In tandem with our new $120 million tower that features state-of-the-art operating rooms, private patient rooms and the latest medical technology, Loyola University Hospital has introduced a new nursing care model that takes a unique approach in caring for you and your family.
The Magis Patient & Family Care Model makes you and your family partners in treatment with the goal of improving your physical and spiritual comforts, speeding healing and improving overall performance at the medical center.
"We've tried to learn from the most successful practices and combine them with our own Magis values of care, concern, respect and cooperation," said Paula Hindle, RN, MSN, MBA, vice president, chief nurse executive, Loyola. " As a result, we've developed a program that is unique to Loyola with a new model that will touch nearly every aspect of our patient care."
The new model increases the time nurses spend at your bedside, ensuring that you and your family receives as much one-on-one attention and hands-on care as needed. The tower supports the new model by eliminating large, central nursing stations on patient floors and replacing them with smaller stations outside patient rooms. Nurses are able to hold small "hallway huddles" to confer about patients with complex conditions.
To place nurses closer to you, nurses are assigned groups of four patients with a nurse station located in the center of the four rooms. The nurse can easily see all four patients. Also, one patient care technician is assigned to every two nurses in adjoining groups.
"The new model and the tower are really our way of empowering patients and their families to ensure the best possible outcomes," said Debbie Jasovsky, PhD, RN, CNAA, BC, associate chief nurse executive, Loyola. Patients identify family who are to be included in care decisions and visitors who are to be treated like family.
"Family members are able to consult with physicians and nurses about treatment options and patient preferences are respected, including their religious and cultural traditions. Since the rooms are private, we're able to offer some family members the option of staying overnight in the patient's room if they choose," Jasovsky added. Each room includes a sofa bed.
Loyola spent months testing and refining the system in other parts of the hospital before introducing it to the tower.
One of the most visible signs of the new model is the introduction of new uniforms for all nurses at Loyola. The uniforms consist of pale blue scrubs with white jackets. Other staff members, such as patient care technicians and transporters, also will wear uniforms to help patients instantly recognize who they are.
The Magis Patient- & Family Care Model includes a wide range of practices, such as:
- Nurses are to make hourly rounds for pain, positioning and toileting. Nurses will be expected to ask probing questions to determine levels of pain and other symptoms.
- Nurses and physicians will be expected to follow the four Ps to reflect on each patient's care: pause, ponder, plan and pray.
- Nurses will ask patients for their goals each day.
To find the most ideal nurse candidates who will be committed to providing this higher level of care, the human resources department at Loyola is using a new recruiting process that places more emphasis on a performance assessment tool. All nurse candidates also are personally interviewed by a vice president, and the orientation process includes an additional 3.5 days focused on communication skills.
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM
