I want to thank Helen for being so courageous to share her son’s story over and over again. As a nurse who is often the charge nurse on a Medical Oncology unit – I strongly believe that patient placement plays a major role in safe patient care. If I believe that a patient is inappropriate for the Medical Oncology unit during day shift or night shift, I will do the following: 1. call the team (intern, resident and/or attending) that is covering the patient to discuss my concerns, 2. talk with our management and the patient placement coordinator, and 3. call the resource nurse to oversee the status of the patient and make a plan. On nights and weekends, the Clinical Administrator (CA) acts as the manager of the entire hospital. I will discuss my concerns with the CA in order to escalate the transfer level of care properly.

Also,… Continue reading →

I am honored to be attending the Marseille Experience in Breckenridge, CO. I have been a nurse for four years on a Medical-Oncology unit (3Bles) at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH). I joined the Hospital Practice Council (HPC) at MGUH in order to be a part of the changes in the nursing profession and practice at the hospital. As a member of the HPC I have assisted with updating nursing policies, witnessed the fourth magnet designation at MGUH and connected with leaders in the hospital in order to deliver safe nursing care to the patients. Next month, I will become the co-lead for the HPC. As the co-lead of HPC, I will be responsible for holding monthly meetings, inviting other health care professionals to our meetings to discuss new policies and current practices, and ensure that the policies are updated and reviewed by the appropriate staff members before the policy… Continue reading →