Edition 32
Update on Rural Nurse Education Program:
I am thrilled to share some fantastic news regarding a new professional development opportunity here at North Valley Hospital. We have been selected to participate in the Rural Nurse Education Program (RNEP), which allows us to offer a free training program for three of our employees to become Registered Nurses.
This is a unique and exciting chance to grow your career without leaving the community. Unlike the local program through Wenatchee Valley College, RNEP is specifically designed for online coursework and hands-on training right here at NVH. This opportunity is open to any staff member with an active CNA, MA, or LPN license. Please refer to the email I sent earlier today for the application and a list of FAQs. If you are interested, make sure to get your application to HR by the end of the day on May 1st.
ED and Hospitalist Staffing:
We have officially posted a Request for Proposals (RFP) for our Emergency Department and Hospitalist staffing. I want to emphasize that this is a routine part of our procurement process and represents a standard review of the market. This is simply due diligence to ensure we are managing our resources effectively. Please keep in mind that this is a review only; there is no guarantee of change. If any transitions were to occur, nothing would take effect until October.
Wage Freeze Update:
I am pleased to announce that we are discontinuing the wage freeze. We instituted this change about 9 months ago for our non-union employees. Our cash flow has improved enough to make this change possible, and we are happy to be in a position to move forward. While this is a positive step, we must continue to be conservative and mindful of our expenses as we navigate the rest of the year. Thank you for your patience and hard work while these measures were in place.
Celebrating Hospital and Nursing Home Weeks:
Looking ahead to next month, we have the dual celebration of National Hospital Week and National Nursing Home Week. These weeks are a great time to pause and appreciate the incredible work happening across our entire campus.
I also have a bit of a personal debt to settle during the festivities. Some of you might remember a breast cancer awareness fundraiser we held six years ago. We had jars set up for various leadership team members, and the "winner" with the most donations was promised a pie in the face. Well, I was the undisputed champion of that contest.
Through a masterful combination of creative scheduling, a global pandemic, and a few well-timed "emergencies," I have successfully dodged that pie for six straight years. However, the organizers have long memories, and they have officially added my long-overdue pie to next month’s celebration schedule. See you there! (maybe?)
Enhancing Our Pediatric Care:
On April 22nd, we will be hosting a pediatric readiness simulation led by the team from Seattle Children’s Hospital. Acute pediatric events are low-frequency but high-risk, and this simulation is a vital opportunity for us to test our response in a safe, controlled environment.
This visit isn't just about the training itself; it is a chance for us to identify gaps and improve our internal policies and practices. By working directly with pediatric experts, we can ensure that when a child in our community needs critical care, we are prepared with the best possible protocols and hands-on experience. I encourage everyone involved to use this as a learning moment to help us elevate the level of care we provide to our youngest patients.
Joy comforting Goose before applying the Cone of Shame.
Celebrating One Year of Cerner:
Finally, I want to take a moment to celebrate a major milestone. April 7th marked exactly one year since our Cerner implementation. Transitioning to a new electronic health record system is a massive undertaking, and reaching the one-year mark is a testament to the dedication and adaptability of this entire team. Thank you for everything you do to provide excellent care to our patients.