Four registered nurses from Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center were named finalists in Nursing Spectrum’s 2008 Nursing Excellence Awards in the following categories: Advancing and Leading the Profession, Teaching, Management, and Clinical Care.
Advancing and Leading the Profession—Carol Ball, RN, MAS, (left) senior director of nursing, builds and justifies the patient care budget and advocates for nursing department needs so the professional caregivers at the bedside have what they need to provide the best care possible. Through her loyal leadership, she bridges the gap between finance and clinical care.
Teaching—Ilene Jones, RN, MSN, CEN, CCRN, (right) clinical nurse specialist, helped develop an innovative, interactive orientation program to prepare new graduates to work in the emergency department (ED). Five of the six nurses in the first cohort-and all nine in the second group-continue to work in the ED, which now has a zero percent vacancy rate. The success of the program led the hospital to expand the orientation to all acute-care units.
Management—Elaine Gittings, RN, BSN, (left) patient care manager, has stepped beyond routine management responsibilities to design, build, and plan the implementation of an executive service-rounding program. Her efforts have reduced patient falls, increased compliance for pneumonia vaccinations, and reduced the RN vacancy rate on her unit from 50 percent to less than 2 percent during her six-year tenure. Gittings is a contender for the National Nurse of the Year Award.
Clinical Care–A nurse for 27 years, Lucinda (Cindy) Kahoe, RN, BSN, CNRN, (right)advanced clinical nurse, draws on her knowledge, technical skills and critical thinking abilities to deliver quality, safe and compassionate patient care. Kahoe recently developed a program to decrease noise on the unit so patients can rest better. She also has assumed a leadership role in helping the hospital on its Magnet journey.
Notable Nurses
Ella Durant, LPN, received the 2008 Diversity Recognition Award from the Johns Hopkins Medicine Diversity Leadership Council. She was recognized for celebrating and embracing diversity both at Johns Hopkins Bayview and in her community.
John Preto, MSN, RN has been appointed director of nursing for medicine.
Kathy Owens, RN, BSN, has been named director of nursing for perioperative services.