Internal Communicatons Excellence
We hope you enjoyed yesterday’s Halloween and Harvest Celebration! Everyone’s costumes looked great!
The winners of the Halloween Costume Contest were:
First Place, Lidia Puga, Community Outreach, dressed as Maleficent
Second Place, Peggy Jarrett, Community Outreach, dressed as a Witch
Third Place, Sara Calzia, Labratory, with a T-Rex costume
If you’d like to purchase clothing and items in the new Platte Valley brand, an online store is now available through SCL Health.
The link to the store is www.sclhealthstore.org. Items must to be charged to a credit card or department purchasing card (p-card). The customer delivery address can be specified at time of order. When ordering, double check that you have selected “Platte Valley” under the “Care Site” category so that your items will have the proper logo on them.
For large quantity orders and items that are not available in the SCL Health store, we can still use our local vendor, Zamar Screenprinting, but this will be the only online store now available.
Handoffs of information are risky for patients and associates and require complete and accurate communication to avoid errors. A handoff is intended to share situational awareness, a mental model of what is going on with a patient or a situation.
SBAR, a communication protocol developed by Kaiser Healthcare, is a good example of content formatting – a structure to aid in remembering specific types of information that should be communicated. Each letter stands for information that is important to communicate in a handoff. The best information to emphasize is what is different or unusual about that patient or situation. If one does not emphasize what is different or unusual, the receiver will assume what is typical and usual. This assumption often results in judgments made based on incorrect information.
Situation – What is the problem, patient, or project? Who or what you’re calling about, the immediate problem, your concerns.
Background – What is the relevant information? Review of pertinent information, procedure, patient condition.
Assessment – What is your current read of the problem or patient? Your view of the situation now: “I think the problem is…” or “I’m not sure what the problem is.”
Recommendation – What is your request or recommendation? Urgency of action: “I feel that someone needs to come to the bedside to see the patient.”
Beginning yesterday, October 31, the Silver Aspen Bistro has new hours of operation. The bistro and barista will be now be open Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, the bistro and barista will be open from 5:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. From 2:00pm-6:30pm, the bistro will be closed, however room service ordering will be available to employees during this time as an alternate meal option.
Room service trays will only be available for employees on weekends from 2:00pm-6:30pm. Room service trays can be ordered by calling ext. 1111 and will be for pick-up only. The following guest tray option will be available (discounts do not apply):
Meal Options
$7.50- Entrée, side, fountain drink, dessert
$4.00-Entrée and side OR 2 sides and fountain drink
Starbucks
$4.50- Large Starbucks drink
$3.50- Medium Starbucks drink
$3.00- Small Starbucks drink
Yesterday we received official word from the State of Colorado that Platte Valley Medical Center has achieved Level III Trauma Center certification. This means we are now capable of treating and admitting trauma patients in our community. The entire hospital will be affected by this achievement, as we will now be able to admit higher acuity trauma patients to the floors, and EMS is able to transport higher acuity trauma patients here from the field. This brings big benefits to our community, who will now be able to receive higher level trauma services at PVMC instead of being transferred to another hospital.
In order to meet the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) requirements to achieve this certification, Platte Valley was required to adopt new education for inpatient nursing, and a new trauma registry database was implemented. New equipment was installed in the ED, OR and ICU for trauma resuscitation.
Last week, the CDPHE conducted the qualifying survey on our hospital. Platte Valley met all criteria with no recommendations. Our Level III Trauma certification is effective immediately, and good for the next 18 months. If you would like to view our certification announcement, it is available here and our reviewer’s comments here. If you have any questions, please contact Trauma Coordinator Andrea Moore via email or at x1919.
We would like thank the entire multidisciplinary trauma team for all the hard work that was involved in making this certification happen!
Platte Valley Medical Center President and CEO John Hicks has been selected by hospitals and health systems across Colorado to serve as the Delegate for the American Hospital Association (AHA) Regional Policy Board (RPB). This position also adds John as a member of the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) Board of Trustees, which was approved at an election held during the Association’s 2016 Annual Meeting in Vail.
The AHA RPB provides input on public policy issues considered by AHA and identify needs unique to Colorado and the region and assists in developing programs to meet those needs. John will help inform the AHA on the challenges faced by Colorado hospitals and health systems – especially in rural parts of the state.
“The Colorado Hospital Association is thrilled to have John serve as our Delegate for the AHA RPB,” said CHA President and CEO Steven J. Summer. “This is a very important role, as he will have the opportunity to inform federal policy issues and discussions about their impact on Colorado hospitals, including Platte Valley Medical Center. His leadership and insights are critical to helping guide Colorado’s hospitals and health systems through a time of great change in the delivery of health care, and we are grateful for his service to our organization.”
About the Colorado Hospital Association
The Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) is the leading voice of Colorado’s hospital and health system community. Representing more than 100 member hospitals and health systems throughout the state, CHA serves as a trusted, credible and reliable resource on health issues, hospital data and trends for its members, media, policymakers and the general public. Through CHA, Colorado’s hospitals and health systems work together in their shared commitment to improve health and health care in Colorado. Learn more at www.cha.com.
Nicolaza E Alanis, RN II – Emergency
Jayna L. Dilling, RN II – Labor & Delivery
Audrey M. Dillon, RN II – Wound Care Center
Courtnay D. Ciaccio, Clinical Coordinator – Nursery
Heather M. Caribardi, Ultrasonographer – Radiology
Madonna C Banez, Medical Technologist (ASCP) – Clinical Pathology