From left to right, Joe Krenitsky M.S., R.D., Geraldine Perea, B.S., R.N., Beth Dierdorf MSN, R.N., APRN, and Deborah Conway, MSN, R.N., team up to evaluate a glucometer for use with diabetic patients. This is just one of the many tasks that nurses perform with other colleagues for UVa Health System.

March 9, 2005 -- Our success as a health system depends on how well we collaborate.

UVa nurses work directly with our patients and their families, with our physicians, and with our other staff members to provide the best possible care and satisfaction. The
Professional Nursing Staff
Organization (PNSO) works hard to highlight the critical role that nurses
play in delivering high-quality care, while helping nurses become even
more effective collaborators.

One key tool is the annual UVa Nursing Worklife Survey. Instituted four years ago, it is part of the Health System’s effort to identify opportunities to improve the workplace for nurses and to set an agenda for constructive change.

The 2003 survey defined many priorities for 2004. One area of concern identified through the survey was creating an environment that would give nurses more opportunity to use their skills. The PNSO addressed this issue by helping to build closer relationships with other services at the Medical Center. For instance, it formerly was the R.N.’s responsibility to remove dirty equipment from the discharged patient’s room. This responsibility is now shared with environmental services.

At the PNSO’s suggestion, the health system instituted a training program for nutrition staff members so that they could bring trays in and out of the rooms of patients in isolation. And thanks to the PNSO’s leadership, collaboration with pharmacy now plays a bigger role in expediting and enhancing safety.

“Our goal,” says Beth Dierdorf, R.N., 2004 PNSO president, “is to improve the work life of nurses so that they can focus more fully on meeting patient needs.”

Another initiative for the year was to provide additional opportunities for professional development. PNSO brought in a consultant to help eight nurses pursue research in six different clinical areas. This initiative provides an opportunity for nurses at the bedside to take a problem they see every day and develop a solution that demonstrably improves care.

“Our overriding goal continues to be increasing nurse satisfaction and retention as much as possible,” notes Kim Elgin, R.N., PNSO’s current president. Nationally the turnover rate for nurses is around 16 percent. Last quarter, turnover at the Health
System was 14 percent. Our goal is 12 percent. “We will use what we learn from the 2004 survey to move closer to this goal,” Elgin adds. “We will be thinking critically to redefine how we can better recognize our nurses.”