CCI Blog

As the newest VA hospital in 19 years opened in May of 2013, there was no doubt that certified nurses would be highly involved in the activation process. Not only did certified nurses assist with design, equipment ordering, vendor collaboration, and departmental organization, but they collectively wrote 43 new Standard Operating Procedures for the facility. Fast forward five years later and VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) is still highly encouraging and supportive of their certified nurses, allowing them to be recognized as a recipient of CCI's 2018 TrueNorth Award.

In the suburbs of Reading, PA there is a small borough in Berks County that is home to around 10,000 residents known as Wyomissing, PA. While this quaint town has plenty of charm, we are particularly interested because it is the location of the Reading Hospital SurgiCenter at Spring Ridge, one of two 2018 TrueNorth Award recipients. As a 2017 TrueNorth Award Honorable Mention, this facility was eager to continue toward excellence. Highly committed to supporting nurses through the process of certification, this returning applicant caught CCI's attention when they submitted an application even more impressive than the last. 

CCI's TrueNorth Award was created to recognize those organizations that use CNOR certification to guide their perioperative nursing staff to be lifelong learners, models of competent practice, and advocates for excellence and patient safety. Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital of Orlando Health does this well. A first-time applicant for the TrueNorth Award, Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital stood out and impressed judges with the ways they support and promote certification amongst their perioperative nurse staff. In fact, their 2018 TrueNorth Award application was so impressive, they were named this year's TrueNorth Award Runner Up and received a recent visit from CCI's CEO Dr. James Stobinski. Their commitment to perioperative certification has shown through in numerous ways.

We recently had the privilege to visit one remarkable facility and host a CNOR Exam Prep Course for a group of exceptional and determined nurses. Part of Northern California's largest health network, Sutter Health, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, is made up of multiple facilities including Ose Adams Medical Pavilion, Anderson Luchetti Women's & Children's Center, and Sutter Center for Psychiatry. While each of these facilities offers patient care in different areas, they all work together to serve the surrounding Sacramento community with compassion and excellence.

We are so honored to present John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek as this month’s Hospital Highlight. This impressive facility is recognized as one of the nation’s premier health care providers by several organizations including U.S. News & World Report. The 554-licensed bed hospital offers high quality care in many specialty areas including pediatrics, orthopedics, cardiac, neurosciences, rehabilitation, cancer, and more. John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek has been awarded many accolades because of the hard work of a dedicated staff, all serving a meaningful mission. The facility’s dedication to provide exceptional care is mirrored by the practices in place within which have lead to the recognition of outside organizations.

Once a year CCI offers CNOR grants through the AORN Foundation to both individual nurses and facilities in support of certification efforts. CCI is always eager to learn about the recipients, and we are proud to feature Batson Children's Hospital as this month’s Hospital Highlight. As the only medical facility in Mississippi dedicated solely to children and adolescents, this facility has worked hard to create a high standard for the care provided within. Eager to continue to make strides in the quality of care provided, the Batson Children's Hospital, part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, is ready to put the 2017 CNOR Grant received earlier this year to use.

Queen’s Medical Center, Same Day Surgery Operating Room located in Honolulu, has worked extremely hard over the last few years to increase the quality of care provided within the facility. Determined, the facility has focused efforts on careful financial planning, employing a supportive and involved staff, and creating a rewarding environment. These combined efforts have lead Queen’s Medical Center Same Day Surgery OR to become one of the top facilities in Hawaii, offering exceptional care to the surrounding community. CCI is delighted to recognize this facility’s hard work and honor them as this month's Hospital Highlight.

According to a recent study by WalletHub, Florida is the best state for military retirees as it received high rankings in economic environment, quality of life, and health care. One of the VA health care facilities located in the sunshine state is James A. Haley Veteran's Hospital (JAHVH), this month's Hospital Highlight. A teaching hospital, this facility offers a wide range of services, is equipped with latest technology and participates in many educational and research opportunities. Supporting certification with the help of the facility's CNOR Coach, JAHVH is committed to encouraging their perioperative staff to advance through continued education and achieved competencies ensuring the highest quality of care is provided. 

Certification is defined as the process of providing an individual with an official document attesting to a status or level of achievement. Certification is used in the perioperative profession so nurses may demonstrate their mastery of knowledge in surgical nursing, and their ability to apply this knowledge to their clinical practice. With a goal to create a culture of patient safety and extraordinary care, certification benefits the entire healthcare community from the patient to the nurse to the facility. A 2017 TrueNorth Honorable Mention and this month's Hospital Highlight, Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital, is highly aware of these benefits and in return works hard to motivate nurses to become certified within the facility. 

For this month's Hospital Highlight we are pleased to feature the 2017 TrueNorth Award recipient, Stamford Hospital. Located in Stamford, CT, this TrueNorth applicant impressed CCI, the TrueNorth Board, and judges alike with the innovative programs and procedures in place, particularly within their perioperative departments. Determined to provide high-quality health care, Stamford works hard to support their staff and encourage professional advancement, including an emphasis around the importance of obtaining certification.