Simone is the Clinical Coordinator of Radiology and has been a clinical leader for her staff both in Radiology as well as Chair Elect of Practice Council. In the spring of 2016, Simone developed and mentored several of her RNs in Interventional Radiology to become members of the newly formed MMC Vascular Access Team (VAT). The RN members of the VAT have been trained to insert, maintain and teach both patients and nursing staff about Midline Catheters. The implementation of the Midline Catheter program here at MMC has provided patients with a much needed peripheral access alternative to a Central Vascular Catheter. The Midline Catheter program implementation and increased use has been part of both MMC's Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infection (CLABSI) Lean Project (May 2016) with the goal to reduce CLABSI and decrease central line utilization. Reduction of CLABSI is an AHS quality initiative.
Simone developed the Midline Catheter care and maintenance policy and later developed a competency for RN insertion of it. She also developed the Midline Catheter insertion competency for the VAT nurses. Simone developed teaching tools, i.e. Midline vs. PICC trifold boards, Practice Flashes as well as Midline Catheter FAQs that are posted on Radiology website for Midline Catheter Care and Maintenance to be used by nursing staff. She has provided unit based Midline Catheter education for all clinical units. This same education was also provided to Clinical Coordinator and Unit Educator groups in the spring of 2016. Simone and nurses on the VAT round on multiple patients and help unit based staff to troubleshoot vascular catheter issues and requests. Simone has developed an evidence based Vascular Access Algorithm to help guide both prescribers and nursing staff as to what is the most appropriate vascular access for the patient. Simone collaborated with radiologists and the AHS PICC team members as well as myself regarding best practices for patients' vascular access needs, "…. right catheter for the patient at the right time". Recently in response to the need to prevent delays to patient discharge due to Midline Catheter removal by qualitied staff; Simone revised the Midline Catheter policy, in December 2016 and provided a removal competency and training to RN staff. Additional training has been provided in nursing staff in February 2017. Simone also provided a Midline Catheter overview and the VAT to the MMC Nutrition Committee in February 2017, which is a multidisciplinary committee comprised of physicians, dieticians, pharmacist and nurses to help the group better understand the need for safe administration of parenteral therapy via a Midline Catheter. This is another example of how Simone promotes the image of nursing at MMC. The MMC midline catheter program has grown in 2017 and continues to help to reduce the number of Peripherally Inserted Central Line Catheters (PICC) insertions and PICC line days.
The evolution of MMC's VAT Team and Midline Catheter Care and Maintenance Policy and have been implemented to improve both patient and provider satisfaction, decrease discharge delays as well as to enhance the image and profession of nursing. Role model, compassion, respect, trust, professional development, motivation, improved patient outcomes and mentorship are just some of the criteria of a Nursing Leader, and Simone is truly a Nursing Leader.