“We are extremely proud of our cadre of nurses,” said Jim Ballinghoff, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, interim chief nursing officer. “We hold great admiration and appreciation for each of your unique talents, knowledge, compassion, and courage that you so generously share with your patients, colleagues and the community we serve.”
Ballinghoff cited the selflessness of PPMC nurses while presenting a $1,000 check on their behalf to Penn School of Nursing’s Living Independently for Elders (LIFE UPenn) program. Dedicated to improving the lives of seniors in West Philadelphia, LIFE UPenn provides all necessary preventive, primary, acute, and long-term health care services to help keep qualified older residents living in their homes and contributing to their communities as long as possible.
From cooking stoves on each floor and capping ceremonies thirty years ago, to smart IV pumps, iPads for patient education, and greater expectations of nurses than ever, PPMC nurses continuously raise the bar in technology and a consistently high level of care.
Laura Solano, MSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, CCNS, clinical nurse specialist at PPMC, discussed the current effort to embrace technology. “Most people know about the traditional skills,” Solano said, “but have no idea that nurses need to program and interpret complex medical equipment and waveforms, and utilize multiple software programs while typing at lightning speed and adapting to almost constant change in products and workflow.”
Solano explained the importance of implementing technology to “create a more efficient and safe healthcare system that allows nurses more time at the bedside.”
Kathleen Burke, PhD, RN, CRNP, glimpsed into a future of nursing at PPMC with more inter-professional teams and building on Penn’s top residency program in the nation while encouraging current nurses to earn advanced degrees and embrace lifelong learning through Penn Medicine Academy’s online modules and training programs.
The event honored many award winners, including 2012 tri-state Nurse.com regional winners Jim Ballinghoff, for Advancing and Leading the Profession, and Jennifer Nelson BSN, RN, CMSRN, CN III who was named the Winner of the Nightingale of Pennsylvania Volunteerism and Service award. Marjorie Lehigh, BSN, RN, MHA, MHed, nurse manager, was also honored as a 2013 regional finalist for Patient & Staff Management.
Daisy Foundation Daisy Award winners Eileen O’Neil, RN, Asha Gonsalves, BSN, RN, CN II, and Robert McCarthy, BSN, RN, CN II were also recognized.
Click here to view the event program for a full list of PPMC and UPHS honorees.
