Franklin Memorial Hospital Caregiver of the Year

Honors Surgical Services Director Rebecca Wood

Farmington ¾

 

Surgical Services Director Rebecca Wood has been named Caregiver of the Year for Franklin Memorial Hospital (FMH) according to Gerald Cayer, executive vice president. Cayer made the announcement during a recent manager’s meeting, praising Wood’s 14 years of service at Franklin Memorial Hospital .

 

“Becky is a demonstrated leader in the departments she oversees. During her time at the helm, she has brought all levels of staff together resulting in improved staff morale, and changes that contribute to better patient care and improved patient satisfaction,” Cayer said. “She is supportive and a true working manager, helping out when the need is there.”

 

As surgical services director, Wood oversees: day surgery, operating room (OR), post-anesthesia care unit, preadmission testing, endoscopy, and pain clinic. These busy departments combined treat approximately 4,600 patients each year.

 

Woods nomination cited a collaborative project with anesthesia providers and surgeons, in which nursing staff implemented a comprehensive surgical checklist to reduce preventable mistakes that may occur in ORs. This checklist represents best practices for pre-procedure check in, sign in, time out, and sign out. Since its employ, the surgical team is more engaged with one another, and surgical defects have declined toward the goal of zero.

 

In addition, a patient education program that helps guide patients through the surgical process was implemented. Patients start out in the surgeon’s office and are given a surgical folder with educational information inside including procedure expectations, anesthesia types, pain management, and a magnet with tips for proper post-op care. Patients bring this folder with them to all appointmentsundefinedengaging them in their care and having organized and quick access to all their surgical information.

 

Kelli Gats, day surgery charge nurse, added, “As a result of Becky’s leadership style and communication approaches, I feel that the day surgery and OR units have stronger working relationships. We feel more cohesive as a unit, regularly discussing each other’s schedules and needs. Most nurses can function in each area and many can function adeptly in multiple roles.”

 

“This annual award honors a caregiver who on a daily basis demonstrates extraordinary commitment to the delivery of care to patients and their families,” said Cayer. “Each hospital is allowed only one nominee, so being nominated is truly an honor.”

 

As the FMH representative, Wood was considered among 39 nominees for the 2013 Maine Hospital Association (MHA) Caregiver of the Year Award. “All of the nominees demonstrated the superior quality of care given at Maine hospitals,” said Steven Michaud, MHA president. “It was a challenge to select just one award winner from the nominees.”

 

The MHA Caregiver of the Year award was announced at the MHA Summer Forum on June 19. The state winner is Margaret “Miki” MacDonald, a family nurse practitioner at St. Joseph Internal Medicine, part of St. Joseph Healthcare in Bangor .