This outstanding Team has demonstrated not only a commitment to quality, safety, and excellent patient care but also a commitment to each other and the work-life each day on the unit. Whenever a challenge has faced this team, they have stepped up to the occasion and worked together to find a solution. After a tough year of critically ill COVID-19 patients, the unit was faced with an increase in hospital-acquired infections, a decrease in engagement, and an increase in nurse turnover.

To begin tackling our quality issues the team, led by one of our senior nurses, implemented a “back to basics” CLABSI checklist. With the use of real-time, validation along with intervention and education the unit began to see a slow and steady decrease in our CLABSI infection rate. The project then took on its next step of implementing CHG bathing in all patients with central lines. A staff member on the team also spearheaded this education and validation. In 2021, this unit had the highest rate of CLABSI infection in the system for three months and 11 total CLABSI infections overall for the year. After the amazing efforts of everyone on the team, this unit was able to decrease to only 2 CLABSI infections for 2022 and over 12 months CLABSI-free!

Another quality issue that saw an increase in 2021 was the unit's Hospital Acquired Pressure Ulcers. Our unit skin representative noticed trends in missing pressure injuries on admission as well as a decrease in implementing pressure injury prevention interventions. This staff nurse helped to re-implement a two-person skin check on admission as well as a twice-weekly nurse-led skin round. During these rounds, interventions and education are done in real-time. In 2022, this unit saw a 40% reduction in Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries attributed to the hard work and dedication of the nurses on this team.

With a decrease in staff engagement and an increase in nursing turnover in 2021, our unit's shared governance council decided to implement a “sunshine committee”. This committee worked together to throw fun unit activities to help improve morale and teamwork on the unit. From baby showers to axe throwing, holiday parties, and spirit weeks, the team came together to celebrate each other. The unit’s shared governance council continued to meet monthly and saw a steady increase in attendance and participation with their “Taco Tuesday” theme. 

They worked to tackle topics like work-life balance, scheduling, and of course to plan fun sunshine committee events. In 2022, this unit saw a 24% increase in engagement from 2021 based on the MyVoice survey results with an 89% engagement score. This increase in staff engagement and satisfaction lead to a 7% decrease in turnover with an overall nursing turnover rate of 5% for 2022. In a year that was difficult for so many in healthcare, this team came together to ensure that their patients, families, and peers had the very best care and deserve to be recognized as a DAISY Team.