Fox Chase Cancer Center Nursing Team Honored With Prestigious ‘I AM Patient Safety’ Achievement Award

Third floor surgical nursing team awarded the 2021 I AM Patient Safety award
Third floor surgical nursing team awarded the 2021 I AM Patient Safety award

PHILADELPHIA (March 11, 2021) – A nursing team at Fox Chase Cancer Center has been honored as a recipient of the 2021 I AM Patient Safety award from the Patient Safety Authority. The team was awarded the Executive Director’s Choice award, making it one of 11 healthcare facilities in Pennsylvania to be recognized for their advancements, outcomes, and commitment to patient safety.

The third floor surgical nursing team was recognized for reaching the significant milestone of one year with no patient falls on their three south unit. This milestone supports the nursing department’s Zero Harm program, a patient safety initiative that focuses on limiting preventable harm in the healthcare environment. 

“The third floor surgical unit team demonstrated that holding yourself and each other accountable for patient safety can accomplish an exemplary outcome,” said Anna Liza Rodriguez, MSN, MHA, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer and vice president of Nursing and Patient Services at Fox Chase.

Third floor surgical nursing team
Third floor surgical nursing team

“We are so proud of this Magnet team and their leaders for their commitment to target zero patient harm. That quest and dedication led to the achievement of no patient falls for one year and well-deserved statewide recognition,” Rodriguez added.

As part of this effort, the third floor surgical nursing team implemented a number of fall prevention practices, including using bed and chair alarms, frequent communication of unit “fall-free days,” and by using a patient education video made by the Fox Chase Fall Prevention Committee.

The I AM Patient Safety awards are judged by a cross section of national and regional healthcare executives, patient safety advocates, and government, university, and patient representatives. The award criteria include innovation, impact, sustainability, and scalability. Inclusion of the patient in the initiative and demonstrating extraordinary actions are also considered.

“We often focus on the problems in healthcare: the errors, the system breakdowns, and the harm caused to patients,” said Regina Hoffman, executive director of the Patient Safety Authority. “This is a chance for us to celebrate the things that go right each day in healthcare to make our patients safer and to honor the individuals and staffs who not only care, but also are taking action to improve outcomes.”

Since its inception in 2013, the I AM Patient Safety awards have honored hundreds of programs and individuals taking action to positively impact patient safety.

Fox Chase Cancer Center (Fox Chase), which includes the Institute for Cancer Research and the American Oncologic Hospital and is a part of Temple Health, is one of the leading comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation’s first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Fox Chase is also one of just 10 members of the Alliance of Dedicated Cancer Centers. Fox Chase researchers have won the highest awards in their fields, including two Nobel Prizes. Fox Chase physicians are also routinely recognized in national rankings, and the Center’s nursing program has received the Magnet recognition for excellence six consecutive times. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship, and community outreach. It is the policy of Fox Chase Cancer Center that there shall be no exclusion from, or participation in, and no one denied the benefits of, the delivery of quality medical care on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, age, ancestry, color, national origin, physical ability, level of education, or source of payment.

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