WDH 2020-2021 Nursing Report - Flipbook - Page 23
Epilepsy Monitoring Unit
Michele Clark, BSN, RN
Nurse Manager, CCU, Critical Care Float Pool,
3 North/ImCU
In March 2021, an Interdisciplinary Operations
Excellence Team came together to begin an
exciting journey of implementing an inpatient
Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) on 3N/IMCU. The
organizational support for this new service was
provided by Champion, Todd Sigmon, and Executive
Sponsor, Ellen Caille. The EMU program is led by
providers Samhitha Intscher, MD, and Sameen Jafari,
MD, in collaboration with members from EEG, Inpatient
3N/IMCU Nursing Team, Pharmacy, NERI, Nursing
Leadership, OE, IT, and Patient Registration.
The project included expert nursing input from Mass
General Brigham (MGB) as we developed our WentowthDouglass Hospital (WDH) roles, responsibilities,
workflows, standards of care, and associated training.
This complex service also required installation of
and training on new equipment, designation and
preparation of 2 rooms, and the development of a team
approach in caring for this new patient population.
Education was developed and delivered by both
nursing and provider experts and included basic
bedside assessment through the complexities of seizure
recognition, patient care, and medical management. All
members of the IMCU nursing team embraced this new
opportunity and continue to challenge the experts with
questions that have allowed the program to evolve in
the last 5 months.
Upon arrival of our first patient in July 2021, the team
began the critical work of putting into practice the
protocols and processes of caring for this complex
patient population. Throughout the journey we as
a team, especially the IMCU bedside experts, have
discovered and recommended changes to assure the
highest quality of care is provided to these patients. As
a Level I EMU program, we soon realized our patients
had a lot to offer to enhance the patient experience. The
development of the EMU program at WDH has provided
a critical service to the patients in the community we
serve. Prior to EMU at WDH, travel to a tertiary care
facility was necessary for the basic care and assessment
of seizure activity and identification of a treatment plan.
We remain excited regarding the opportunity to bring
this valuable service to our patients closer to home.
In summary, we would like to acknowledge the time,
thoughtful attention, and commitment to excellence
by all members of the Interdisciplinary Team with a
special recognition of the IMCU Nursing Team and their
dedication to excellence in patient care.
2020–2021 Nursing Annual Report
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