ICU Strong - March Winners
Spring has sprung and so has a new set of ICU Strong winners! The winners for March are:
Overall ICU Strong Trophy/Banner Winner - 8 MTN ICU
Overall ICU Strong 2nd Place - PICU
Overall ICU Strong 3rd Place - 8 CST ICU
Most ICU Strong Story Submissions - 8 MTN ICU
Most Great Catch/Near Miss Report Submissions - NICU
Top Quality Points Earned - 9 CST ICU
We have also highlighted a few random ICU Strong Stories of the Month from each ICU unit that submitted stories - please read and enjoy!
10MICU - I just want to shout out Alyson C for her amazing care and attention to detail each shift. I never have to ask her to do things because she’s always on top of it. Her bed alarms are on, her rates are verified, her mouthcare is done. She keeps a positive attitude and is a great coworker! Keep it up!
8 CST ICU - We had a patient on the unit get transferred to the PCU after over a month in our unit. He is a chronic trach vent patient with multiple co-morbidities and very high risk for pressure injuries. In the skin assessment prior to transfer, the patient was found to have no skin breakdown and no pressure injuries!! Such great work from our ICU nurses and staff to ensure this patient leaves the unit with no HAIs!
8 MTN ICU - Over the past several months, the 8 MTN ICU Quality Committee has been working diligently to strengthen oral care compliance for both non‑vented and vented patients. This effort has involved consistent staff engagement, workflow refinements, and intentional reinforcement of best practices at the bedside. Thanks to this team‑based commitment, the unit has achieved significant, measurable improvements—demonstrating how collective focus can drive patient‑centered outcomes.
9 CST ICU - Dottie Cook, RN arranged for a patient to go outside for the first time in her 34 day admission.
9 MTN ICU - Kyleigh Bradley the CPDF for 9 and 10MICU has implemented shadow time and rounding with new hires to the ICU to promote congruence with HAC prevention bundles and to answer questions regarding care. This is CRITICAL for the promotion of a psychologically safe and consistent care environment for our patients. THANK YOU for promoting patient safety and improving outcomes in your day-to-day work. I appreciate you!
9 SICU - I was working an evening shift and Josie asked me about one of her patients potentially needing a foley. We looked at the documentation together and determined he wasn’t quite at the point of needing one yet. Kudos to Josie for asking before placing!
PICU - Ashley Dean, RN, was assisting in the PICU on March 14. At approximately 8:00 a.m., she was obtaining morning labs with the assistance of a safety sitter. During this time, Ashley noticed that the sitter appeared unsteady on her feet and asked if she was feeling okay. Ashley immediately stopped what she was doing and followed the sitter out of the room. As the sitter began to lose consciousness, Ashley caught her and safely guided her to the floor to prevent injury.
I was at the Omnicell retrieving morning medications when I heard Ashley clearly and calmly call for an Adult Rapid Response. I immediately ran around the nurses’ station and activated the Rapid Response Team. The team quickly came together to ensure the staff member remained safe and calm. The sitter did briefly lose consciousness for a few seconds, so we obtained a full set of vital signs before Clinical Administration arrived. Clinical Administration then escorted the staff member to the Emergency Department for further evaluation.
Ashley was an outstanding team member to have in the PICU during this situation. She remained calm, communicated clearly, and acted quickly to ensure the staff member’s safety. I am very proud of the way she handled this incident and the professionalism she demonstrated.
