HCA East Florida CNE to retire

During the past 30 years, Silvia has created a lasting legacy of driving clinical excellence, championing positive change and advancing the field of nursing throughout HCA Healthcare.  Silvia also made a great contribution to nursing in South Florida more broadly as Consortium president in 2008 and 2009.  "Silvia was especially passionate about promoting the profession and she was instrumental in developing and expanding the Day in the Life of a Nurse™ (DITLOAN) program.  She strengthened the Consortium's collaboration with Miami Dade County Public School administrators and educators with whom a companion educational curriculum was developed.  Silvia also conducted a formal DITLOAN training program for MDCPS teachers that was simulcast to public high school teachers in the Broward and Palm Beach county public school systems; the first such tri-county teacher training on any topic," noted NCSF executive director Ralph Egües.  Silvia, an alumnus of the National Hispana Leadership Institute, has long advanced diversity and inclusion within the healthcare industry and she has been recognized as a Hispanic Woman of Distinction, a Palm Healthcare Foundation Leadership Awardee, a Nursing Spectrum Excellence in Leadership Award recipient and a March of Dimes Woman of Distinction.  For more please click here.

Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, 

Highlands Regional Medical Center, and Arizona College join Consortium

The Nursing Consortium of South Florida is pleased to welcome our newest member organizations the Arizona College of Nursing Fort Lauderdale campus,  Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce and Highlands Regional Medical Center in Sebring.  "Both Lawnwood and Highlands are HCA East Florida Division hospitals that are joining their sister facilities as Consortium members and CCPS users," noted NCSF executive director Ralph Egües who added "with Consortium committees now all meeting virtually it is as easy for nurses in Tavernier and Sebring to participate as nurses in Tamarac and South Miami."  New Arizona College - Ft Lauderdale campus dean Valerie Browne, remarked, "I've been familiar with the Consortium for many years and when establishing a new campus in South Florida for Arizona College, joining the Consortium was high on my to do list.  It has never been more important for nurse leaders in practice and academia to collaborate and the Consortium has been bringing us together for successful collaborations for a long time."

AONL issues brief encouraging greater practice-academia collaboration

In response to concern over the effect that Covid has had on pre-licensure RN and PN/VN nurse clinical experiences, the American Organization of Nurse Leaders, formerly AONE, has issued a policy brief supporting expanded partnerships between health care facilities and pre-licensure RN and PN/VN programs during theCOVID-19 crisis.  During the height of Covid, some clinical facilities determined that pre-licensure nursing students should not be in contact with patients and discontinued student clinical experiences in their facility; a valuable and essential part of every nursing program curriculum.  The AONL policy brief, while noting the importance of compliance with state regulation and emergency response provisions and with OSHA requirements, encourages arrangements under which pre-licensure RN students from diploma, associate degree and baccalaureate degree nursing programs and PN/VN students from certificate nursing programs augment and support nursing services in health care facilities.  Under such arrangements, facilities employ students on a full- or part-time basis in conjunction with the student’s nursing education program which would award academic credit for such work experience towards meeting clinical requirements.

RWJ Foundation seeking proposals to fund research on transforming health and healthcare systems

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has issued a call for proposals for funding research that evaluates or predicts how enrollees in communities of color are effected by Medicaid policy changes enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and/or explore how current or proposed policies may alleviate or exacerbate racial inequity and structural racism in the context of Medicaid.  The goal of this funding opportunity is to generate rigorous evidence on the effects of recent Medicaid policy changes on enrollees, states, and others, and to inform and advance equitable policies and racial equity in Medicaid.  Preference will be given to applicants that are either public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundations or Type III supporting organizations. Up to $1.75 million will be available under this CFP.  Deadline for June 28, 2021 (3 p.m. ET). Please click here to read more.

Florida legislature passes COVID-19 liability protections for businesses

The state of Florida has enacted a new law (Senate Bill 72), granting liability protections to businesses against COVID-19-related injury and death lawsuits. The bill was the first piece of legislation to pass both the Florida House and Senate, and was also the first to be signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2021 Legislative Session. The law contains liability protection for businesses, health care facilities and educational institutions which have followed governmental safety guidelines to protect their employees, customers and patients. The bill had been strongly encouraged and supported by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and other leading business groups across the state. 

How technology is turbocharging the healthcare customer experience

A new whitepaper from Redpoint looks at the fast-paced changes in healthcare tech and how providers can best engage it.  Data-driven digital transformation is an inescapable reality in healthcare today and healthcare firms are evolving to keep pace with changing consumer behavior and expectations.  Changes are not only being made by adopting new technologies, but especially by using the customer insight these tools make available to deliver more relevant patient engagement.  While consumerism has been driving the industry for years, its strategic importance increased momentously in  2020.  The industry saw vastly accelerated needs for customer-centric changes—and customer experience (CX) has become the new battleground for healthcare companies looking to expand their client base and retain their customers.  Please click here to read the whitepaper.

Majority of workers concerned about their mental health in aftermath of the pandemic

Amid growing anxiety about the pandemic’s impact onwell-being, workers rank mental and psychological well-being as one of their biggest wellness concerns, according to a survey of more than 1,100 U.S. workers by the Conference Board.  Nearly 60% of workers reported concerns about stress and burnout.  More than one-third of respondents also expressed concerns about their physical well-being, including fear of getting sick.  Another one-third worried about social wellness and belonging, such as opportunities to connect with others.  Fifty-three percent of chief executive officers were concerned about mental or psychological well-being, versus 76% of lower-level employees.  Despite overwhelming concern for mental or psychological well-being, participation in programs that address these issues dropped.  To read the entire media release, please click here.

CDC issues Ebola guidance reminder for U.S. clinicians

Recent outbreaks of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea have cause the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a reminder for U.S. healthcare personnel about the CDC Ebola infection control guidance. The reminder includes separate Ebola guidance on using personal protective equipment as well as PPE supply considerations.  Please click here to read more.

McKinsey looks at strategic resilience during COVID-19 crisis

As the impact of the pandemic approaches one year, many organizations are adapting their businesses to better protect their employees while serving their customers and communities, while others continue to struggle to regain ground.  A recent survey by McKinsey & Company showed that 80 percent of executives believe their organizations have responded effectively to the pandemic.  Nevertheless, some organizations have proven to be more resilient than others.  The survey found an average of 42 percent reported that the crisis weakened their companies’ competitive position, compared with an average of 28 percent who say their companies increased their competitive edge during the crisis.  Please click here to read more.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to provide Pfizer vaccine for children at increased risk for COVID-19

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, a Consortium Member, has announced the availability of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for Florida children and young adults ages 16 to 21 who are currently under the care of physicians or specialists for medical conditions identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as posing an increased risk for severe illness associated with COVID-19. The hospital’s Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centers provide testing for children who are displaying symptoms of COVID-19. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is in daily contact with local, state and federal agencies to monitor the situation, and is prepared to evaluate and care for children with COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19. Please click here to read more.

Baptist Health physicians use new radiation procedure to treat deadly heart arrhythmia

Doctors at Consortium member Baptist Health South Florida have successfully used high-dose radiation to treat Ventricular Tachycardia (VT).  The radiation procedure for VT is a brand new approach, according to a recent article published in Verywell Health.  The patient who received the treatment at Baptist Health had an extensive history of heart problems.  Please click here to read the full story by Cyra-Lea Drummond, BSN, RN.  

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