PHILADELPHIA (March 11, 2021) – A nursing team at Fox Chase Cancer Center has been honored as a recipient of the 2021 I AM Patient Safety award from the Patient Safety Authority. The team was awarded the Executive Director’s Choice award, making it one of 11 healthcare facilities in Pennsylvania to be recognized for their advancements, outcomes, and commitment to patient safety.
The third floor surgical nursing team was recognized for reaching the significant milestone of one year with no patient falls on their three south unit. This milestone supports the nursing department’s Zero Harm program, a patient safety initiative that focuses on limiting preventable harm in the healthcare environment.
“The third floor surgical unit team demonstrated that holding yourself and each other accountable for patient safety can accomplish an exemplary outcome,” said Anna Liza Rodriguez, MSN, MHA, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer and vice president of Nursing and Patient Services at Fox Chase.
“We are so proud of this Magnet team and their leaders for their commitment to target zero patient harm. That quest and dedication led to the achievement of no patient falls for one year and well-deserved statewide recognition,” Rodriguez added.
As part of this effort, the third floor surgical nursing team implemented a number of fall prevention practices, including using bed and chair alarms, frequent communication of unit “fall-free days,” and by using a patient education video made by the Fox Chase Fall Prevention Committee.
The I AM Patient Safety awards are judged by a cross section of national and regional healthcare executives, patient safety advocates, and government, university, and patient representatives. The award criteria include innovation, impact, sustainability, and scalability. Inclusion of the patient in the initiative and demonstrating extraordinary actions are also considered.
“We often focus on the problems in healthcare: the errors, the system breakdowns, and the harm caused to patients,” said Regina Hoffman, executive director of the Patient Safety Authority. “This is a chance for us to celebrate the things that go right each day in healthcare to make our patients safer and to honor the individuals and staffs who not only care, but also are taking action to improve outcomes.”
Since its inception in 2013, the I AM Patient Safety awards have honored hundreds of programs and individuals taking action to positively impact patient safety.