free time, she enjoys creative and artistic hobbies; especially with her two daughters.
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Eileen Dolan, RN
Quality Improvement Specialist
Eileen has been at Baystate Noble for 23 years and has worked in several departments including 2N, ED, ICU/TELE and managed the Anticoagulation Clinic for several years prior to starting her role in Quality.
She is proud to carry on her family history of nursing. Her great grandmother was a nurse midwife on the Blasket Islands of Ireland, and her mother and two sisters are also nurses. She is a strong patient advocate and enjoys improving patient care and experience. She encourages anyone to reach out to her with any ideas, questions or projects.
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Enrico Talamayan, MA, BSN, RN
Healthcare Quality Specialist
Enrico has been with Baystate Health for almost five years. He previously worked as a nurse in the Neuroscience Unit and Employee Health Services at Baystate Medical Center. With 18 years of combined nursing, EMT and medical practice, in various healthcare settings, he continues to seek professional growth and strives to be the best version of himself to his clients and peers.
He is passionate about quality and process improvement. He strongly believes that it should be “patient AND employee first” because they are truly interrelated. The face of healthcare quality is every employee – you/we/us. We are all in this together.
Enrico and his family, originally from the Philippines, migrated to the US in 2017.
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Vicki Langone
Patient Relations Coordinator
Vicki has been with Baystate Health for almost 11 years in multiple roles/departments. She started at Baystate Medical Center (BMC) working in the Gift Shop which helped her form a bond between patients and other team members through a mutual love of shopping. While there, she picked up a Per Diem position in the Peri Anesthesia Waiting Room as a comforting guide for patients going into surgery as well as making sure their family were informed of their progress. Her last position at BMC she was a part of the Patient Registration and Finance team where she worked in the lobby greeting anxious patients/family, checking them in for their appointments. Those past experiences of service for patients/families helped her in the position she has today, at Baystate Noble.
Being a listening ear for patient and family concerns is something she takes pride in and is grateful for the opportunity to further her career by assisting others. Her goal is to not only be a source of communication for patients, but for the team as well.
Vicki also serves as a Scribble administrator and administrative assistant for the Quality Department, scheduling meetings and taking meeting minutes. Outside of the typical workday, she enjoys being her creative self, painting and writing, spending time outdoors, and is a bit of a movie buff. She is a big Marvel and Disney fan, so feel free to stop by and tell her your favorites!
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Ensuring patients are safe during their stay in the hospital is paramount, this includes but is not limited to the physical environment and direct care and surrounding, it also includes paying attention to the detail of the treatment plan.
Recently, Alissa Heath, RN, 2North had reconciled and reviewed patients plans of care. This is paying attention to the details, such as being certain follow-up lab work is ordered to assess if the treatment is working, making certain that equipment is ordered in readiness for discharge, checking compatibility of medications with other medicines the patient is receiving, and reviewing skin integrity to ensure the treatment plan is appropriate.
Alissa’s attention to detail is noticed and patients benefit from her diligence and tenacity, ensuring her patients are fully reviewed. Alissa has been at Baystate Noble for over 17 years and our patients are fortunate to have Alissa overseeing their care.
Thank you, Alissa, for all you provide for our patients at Baystate Noble!
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