Phoenix Children’s recently hosted it’s second-ever “Quality Day” which gives all clinical staff, including residents, trainees, fellows, nurses, physicians and allied health professionals, the chance to present quality-improvement projects and ideas. The event is not only an exciting competition; it brings to light solutions that improve quality of patient care and processes in the workplace.

Feedback from staff on the frontlines — who see and care for patient families each day — helps Hospital leadership better understand and support solutions that improve care. Quality Day awards ideas and ongoing quality solutions staff develop, and it helps these initiatives get off the ground. Beyond the monetary award staff members receive, they are able to watch as their projects flourish into fully functional practices within Hospital departments.

This year, staff submitted 72 projects for consideration, up from 53 submissions last year. Concepts fall under categories including “completed/on-going quality projects”; “high-value, new-idea quality projects”; and poster projects presented by nurses, residents and allied health professionals. First place in the completed/on-going quality project category wins $1,000, second place receives $750 and third receives $500. Winning new/high-value ideas receive $500, and poster projects in the three categories receive $500. Finalists gave oral presentations and poster presentations displayed throughout the Quality Day event on April 24.

Finalists and winning projects presented at this year’s 2018 Quality Day event were as follows:

Completed/Ongoing Quality Projects:

  • 1st Place: “Enhanced bundle to reduce inpatient pediatric hem/onc/BMT hospital acquired central line associated bloodstream infection rates”; Presented by: Renee Conner, MSN, RN, CPN, NE-BC
  • 2nd Place: “Optimizing reference laboratory testing in hospitalized patients by eliminating testing that does not contribute to inpatient care”; Presented by: Kristian Schafernak, MD, MPH
  • 3rd Place: “Stopping acute kidney injury (AKI) before it happens”; Presented by: Abhay Vats, MD

High Value/New Idea Quality Projects:

  • “Reducing pressure ulcers and incidences of ventilator-associated pneumonia/ventilator-associated events among severe TBI”; Presented by: Elizabeth Murray, RN
  • “Innovative information technology tool to reduce nephrotoxic medication exposure and acute kidney injury in pediatric oncology”; Presented by: Michelina De La Maza, MD (Phoenix Children’s resident)
  • “Bronchiolitis Suctioning Clinic”; Presented by: Cherisse Mecham, MD (Phoenix Children’s fellow)

Resident, Nurse, Allied Health Professional Projects

  • Resident Category: “HIV Screening in an Urban Adolescent Population”; Presented by: Paul Broker, MD
  • Nurse Category: “Starting Intravenous Hydration in Outpatient Clinic Leads to Earlier Chemotherapy Administration on the Inpatient Service”; Presented by: Ariana Nieves, RN, BSN
  • Allied Health Professional Category: “Ultrasound Imaging of Orthopedic Magnetically controlled Spinal Rods”; Presented by: Monique Riemann, RDMS, RVT