Board of Trustees Report to the Constituencies 1997 Nursing Janet Halverson, MN, RN, CPNP, nurse practitioner, pediatrics, hemotology, and oncology, performs a spinal tap on Luke Rutherford. 1997 highlights 30 inpatient units 2,000 nurses employed Nursing has many unique programs to improve patient care and service in the local, regional, and international communities. Celebrating nursing excellence: Two collections of stories, or exemplars, written by nurses at LLUMC about extraordinary experiences, were published. Through these exemplars, the authors shared what they have learned and how their practice may have changed as a result of their experiences. Clinical edge program A 12-week program designed to prepare new graduate nurses for the realities of the clinical setting Three tracks available: adult critical care, pediatric critical care, and adult edical-surgical nursing Advanced practice nurses (APNs): APNs, in many specialty areas, facilitate patient care and support the continuity of care for patients in the inpatient and outpatient environments. Bereavement programs: More than 100 grief counselors participated in hospital-wide grief programs offering follow-up to bereaved families. Grief materials and trained counselors were shared from more than 20 facilities. Critical incident stress management program (CISM): Eighty peer counselors provided more than 1,000 counseling hours to nursing colleagues. CISM team leaders facilitated defusings and team building meetings throughout the division. SART (sexual assault response team) program: SART is a program specifically developed to meet the needs of the patient who has been assaulted and requires an examination to obtain forensic evidence. Communication Center services provided to patients in the department of emergency medicine Community referrals Immediate advice pertaining to first aid or life-saving measures Follow-up of abnormal lab results or x-rays Education and clarification of discharge instructions Center for Joint Replacement: A multidisciplinary program for total joint replacement patients was implemented, with the goal of increasing patient satisfaction and the number of surgeries done. Heartmate program: The placement of a mechanical heart as a bridge until an appropriate heart can be found and transplanted, continued to grow. Youth alternative sentencing program (YASP): Providing community teens with a court-prescribed alternative to DUI convictions, the goal of YASP is to help them make better choices, thereby reducing recidivism for first- and second-time drug and alcohol offenders. Administered under the direction of the trauma service, YASP had more than 100 participants in 1997. International nursing Actively participated on the LLU International Nursing Council and co-sponsored an International Nursing Conference with representatives from 23 countries Assisted and supported the Western-style nursing service at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, located in Hangzhou, Peopleâs Republic of China Sent and supported Medical Center nurses on short overseas nursing assignments to the countries of Australia, Brazil, Japan, the Peopleâs Republic of China, and Romania Mentored three nurses from the Peopleâs Republic of China for periods of three to six months each, in the specialty areas of obstetrical, surgical, and administrative nursing Spiritual care activities The multidisciplinary spiritual care committee met monthly to pray together and plan spiritual care activities. On the National Day of Prayer, more than 100 staff were involved in continuous prayer throughout the day. ãSpirit Liftersœ included weekly encouragement and Bible texts for managers. A monthly lecture was given on spiritual care-giving for new staff and periodic inservice sessions for unit staff. Spiritual support for individuals and units was coordinated by a spiritual care nurse clinician. Diabetes Treatment Center Community services, such as blood glucose screenings, were provided for more than 1,700 persons. Protocols were established with obstetrics physicians and the California Diabetes in Pregnancy Program regional staff on the care of the patient with gestational diabetes. Presentations were made to local professionals. Job shadowing Fifty high school students interested in health careers participated in a three-hour job shadowing experience. Students were placed in a wide variety of settings. Staff and students rated it as a very positive experience.   University | Medical_Center | LLU&MC_home | Search_&_index | News_&_events | Employment | Contact | Our_mission All contents copyright © 2001 Loma Linda University. All rights reserved. Revised Wednesday, March 21, 2001 4:52 PM Send comments and questions to webmaster@univ.llu.edu URL: http: //www.llu.edu