Structural Empowerment

Nurses Holding Children books
NICU Family Centered Care Committee Members:
  • Rebekah Babcock, RN
  • Dana Baicher, RN
  • Losana Blair, RN
  • Anna Celestino, RN
  • Jody Charles, RN
  • Cathy Chin, RN
  • Laura Haselden, RN
  • Annie Le, RN
  • Tammy Lee, RN
  • Merry Ann Loukianoff, RN
  • Michele Lucido, RN
  • Terri Muench, RN
  • Julie Plank, RN
  • Michelle Wrench, RN

ROAR in the NICU

The Family Centered Care Team of the Mountain View Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) focuses on improving patient outcomes by introducing evidence-based practices and conducting research in the department. One of the new practices the team brought to the NICU is the Reach Out and Read (ROAR) program. Evidence demonstrates that reading to NICU babies helps with bonding and with soothing the infant, even when the parent cannot hold them.

The team created bags with a special logo, filled with books, and distributed 111 of them to NICU families. The time parents spent reading to their babies was measured throughout 2020, and increased significantly to 26 minutes per day by December 2020.



Managing COVID-19 in the ED

The ED leadership team at Mountain View empowered a group of clinical nurses, led by Jennifer Lobdell, RN, to develop processes to manage COVID-19 response. Leadership identified the potential impact COVID-19 could have on the unit's ability to provide safe care and had a tent erected in the parking lot. The team, along with providers, developed a process for screening and treating potential COVID-19 patients: conducting triage and minor treatment in the tent, and moving more acute patients into the department safely so they could receive extended care.

This model had a positive impact on throughput, without compromising patient care or safety. As the initial surge began to slow the tent was decommissioned. Realizing the continued need to have a separate area for COVID-19 patients, a portion of the lobby was curtained off and named the Respiratory Treatment Area (RTA). The patient screening process used in the tent was adapted to work in that environment and patient care was conducted in a similar manner as in the tent.

As COVID-19 again began to surge, the RTA was expanded from four to eight treatment bays to accommodate the increased need. This expansion allowed the department to keep waiting and throughput times as low as possible, while still providing safe patient care.

Emergency Deparment Covid Team
Emergency Department COVID-19 Team:
  • Pamella Dennard, RN
  • Jennifer Lobdell, RN
  • Ivy Shelub, RN