GGH wins the RNAO’s Recognition in the Workplace Award

Guelph General Hospital recently won the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) Recognition in the Workplace Award for 2012. This award recognizes an Ontario healthcare organization for its work to foster involvement of RNs in their professional association; for creating a climate of professional partnership and quality work life and for demonstrating commitment to promoting professional development and research-based practice.

It was a great night for GGH at the RNAO’s Annual General Meeting. Not only did we win the Workplace award, we were also recognized as becoming an RNAO Best Practice Spotlight Organization.

GGH is an RNAO Best Practice Spotlight Organization candidate and has already implemented six best practice guidelines. Over 50 staff have attended the workshop and have committed to being best practice champions. The Hospital has supported hosting a champion workshop on site to support and promote the work of RNAO. Over the next three years, five additional guidelines will be implemented.

To help strengthen professional partnerships, each inpatient unit conducts “bullet rounds” daily which facilitate the full participation of all team members to report on the progress of each patient and discuss any concerns in a supportive environment. The focus of these rounds is to improve communication and patient outcomes and prepare the patient and family for their eventual return to home.

GGH has a strong commitment to promoting professional development. For example, the Hospital financially supported 45 people to complete the Hemispheres course improving their clinical expertise in stroke care. We recently opened a specialized stroke care unit to ensure that these complex patients are cared for using the best practice standards outlined in the RNAO guidelines.

Finally, GGH has secured 5 successful RNAO fellowships in the past few years providing development opportunities for staff who have demonstrated great leadership. These fellowships assisted the hospital in developing comprehensive workplace safety policies, as well as policies addressing bullying in the workplace, organ donation, wound care and the need for universal screening for victims of domestic violence.