Mount Auburn Healthcare Connection

Learn More:

• Related Links
• Quiz

When our loved ones are in the hospital, there’s a feeling of relief knowing they are in the hands of the best caregivers. Not only do we want to know they have skilled doctors, but we also want them to have excellent, compassionate nurses. Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, has an innovative program in place, giving nurses a voice in hospital policy. In turn, the program provides patients with passionate nurses who offer the highest quality care.

Mount Auburn Hospital uses a shared governance program to give nurses an influence in their practice and policies through evidence-based practices (the best care determined by research results). “We’re not doing things just because that’s the way it’s been done,” says Joan Spinosa, RN, IV Therapy at Mount Auburn Hospital. “We’re doing them because it’s the way it should be done, the way studies have shown that outcomes are better. Patients are getting home sooner with less complications.”

Mount Auburn Hospital’s shared governance program consists of three councils: Professional Excellence, Nursing Practice and Patient Centered Care. The Professional Excellence Council concentrates on and determines the educational needs of the staff. The Nursing Practice Council reviews nursing policies, procedures, documentation, protocols and standards of care. The Patient Centered Care Council is based on quality and research and members work closely with the other two councils to research issues and make recommendations based on their research.

One example of a recent project the councils executed was on pain documentation. According to Mrs. Spinosa, most people communicate pain on a scale between one and 10. However, many patients can’t verbally communicate their pain. The Patient Centered Care Council uncovered some new methods based on nonverbal communication such as facial expressions. The Nursing Practice Council reviewed the current policy, adapted it to include the new method and the Professional Excellence Council implemented it on all the hospital floors. By reviewing practices, patients are getting the most thorough, advanced care.

Mrs. Spinosa says they try to involve nurses from all areas of the hospital in the councils because each unit has different needs. “Sometimes we are too close to an issue,” she says. “So, it helps to have people who aren’t working directly with the issue to get an objective view.”

Each council is essential in implementing a smooth transition of evidence-based practices. “Ultimately, we are all working towards one common goal,” says Ms. Spinosa. “We all want to give our patients the best possible care with good patient outcomes.”

Mrs. Spinosa has been a nurse at Mount Auburn Hospital for more than 30 years and applauds the hospital for supporting the evolution of medicine and practices. “By having a shared governance, our nurses are constantly updated with the latest medical advancements,” she says. “The shared governance program empowers nurses to feel responsible for their practice and ultimately their patients.”

For a free Mount Auburn Hospital pill box, please call us at 617-499-5094.