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By Tyler Wilson
Billed as the largest
nursing
conference in the United States,
this year’s American Nurses
Credentialing Center (ANCC)
National Magnet Conference was
scheduled to feature research
findings by Kootenai Health
professionals. Although the
conference was cut short due to
Hurricane Matthew, one project,
led by Coeur d’Alene School
District school nurse and health
care coordinator Cindy Perry,
B.S.N., R.N., N.C.S.N., spotlighted
one of Kootenai Health’s foremost
community outreach programs.
Cindy, a Kootenai Health em-
ployee, has worked with the school
district since 1999 to expand the
presence of in-school nurses. Her
poster presentation at this year’s
conference focused on the impact
of a part-time nurse at Venture,
Coeur d’Alene’s alternative high
school.
“We as a hospital believe this is
important enough to support,” she
said. “We believe it is good for the
community. I feel like other com-
munities could benefit from that
support.”
A B O U T M A G N E T
The ANCC National Magnet Confer-
ence attracts over 9,000 nurses
and other health care professionals
from hospitals around the world.
“It’s a great place for nurses to
be energized, learn about the struc-
ture of the Magnet nursing model,
collaborate with other nurses and
bring that information back to their
colleagues,” said Robert Menden-
hall, Kootenai Health’s Magnet
Kootenai Health Chief Nursing
Officer Joan Simon said the
hospital typically sends 10 to
15 professionals to attend the an-
nual Magnet conference. Kootenai
Health also sends professionals
with research projects that show-
case successful implementation of
Magnet principles.
Although this year’s conference
in Orlando, Florida was cut short
due to threats from Hurricane
Magnet for Quality
K O O T E N A I H E A LT H N U R S E S P R E S E N T E D
AT N AT I O N A L M A G N E T C O N F E R E N C E
Document and Communications
Coordinator.
Obtaining Magnet Designation
is a considerable achievement for
health care organizations, and the
requirements evolve and expand
frequently. Kootenai Health was
first designated in 2006, redesig-
nated in 2011, and is now in the
process of its third redesignation,
based on the most recent Magnet
manual updates. Kootenai’s Mag-
net status is retained through the
process.
“The team is optimized to apply
best practices, to have everybody’s
voices heard and to have patient-
focused care,” Robert said.
Joan Simon, Chief Nursing Officer
at Kootenai Health, said Magnet
originated as a means for hospitals
to draw and retain quality nurses.
Matthew, here are this year’s
Kootenai Health presentations that
were scheduled for the ANCC
national Magnet Conference:
◗
◗
Cindy Perry gave the poster
presentation, “Nursing at an
Alternative High School: Improving
Health for a Healthy Future.”
◗
◗
Claudia Miewald gave a poster
presentation, “Effects of
Education on Outlooks and
Beliefs of Medical-Surgical Nurses
Caring for Psychiatric Patients”
◗
◗
Together with Joan, Walt Fairfax,
M.D., led a podium presentation
entitled, “Making Harm Visible:
Leveraging Transparency and
Leadership Commitment for
Improved Patient Outcomes.”
◗
◗
Carlana Coogle gave the poster
presentation, “Improving Emergency
Severity Index Score With an
Email: Can It Be This Easy?”
PUTTING SUCCESS ON DISPLAY
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