WDH 2020-2021 Nursing Report - Flipbook - Page 14
Transformational Leadership
Increased Inpatient Capacity in 2020
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital frequently exceeded 85%
inpatient capacity in 2018 and 2019. The steadily increasing
census continued into early 2020 as we began preparing for a
surge of COVID patients. Peak capacity impacts throughput,
meaning patients are held in the Emergency Department and
Post Anesthesia Care Unit when inpatient units are full. This is
not optimal for care and can delay treatment and surgical cases.
Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care
Services, Sheila Woolley, BSN, MPH, RN made a strategic
organizational decision to increase the number of inpatient
beds. The old 3 South was an inpatient unit which closed
when the Garrison wing opened in 2012. Director of Inpatient
Services, Becky Sherburne MBA, BSN, RN, CNML, led the team
tasked with reopening 3 South for stable medical patients.
Representatives from Nursing, Respiratory Therapy,
Pharmacy, Medicine, Rehabilitation Services, Plant Operations,
Environmental Services, Nutrition Services, Security,
Laboratory Services, Clinical Informatics, Human Resources,
and Payroll came together to secure the resources, equipment,
supplies, and personnel needed to care for patients.
Less than 11 weeks later, on November 17, 2020, 3 South was
officially open, averaging 8 daily patients that first week. Within
a year, the unit census increased to 21 patients per day.
A lot was accomplished in
a short time! Some of the
tasks completed by the
interdisciplinary team included:
• Repaired, patched, painted, and cleaned
all rooms
• Purchased a Pyxis™ medication
dispensing machine
• Assembled an emergency response
crash cart
• Set up beds, tables, and supplies,
modeled after existing inpatient units
• Mock Codes conducted
• Hired additional RNs and LNAs into
the Medical-Surgical Float Pool
• Trained Float Pool staff on unit-specific
workflows
• Established a cost center and unit
budget
Back row left to right:
Gregory Pullen, RN
Meghan Schaeffer, RN
Sarah McGee, RN/CPL
Katherine Linchey, RN
Kim Thibodeau, LNA
Front row left to right:
Megan Wilson, RN,
Kristen Kirkpatrick, RN Traveler
Carrie Coffin, RN, Nurse Manager
Bianca Gaudette, RN,
Angela Nichols, LNA
14
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital