Page 30 - USAP Connected_WINTER 2017

USAP PROVIDER PROFILE
KENNETH
KITTRELL, CRNA
USAP-FLORIDA
Kenneth Kittrell
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
I have been a CRNA in Orlando, Florida for 25 years and with USAP for 3 years. I grew up in Colorado (GO BRONCOS), received my MSA from Kansas University and started with JLR in January of ‘91. I have a 5-year-old daughter, 8-year-old son and an Italian wife. I love Mexican food, unless my wife reads this and then of course, my favorite food is Italian!
WHAT DO YOU TO DO RELAX?
I waterski nearly every weekend. I love to sh and dive, occasionally with some of the anesthesiologists in our group, plus some of the surgeons we work with at our hospital. It’s good to have friends with boats.
TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE YOUR SUCCESS IN YOUR SURVEYVITALS® SCORES?
To be totally honest, I never even think about SurveyVitals®. I don’t believe good patient care has anything to do with a
survey, but has everything to do with respecting each patient as someone who deserves my very best e ort. I think surveys will take care of themselves if we focus on the patient and their needs.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE IN SURGEON CARE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE?
Respect may top the list. Mutual respect that is. If we are respectful of our surgeons’ needs and schedules, and take great care of every one of their patients, I believe our surgeons will reciprocate that respect and be mindful of our needs as anesthetists and patient advocates.
HOW DO YOU ENSURE FABULOUS PATIENT SAFETY AND CARE IN EVERY CASE, EVERY DAY?
By trying to treat each patient like a family member. ■
An organization whose policy does not include close call reporting and associated actions is essentially saying that it does not care to learn until a patient is injured. To paraphrase an old aphorism, experience is the best teacher, but is also the most expensive teacher. In the case of health care, those who don’t measure close calls force the patient to pay their tuition in the form of pain and su ering.
TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION
Simply receiving reports without investigating, analyzing and acting is doing nothing to prevent harm to the patient. Once leadership is aware of and receives reports on patient harm and close calls, a prioritization system that employs explicit, unbiased, risk-based and publicly reviewable criteria is needed to rationally determine which reports warrant further analysis and action.
Culture does not change solely by issuing policies and directives. Once an action plan is de ned, it is necessary to ensure that
correct actions are taken by each member of the team, that the actions produce desired improvements, and that unintended negative consequences do not occur.
To create and maintain excellence in patient safety, everyone must play an active role. It is everyone’s job to continuously look for better ways to reduce the occurrence of opportunities that might cause patient harm. With everyone’s eyes, ears and commitment, excellence in patient care can prevail consistently.
Safety is a never ending marathon. Strong, unwavering leadership is required: leadership that sets the tone, provides the tools and creates the environment for open communication and action to improve patient safety. With this sort of leadership, cultural change is a process of continuous discovery, awareness and improvement. It cannot be accomplished overnight; yet, the results are worth the e ort and our patients deserve nothing less. ■
30 WINTER 2017 | CONNECTED
SEEKING CONSISTENT EXCELLENCE | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29