Nursing News Now: Diversifying care teams
Sammie Mosier, DHA, MA, BSN, NE-BC
Senior vice president and chief nurse executive
Recognizing and pursuing nursing excellence
Every year in October, we celebrate nursing excellence with the American Nurses' Credentialing Center (ANCC) at the ANCC National Magnet Conference® and ANCC Pathway to Excellence Conference®. Magnet-designated hospitals are considered gold standard for nursing practice, where nurses are empowered to lead patient care and drive innovation.
Thanks to all of our teams recognized for Magnet and Pathway certification this year. In particular, Medical City Healthcare from North Texas celebrated six Magnet designations across 10 campuses, and two Pathway hospitals, with several teams at this year’s ANCC event.
- Medical City Plano and Medical City Frisco - Fourth Magnet Re-designation
- Medical City Denton - Third Magnet Re-designation
- Medical Center of McKinney - First Magnet Designation
- Medical City Alliance - First Pathway Designation
If you haven’t already, I encourage all of you to explore the Magnet and Pathway programs. Pathway to Excellence is a great place to start, through which you can share nursing achievements in a qualitative way. This provides structure for pursuing Magnet Recognition, which recognizes nursing excellence based on more specific data and patient outcomes. You can learn more about these program and see all HCA Healthcare Magnet and Pathway hospitals here, with links to resources that can help your teams get started.
Adding licensed practical/vocational nurses to care teams
With global nursing shortages expected to increase in the next several years, we cannot rely solely on efforts to recruit registered nurses to provide excellent care; we must embrace alternative models of care. Diversifying and expanding care teams to include Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPN/LVNs) has reduced staffing crisis burden while allowing RNs and LPN/LVNs to work at the top of their licenses.
Reintegration of LPN/LVNs is a long-term investment to provide nursing care teams with resources and support needed to care for our patients and communities. Below you will find resources to begin leveraging this new care team model. We look forward to supporting you with this and all of our collective efforts to continue our pursuit of nursing excellence.
Nursing strategy
Access the 2022 Nursing Strategy and Resources
Annual benefits enrollment: Nov. 1-18
This is your opportunity to enroll yourself and your eligible dependents in benefits for the upcoming year. You will receive a highlights brochure in the mail, but your full enrollment kit (including pricing) will only be available online.
During your enrollment period (Nov. 1-18), go to HCAhrAnswers.com*, click Benefits: HCA Rewards and select Benefits Enrollment Center to view benefits details and pricing. Then, click the Enroll Now button to make your elections on the BConnected website.
Be sure to enroll by November 18 or you will receive default coverage – and you may pay more. If you don’t enroll by November 18, your benefits will not be activated with providers by January 1.
*If your facility does not use HCA hrAnswers, go to Atlas Connect while logged in to the HCA Healthcare network and click the HCA Benefits and Rewards icon. If your facility also does not use Atlas Connect, log on to HCArewards.com.
National Pharmacy Week
National Pharmacy Week is an opportunity for us to celebrate our pharmacy team members who raise the bar for patient care. We express gratitude for their partnership in providing compassionate, connected care.
Save the date: HCA Healthcare Crush the Crisis Opioid Take Back Day – October 29
HCA Healthcare will host its fourth annual Crush the Crisis Opioid Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 29 to align with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Crush the Crisis events aim to educate our communities on the risk of opioid misuse, while providing a safe and anonymous way to dispose of medications that may be left over from previous procedures or other medical visits. For more information, including the location of a Crush the Crisis Opioid Take Back Day event near year, visit HCAhealthcare.com/CrushTheCrisis or call (833) 582-1970.
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 is comprised of approximately 2,300 sites of care, including 182 hospitals, in 20 states and the United Kingdom (as of June 30, 2022).