Newspapers / InterCom (Durham, N.C.) / Dec. 1, 1966, edition 1 / Page 7
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ed, Cushing, Halsted, and McDowell iject Has Done Much to Improve Communications nate patient care services at the patient (ward) level. The members of the unit team, coordinated by the administra tor, Mr. Ned Kearns, work to gether to keep open the lines of communication for not only tlie ward personnel and the patients, but also for the service depart ments that they as members represent. As a team they meet together every week for the purpose of discussing the assignment of certain tasks, problems that have arisen, and any pertinent re ports. Every two weeks the members also meet with the chiefs of their individual depart ments. “The whole thing boils down to a matter of communication at a level at which the problem can be solved,” summed-up Mr. Kearns. Since its creation in 1964, the Unit project has proven helpful in several ways. Today there is more satisfac tory bed utilization. ]\Ir. Kearns learns early in the day what pa tients are expected to be trans ferred to or from his four wards. In turn, he notifies the house keeping supervisor and rooms are made ready for the patients. This helps to alleviate bottle necks in the Recovery Room as well as the Operating Room and also helps assure the patient that he will get the type of accommo dation and nursing care he will need. The presence of the unit has also been a help to the head nurses of the wards, for they have more time for patient con tact and actual nursing. In the past these nurses were called on to supplement their already demanding schedules by taking care of many other administra tive matters. Now the unit ad ministrator is on call all day and night to ‘ ‘ come and take charge ’ ’ when necessary. Today the quiet hour is taken seriously on the unit wards. Traffic is controlled. Intercom announcements are made re questing all visitors to leave. Hall lights are dimmed, and ap propriate signs are placed in the hallways. Before the creation of the unit, there was simply not enough supervision to enforce the rules. By improving the communica tions between the nurses and the dietitians, delays at mealtime and lost time in the X-ray De partment have also been to a great extent overcome. And, because there is someone on the wards all day who feels the responsibility for and who cares about the physical areas and who has the time to let some one else know about the neces sary repair or replacement of an item, there is also today a much better program of “preventive maintenance. ’ ’ When asked what had im pressed him the most about his experience with the unit, Mr. Kearns replied: “The most im pressive single thing to me has been the unreserved cooperation that the unit has received from everyone. I’ve never been turned down for anything. And this is so important, for there are virtually no problems that can be solved by any one person . . . and certainly none that I can solve alone.” The future of the unit? “If the project proves successful, ad ministration units would be cre ated in other areas of the hos pital,” explained Mr. Kearns. The “success” of the unit seems readily apparent. Its suc cesses have come with the efforts of many, not just one, or even five, but with the cooperation of all concerned. And that, indeed, is communications. And com munications is what the unit is all about. Unit dietitian Joanne Burleigh encourages patient Kenneth Kellum to consider fresh fruit when he cheeks his luncheon menu. ‘A i^irs. Kstelle Blackwelder, housekeeping supervisor on tlie unit, talks to Mrs. Sally Taylor and Mr. Walter Wortham who are getting a room ready for a new patient. The lights, floor, walls, blinds, bed, and all other furnishings niust bo cleaned with a disinfectant before the room is considered ready for occupancy. INTERCOM - 7 VOL. 13 NO. 8/1966
InterCom (Durham, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 1, 1966, edition 1
7
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