Page 61 - Healthcare News Sept.-Oct. 2020

Baystate Medical Center Achieves Fourth Magnet Recognition
SPRINGFIELD — For an unprecedented fourth consecutive time, Baystate Medical Cen- ter has achieved Magnet recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a distinction that places the hospital’s nursing staff among the finest in the nation.
As a Magnet-certified hospital, Baystate Medical Center is part of a select group of 530 healthcare organizations out of more than 6,000 in the U.S. It is one of only 10 such hos- pitals in Massachusetts and 26 in New England. Nationally, only about 8.5% of all U.S. hospitals are Magnet-recognized.
The Magnet recognition program was de- veloped by the ANCC, a subsidiary of the American Nurses Assoc., to recognize healthcare organizations that provide the best nursing
care and uphold the tradition within nursing of professional practice. Magnet recognition is the highest national credential for nursing excel- lence, serving as the gold standard for nursing practice.
“Recognizing nursing excellence at Baystate Medical Center for a fourth time over a span
of 15 years has placed us among a group of
less than 1% of hospitals nationally who have achieved this honor. Only three other hospi- tals in Massachusetts hold a four-time Magnet hospital designation,” said Nancy Shendell- Falik, president of Baystate Medical Cente and senior vice president of Hospital Operations for Baystate Health.
Shendell-Falik noted this fourth designa- tion comes at an unprecedented time. “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought fast-moving changes in the delivery of care and incredible stress on the lives of patients and caregivers. The award recognizes the high level of care our nurses have always delivered, especially the unique challenges they have faced in the past seven months treating complex coronavirus
From left, Eric Griffin, Baystate Medical Center’s Magnet program director; Laura Bolella, Magnet pro- gram coordinator; and Chrsitine Klucznik, chief Nursing officer, celebrate upon hearing of the hospital’s most recent Magnet recognition.
patients.”
Healthcare organizations, such as Baystate
Medical Center, are required to reapply for Mag- net recognition every four years based on ad- herence to Magnet concepts and demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality. The re-credentialing initiative involves an extensive application and review process, as well as a site visit by representatives of the ANCC, during which hospitals must provide documented evidence to demonstrate how staff members
sustained and improved Magnet concepts, per- formance, and quality over the four-year period since the organization received its most recent recognition.
Surveyors noted the leadership of Christine Klucznik, Baystate Medical Center’s chief Nurs- ing officer, as instrumental in the hospital’s COVID-19 pandemic response. Additionally, Baystate outperformed the national benchmark for device-related hospital-acquired pressure injuries for the majority of two years.
Mercy Receives State Grant to Expand Homeless Services
SPRINGFIELD — The Healthcare for the Homeless (HCH) program at Mercy Medical Center will partner with Catholic Charities of Springfield to provide additional services to homeless individu-
als impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Develop- ment.
As the primary recipient of
the $795,000 Emergency Solu- tions Grant, Catholic Charities will work with HCH to oversee expanded street outreach and provide emergency shelter to chronically homeless individuals to stop or slow the spread of the virus. Specifically, the grant will fund essential services such as case
management, employment as- sistance and job training, life-skills training, mental-health services, and substance-abuse treatment services, as well as hotel and motel vouchers.
Mercy’s HCH team follows a nursing model of healthcare, pro- viding assessment, intervention, referrals, follow-up, and educa- tion to the homeless. As a partner with Catholic Charities, HCH will receive $260,000 in grant fund- ing to enhance outreach efforts and specifically address ‘rough sleepers’ during this COVID and post-COVID period. Under the HCH portion of the grant, a team consisting of a registered nurse, a community health worker, and
a psychiatrist (for telemedicine
services), will provide outreach services to individuals who are
not utilizing congregate living situations, especially focusing on the communities of Springfield, Holyoke, Westfield, and Chicopee. Basic primary-care and behavioral- health services will also be offered through the HCH program.
Over the course of the Emer- gency Solutions Grant, which runs through June 2021, Catholic Char- ities and HCH will assist at least 25 individuals or families with hotel or motel shelter, accompanying stability services, and case man- agement. Once a client has been identified and referred for hotel or motel sheltering, Catholic Chari- ties and Mercy’s HCH team will provide ongoing services to ensure
a successful outcome.
“The hotel and motel placement
provided by this grant will afford the homeless a shelter safe from unprotected contact with others, potentially limiting the spread
of COVID-19. However, if infec- tion is suspected or confirmed,
it provides a place where clients can self-quarantine and receive essential services while being regularly monitored for worsening symptoms,” said Cherelle Rozie, director of Community Health and Well Being at Mercy Medical Center. “At the same time, these clients will benefit from health as- sessments, regular communication and assistance from a case worker, and access to general medical care.”
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