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Collaboration Helps Nurses Navigate a Shifting Landscape

As a nurse serving South Florida for where nurses can make an impact. Data 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., a free event spon-
over 25 years, I have witnessed sweep- suggests that a more diverse nursing sored by Hubbard Media for all Palm
ing changes in healthcare. From workforce is part of the solution to Beach County area nurses.
changes in policy, to the rise of debili- achieving health equity. When nurses • Heart of Gold Reception on
tating health conditions, nurses have understand a patient’s culture and com- Thursday, May 9th from 6:00 p.m. to
always been on the front lines, manag- munity, they can establish better trust, 8:00 p.m. at Quail Ridge Country Club in
ing the care that impacts our families comfort and overall patient satisfaction. Boynton Beach. The event will honor the
and our communities. Nursing leaders can do their part extraordinary work of local nurses and
When I became a chief nursing offi- through minority nurse recruitment. As a recognize Palm Beach County’s 2019
cer, I felt it was my duty to volunteer trustee at Palm Health Foundation, I am “Nurses of the Year.”
my time serving nonprofit organiza- encouraged to see efforts to grow our There are many things that we can do
tions that had their finger on the pulse nursing workforce and its diversity by as nursing leaders to anticipate trends
of how we as a community are caring providing annual scholarships to stu- and overcome challenges. Collaborating
for all our residents, especially the BY RUTH SCHWARZKOPF dents who pledge to stay in Palm Beach with our healthcare partners and recog-
underserved. I joined the board of County and work locally after they grad- nizing our nurses for their tireless efforts
trustees at Palm Health Foundation every five people in our community will uate. The foundation has awarded near- are both positive ways to help us, our
because of its leadership in developing become a senior citizen, and 80% of ly $3 million in nursing scholarships patients, and our community reach their
innovative solutions for emerging those seniors will have chronic health since 2001. full health potential.
health challenges and advancing the conditions. Once hired, it is the nursing leader’s
nursing profession. We know our aging population will job to retain nurses. One important way To learn more about Palm Health
As our healthcare system continues require new ways for healthcare to be is through gratitude. In a 2004 survey*, Foundation’s nursing programs, Thank a
to evolve, collaborating with local part- delivered, particularly in community- 84% of respondents stated that they do Nurse and other initiatives, visit
ners like Palm Health Foundation helps based settings and through home visits not feel respected and appreciated in PalmHealthFoundation.org.
us prepare nurses to deliver care in an utilizing new technologies. Anticipating some capacity within their organization.
ever-changing environment. The foun- this trend early on, Palm Health Palm Health Foundation, with co-spon- Ruth Schwarzkopf is the chief nursing
dation relies on the insight of nursing Foundation established and funded the sors Tenet Health and VITAS Healthcare, officer at West Boca Medical Center and
leaders throughout Palm Beach County Volunteer Nurse Corps of Palm Beach is giving all healthcare organizations a a Palm Health Foundation trustee.
to determine the funding, education County (VNC-PBC). Administered by platform for recognizing their nurses She is also an active member of the
and initiatives needed to promote better Palm Beach Atlantic University, the through May’s Thank a Nurse campaign. Florida Atlantic University Nursing
health. VNC-PBC uses retired, volunteer and I encourage my fellow nursing leaders to Leadership Advisory Council and Palm
One of the most evident challenges is student nurses to help manage commu- join us by encouraging their nurses to Beach State College Advisory.
how the residents of Palm Beach nity care and home visits. take part in two upcoming events: *Source: https://www.legalnurse.com/wp-con-
County are aging at faster-than-ever Responding to the changes in our pop- • Nurses Night Out at Delray tent/uploads/2014/06/RN-Stress-Survey-Results-
2014-VickieMilazzoInstitute.pdf
rates. In the next decade, one out of ulation’s ethnic diversity is another area Marketplace on Thursday, May 2nd from

TRENDS IN NURSING

The nursing profession has grown so they can provide for everyone, and trends that nursing leaders are address-
tremendously in the areas of respect, although stressful, they do it well. Many ing today is the widening gap between an
accountability, and impact on patient nurses are even seeking advanced experienced nursing workforce and the
and organizational outcomes. Several degrees to better influence care at all complexity of care required by the popu-
significant challenges, however, must be touchpoints on the continuum, while lation served.
addressed so that the difference nurses assisting leaders in driving care to the An experience shortage is developing
can make is fully realized and the joy and appropriate access points. As a result, because the knowledge and skill of baby
fulfillment that the practice can bring to nurses are more relied upon and respect- boomer nurses is disappearing as they
nurses is fully appreciated. ed now than ever for their contributions retire, while the complexity of the
External forces impacting the health- both inside and outside of the hospital. patient population is simultaneously
care business, including governmental Consumer experience also matters dif- increasing. The gap driven by these two
regulation, changes in reimbursement, ferently now. In the past, patients’ expec- countervailing forces needs to be recog-
and complex requirements for serving tations were primarily related to healing nized and urgently addressed.
sicker and older populations, all directly BY MAGGIE HANSEN and reduced suffering, and nursing inter- To do so, progressive organizations are
influence nursing practices. Historically, ventions were carried out accordingly. quickly implementing nurse residency
nurses could focus on facilitating the the associated disengagement that con- Today, patient experience is measured by programs and formal onboarding pro-
healing process, educating patients, and tinues to climb. To combat these pres- the government and publicly reported. grams that seek to bridge the gap and
reducing suffering. sures and enhance nursing retention and Those published reports frequently do advance the practice of nurses.
Today’s nurses must also participate in productivity, successful organizations are not correlate with what nurses really Overall, nurses are more recognized
time-consuming initiatives to enhance implementing measures to improve believe their patients need, but the same for the impact they make on the surviv-
healthcare value as defined by the gov- nurse engagement and emotional health. nursing professionals are held responsi- ability of healthcare organizations, and
ernment, incorporate complex technolo- Healthcare reform also left nurses with ble for the results because of the nature nurse leaders are increasingly becoming
gy in diagnostic and treatment processes, hope that patients would seek regular of their interactions with the patients active members of the executive teams.
and reduce costs, all while performing care at local access points that would be evaluating the care they’ve received from Nursing contribution at all levels of the
their traditional care-oriented functions. more health-promoting, leaving only the a wider range of professionals. organization and well-organized nursing
Exacerbating this problem is the fact that sickest patients to be treated in hospital Further, organizations count on nurses strategic plans greatly influence health-
physicians, who are intended to partner settings. This has not yet been realized. to influence scores that are measured by care system success.
with nurses, are burning out at a rate Patients continue to seek episodic care in tools that don’t necessarily give nurses
high enough to be considered a public hospitals rather than primary care sites, appropriate credit for the very complex, Maggie Hansen, Senior Vice President
health crisis. and highly acute patients still compete highly technical, and scientific care they and Chief Nursing Executive at Memorial
The pressures from these factors can for nursing care in the same hospital set- must deliver with compassion. Healthcare System, can be reached at
be exhausting, and leaders must address tings. This pushes nurses to ration care Lastly, one of the most significant (954) 265-3451 or mhansen@mhs.net.

38 May 2019 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News