An Emergency Department nurse manager, a nurse coordinator, a team at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre who helped expand treatment options for patients, and a team focused on reducing workplace violence are the winners of this year's UHN Local Impact Award.
The awards, which were handed out at yesterday's Annual General Meeting, recognize the efforts of staff who have made a significant improvement in patient care or the workplace at UHN.
"Every day there is a profound dedication and embodiment of our values across all of our staff at UHN," says Dr. Michael Baker, Rose Family Chair in Medicine and co-chair of the awards committee. "The Local Impact Awards are to celebrate those very people that not only make UHN the ideal place for patients but for employees as well."
This year's four award winners are:
The "ICU to Interventional Radiology" Bedside PICC Integration Team at Peter Munk Cardiac Centre is the winner for the Local Impact Award – Clinical Team. Along with the support of their colleagues, for the past two years, the team has been working towards expanding access for all patients at Toronto General Hospital (TG) to Bedside Ultrasound Guided, ECG confirmed Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) placement.
Clinicians were delaying or not ordering PICCs for patients who could not make the trip downstairs safely. Once this was brought to the attention of the team, they developed a program with many of their colleagues to enable all patients at TG to have access to PICCs.
While most patients still travel downstairs to receive their PICCs, for those "whose condition makes travel prohibitive, IR will come to you," says a letter supporting the nomination.
The Radiation Therapy Workplace Violence Implementation Group at Princess Margaret is the winner for the Local Impact Award – Non-Clinical Team, for identifying a process of dealing with patients or family members who may present safety concerns that could result in incidents of workplace violence.
The group conducted a study and distributed surveys to determine the extent of the violence problem for radiation therapists. It then developed a process for determining how best to make colleagues aware of those patients and family members who had a history of violence.
"This initiative has definitely changed our practice and culture on how patients that are at risk of being violent are handled," reads a letter of nomination.
Karen MacDonald, Clinical Nurse Coordinator – Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is the winner of the Local Impact Award – Individual Clinician, for indispensable work in organizing, prioritizing, communicating and facilitating all orders and interventions related to medical imaging on general medicine.
Karen is praised by her nominators for her "outstanding work, leadership, and dedication to patient care." Karen models the UHN values when going "above and beyond in her work to advocate and support for patient care."
Debra Davies, Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department (ED), Toronto General Hospital is the winner of the Local Impact Award – UHN Leader, for demonstrating dedication and success in improving the patient and staff experience within the ED. She is also commended for strengthening relationships with other departments across UHN.
Debra is described by her nominators as a "pragmatic visionary, a systems thinker, and a stellar example of someone living UHN's values every day." Debra's passionate belief in the power and efficiency of electronic systems translates in her forward-thinking approach to all of her contributions to the UHN Digital teams.
In a pragmatic manner, Debra is constantly striving to improve the quality of care and safety of all of the patients and staff at UHN.
Congratulations to all of this year's recipients and nominees. Thank you for all of your hard work and your dedication to the patients and staff of UHN. Keep up the great work!
Nominees for the 2017-18 UHN Local Impact Award
- 4A – Cardiovascular/Vascular Surgery
- Andrea Furlan and the Interprofessional Pain Team – Toronto Rehab
- Auro Viswabandya
- AYA Oncology Program – Princess Margaret
- Britanny Jenkins
- Caring Safely Team
- Carol McNuff
- Enhanced Hospital – Community Integration – S.C.O.P.E.
- Gelareh Zadeh
- Heart Function Day Unit
- Janet Pilgrim
- JDMI – General Radiography Coral Review Quality Leads
- Lizette Biclar
- Lucas Chartier
- Maria Vespa
- Medical Reimbursement Specialist Team – Princess Margaret
- Medical Safety Huddles
- Patient Satisfaction Assessment Clinics at Toronto Western
- Pharmacy Inventory Team – All Sites
- Quality Improvement Team – Orthopedic Unit – 9AF – Toronto Western
- Regina Sawh
- Robert RJ Edralin
- Salima Ladak
- Sarah Rose Black
- Staff Pharmacists – Toronto Western Inpatient
- Team – Dotsa Bitove Academy
- Tele-rehabilitation Centre for Acquired Brain Injury Team
- Tim Tripp
