KGH rolls out new ways of delivering patient care
By Michael Onesi
November 9 marked a new era at Kingston General Hospital as the Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Model (ICPM) rolled out on two showcase units – Kidd 7 and Connell 3 – and staff are adjusting to a new way to provide patient care.
“So far it’s going very well,” says ICPM Project Manager Cynthia Phillips. “There have been some minor issues but considering the amount of change taking place, I’m quite impressed that people are all embracing the new model. It definitely improves patient care.”
ICPM is about transforming how KGH delivers care to patient. The new model redesigns roles (e.g., who does what) and processes (e.g., how do people work) to meet the changing needs of patients and to improve efficiency of how care is delivered. Ultimately, this new model is designed to empower every member of the health-care team to work to their full potential.
“There are many good things about ICPM,” says Connell 3 charge nurse Cathy Ewart. “We need to be paying closer attention to the patients and their families. They need to be brought into the plan of their care sooner and be more informed. The way we deliver care is different now. We will adapt and get ICPM going.”
To prepare everyone for the change, there have been educational sessions arranged, articles in Spectrum, and information posted on the Intranet. Staff members who had any questions or concerns were encouraged to ask questions and seek answers. Managers and senior leaders were on hand helping with problem solving as needed and answering any questions.
Cathy says the Connell 3 staff has been going through a lot of changes lately so they can adjust quickly to the change.
“We recently moved from Connell 9 to Connell 3. So the staff on Connell 3 are an adaptable unit,” Cathy says. “ICPM has been going fairly well. We have learned to go with the flow and we work together very well.”
One major change under ICPM is documentation. In the past, nurses charted on one sheet, physicians on another and allied health professionals (such as dietitians, therapists) documented in other locations.”
“Now everyone charts together in the same place -- a truly interprofessional team approach,” Cynthia says. “So not only have we changed all the forms, we have changed the locations of the paperwork, and all of us are now expected to document at the bedside.”
Kidd 7 charge nurse Jill Smith says some Kidd 7 employees were involved in the planning process and there has been a lot of discussion and education leading up to the Nov. 9 launch date.
“There is a different way of thinking with ICPM,” Jill says. “It will help develop the nurses. They are going to have to think differently, they are going to have to be aware of more than just their own patients.”
Vice President Clinical Administration and Professional Practice Eleanor Rivoire is the ICPM executive sponsor. She praises KGH staff for the thousands of hours that have gone into organizing this major hospital initiative.
“There have been hundreds of dedicated people involved in implementing this project. I want to thank everybody for all their hard work,” Eleanor said. “Changing your daily routine can be difficult but ICPM will lead to better patient care. This new model will help us achieve our goal of providing outstanding care, always.”
KGH officials will be monitoring activities on Kidd 7 and Connell 3 and collecting feedback as they begin to prepare for the next ICPM launch set to take place in March on Kidd 3 and Kidd 6.
