VCU news

By Kimberly Selden
VCU Communications and Public Relations

The Virginia Commonwealth University Health System recently was selected to participate in the Transforming Care at the Bedside project – a two-year program designed to improve the quality and safety of patient care on medical and surgical units.

VCU’s acute care medicine unit in North Hospital was chosen by the American Organization of Nurse Executives to participate.

“I am so pleased that the health system was selected as one of 68 clinical sites nationwide to participate in the project,” said Carol M. Crosby, R.N., chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services. “This selection is an indication that our nurses continually strive to improve the superior care we deliver to our patients.”

The program also is designed to increase vitality and retention of nurses in order to improve the effectiveness of the entire care team. Participants will learn the basic principals of the program, with a focus on nurse managers and team training.

The process could later be adopted by other units. All ideas and results from the Transforming Care at the Bedside project will be shared between participating hospitals.

The acute care medicine unit, led by Joan Dagenhart, R.N., nurse manager, and Heather Craven, R.N., nurse clinician, will work together to develop the new interventions and processes to enhance the quality, reliability and safety of patient care.

“We look forward to planning and implementing the project over the next couple of years,” said Lauren Goodloe, Ph.D., R.N., director of medical and pediatric nursing and assistant dean for clinical operations, VCU School of Nursing.

“Our efforts will literally transform care at the bedside, resulting in even higher patient and staff satisfaction as well as impacting other patient and staff outcomes in a very positive manner,” she said.