RWJF and ANA Cosponsor Nursing Policy Roundtable

On May 13, 2005, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Nurses Association cosponsored a nursing policy roundtable on Capitol Hill to discuss "Pathways to Safety and Quality in Nursing in the Acute Care Setting." The briefing was moderated by Mary Wakefield, Center for Rural Health, University of North Dakota who provided an overview of the three-pronged strategy to improve the work environment: (1) organizational culture; (2) work processes and process improvements; and (3) physical design.

Speakers included Tami Merryman, UPMC Shadyside, Pittsburgh, PA, who provided an up close and personal look at one hospital’s effort to transform care at the bedside. Ann Hendrich, Ascension Health, St Louis, Missouri provided a glimpse into how advances in technology and physical design are empowering nurses, increasing nurse retention and creating work environments that improve the quality of patient care. Jim Collins, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provided an overview about how innovations in "safe patient handling" are creating a culture of safety and reducing injuries, increasing job satisfaction and saving money.

Suggested recommendations from this briefing include:

• Support technology innovations targeted at achieving the IOM's six aims of safety, effectiveness, patient centeredness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity.
• Encourage public and private partnerships to strengthen nurse work environments to address safety needs and improve the quality of patient care.
• Explore a review of current reimbursement policies to ensure they allow the flexibility to pursue needed innovations in care that are evidence-based, and driven by nurses, patients and their families.
• Explore efforts to evaluate how the current regulatory system facilitates or inhibits needed changes to the work environment for nurses. How can we support health care professionals and organizations that seek to accomplish the six aims mentioned above?
• Bring nurses to the table. Ensure nurse representation on high-level boards and other decision-making bodies relating to innovations in healthcare information technology, physical design and other workplace issues.

The briefing provided an opportunity to share information and strategies from two important initiatives, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Transforming Care at the Bedside and the ANA's Handle with Care Project.

Rose Gonzalez, MPS, RN