Sammie Mosier, DHA, MA, BSN, NE-BC
Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive
Last month, I shared with you the 2023 nursing strategy, and for the next few months, I will be taking a deep dive into each pillar, discussing how it supports nurses. Under the Staffing and Care Team Support pillar, we are working to identify and implement innovative care models, process optimization and technology development through field observation to support care teams and meet patient needs.
This means we are looking to you for the best and most innovative approaches. We have added a dedicated nursing operations team that is solely focused on researching, evaluating and scaling innovative models of care and process optimization opportunities to support nursing workload and environments.
Innovative models of care: We are actively introducing new roles to help support nursing workload including LPNs/LVNs, nurse externs, paramedics and patient care technicians (PCTs). The goal is to support our nurses by allowing other team members to assume appropriate tasks. LPN/LVNs and PCTs are wonderful examples of key partners in the clinical care team supporting our nurses in caring for patients. This integration allows all members of the care team to work at the top of their license to ensure excellence in patient care. Our nursing workforce has grown to include over 3,000 LPNs, 5,000 Nurse Externs and 11,000 PCTs. These innovative models of care are one of the ways we are confronting the national nurse staffing crisis.
Process optimization: Our focus is to improve efficiencies and patient safety by limiting workflow disruptions that take the nurse away from patient care. The facility, division and corporate Resource Councils are a great way to partner with support services to improve nursing efficiencies. Engaging with pharmacy, dietary and supply chain partners to validate that Pyxis medication cabinets, nutrition and supply rooms are adequately stocked to support the patient's needs is essential for the nursing workload. It takes a team working together to provide the best resources and care for our collogues and patients.
Technology development: We invest in and develop technologies to ensure the best outcomes for our patients and improve efficiencies for our nurses. For example, the recently implemented Wound Image Capture program uses iMobile cameras, and now nurses can capture wound images and send them directly to the patient’s medical record, reducing documentation time by 20 minutes per picture. Our nurses have voiced frustration with current medication scanners. Throughout, 2023 and early 2024, ITG will deploy new and improved medication scanners to improve the nurse's working environment and technology experience.
Your voice is vital in identifying and improving the nursing experience in 2023. I encourage all of you to bring ideas forward and barriers you are facing. Thank you for your commitment to a “we” approach to care teams and healthcare - this is fundamental, going forward, in providing the highest-quality care to our patients.
I am grateful for each one of you. Thank you for your contribution and collaboration.
Nursing strategy
Access the 2022 Nursing Strategy and resources.
2023 Nursing Strategy Materials are in development.
Daily productivity staffing measures
We are removing the guess work from staffing and making it easier for directors, managers and clinical nurse coordinators (CNCs) to know their daily target for staffing. Now, your target hours will align to the exact staffing needs on your grids – you no longer have to make that operational choice.
By utilizing census specific target hours from staffing grids instead of one average target, the daily productivity calculation becomes dynamic and specific to what you are experiencing that day.
This will also ensure there are enough target hours allocated for CNCs to be out of staffing when their approved staffing grid shows that staffing model at the current department census.
Have questions or need support? Labor Basics Atlas page
MyScheduler is now mobile-friendly
You asked. We listened. Self-scheduling is now mobile-friendly using MyScheduler on the HCA Inspire App.
This latest enhancement brings together:
- Open needs
- Self-scheduling
- Requesting time off
- Managing your preferred schedule
- Department calendar view to show full department’s schedule, regardless of shift code
Available for all departments using the self-scheduling feature in Facility Scheduler. Questions? Contact your Facility Scheduler champion.
Resources
Unit of Distinction Award Ceremony
HCA Healthcare senior leadership will lead a live, limited broadcast recognizing the 2022 Unit Distinction and Honorable Mention award recipients on March 7. These recipients have demonstrated a commitment to HCA Healthcare’s mission, “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.”
A recording will be made available after the ceremony and shared in the following month’s newsletter.
Questions? Contact the Unit of Distinction mailbox
Survey now open! New questions for nurses and care team members
Use your voice to change the healthcare experience today! We need your participation in an anonymous survey that will provide a deeper understanding of nursing and care team member experiences. Your responses are valuable for our company’s culture. The questions go beyond what is covered by Vital Voices and are specific to you and the care team members.
This survey will help us focus and prioritize our efforts based on your voice. Your input will ultimately influence HCA Healthcare’s operations, branding, communications and culture.
This survey is 100% anonymous. All responses are confidential. There is no way for you to be identified or for your responses to be linked to you.
Use the QR code or find the survey link.
Galen’s Online RN to BSN Term starts March 6
As an HCA Healthcare RN with an Associates’ Degree in Nursing, your BSN could be tuition free!* Galen’s CCNE-accredited online RN to BSN program can be completed in as few as 12 months or longer if life demands? With 8-week courses and six starts per year, you have the flexibility to complete the program at your pace with zero out-of-pocket tuition*. Next term starts March 6 – there’s still time to enroll!
Ready to advance your career? Log on the HCAhrAnswers.com**, choose HCA Rewards and select Education Assistance OR speak with a Galen Online admissions representative at 800.224.7703
* Certain colleagues are not eligible to participate in these programs, including individuals covered by a collective bargaining agreement(CBA) unless their CBA permits participation.
** If your facility does not use HCAhrAnswers: While on the HCA Healthcare network, go to Atlas Connect and click the HCA Benefits and Rewards icon. If your facility does not have access to Atlas Connect, go to HCArewards.com.
Doctor On Demand is free in 2023!
Eligible HCA Healthcare medical plan participants have access to the Doctor On Demand telemedicine service, which offers 24/7 primary care and behavioral health video visits from a smartphone, tablet or computer. Through live video, board-certified doctors, licensed psychologists and psychiatrists review symptoms and medications, perform an exam and may recommend treatment, including prescriptions and lab work. For 2023, medical and behavioral health visits are FREE for eligible colleagues.
- Who is eligible? Doctor On Demand is available in 2023 to participants enrolled in the Well Care, Out-of-Area, Prime, Wichita Preferred and Far West PPO medical plans. This includes employees and covered dependents.
- What types of conditions are covered? Doctor On Demand provides care for 90% of the most common health conditions affecting the mind and body. This includes colds, flu, sinus infection, cough and sore throat, fever, urinary tract infections, skin and eye conditions, anxiety and depression, stress, bruises and sprains, diabetes and more.
- Get Started: Download the app now so you have it ready when you need it! Go to doctorondemand.com/hca.
Galen Chief Academic Officer position available
The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) provides oversight to a multi-state, single-purpose, nursing college with responsibility for overseeing and directing the academic programs.
Career Opportunities
New leadership opportunities are posted regularly for internal applicants.
Internal Candidates: InternalCareers.HCAhealthcare.com
Know someone who is perfect for HCA Healthcare? Ask them to go to Careers.HCAhealthcare.com and enter your name in the field for “were referred to this job by an employee.”
Did you know?
HCA Healthcare employed more than 93,000 registered nurses across the United States and the United Kingdom in 2021.
