Frankfort Regional Medical Center

National Recognition for Local Nurses Keeping Patients Coece Research shows that patients value connection—and that's why Frankfort Regional Medical Center chose to bring in new technology that can do just that. ConnectMe™ terminals place information directly into patients' hands, allowing them a window to the outside world and a direct line to support staff to ensure their needs are being met. "With the touch of a button, patients can view their medical record information through a patient portal, ask questions, browse the Internet, watch movies, listen to music and even connect with family and friends with features like Skype," says Karen Wooldridge, MA, BSN, RN, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer at Frankfort Regional. "The possibilities empower patients to personalize their rooms and their stay." Patients decide how they want to use the technology, from entertaining their guests to reaching out to loved ones who live far away. "This tool makes life more convenient, and I've seen patients use it creatively, even to introduce their newborn to out-of-town friends," Wooldridge says. "We've placed this technology in designated patient rooms along multiple floors and look forward to hearing feedback in our next patient satisfaction survey." Health care is always changing, and this is just one example of how we are changing with you in mind. At Frankfort Regional Medical Center, patients who are admitted to the hospital after surgery find themselves in the care of the award-winning staff of our third floor surgical unit. There, skilled nurses work with patients to monitor their progress, help them regain their strength and meet their specific needs. This team of highly trained nursing professionals has a reputation for dedicated care. Recently, their hard work was recognized when they received an honorable mention in the first-ever HCA Unit of Distinction Awards. "The Unit of Distinction Award was given to the top 10 percent of surgical unit teams throughout HCA's national network," says Jennifer Gwinn, RN, MSN, Director of the Third Floor Medical-Surgical Clinic, Endoscopic Services and the Infusion Center at Frankfort Regional. "This award clearly highlights the dedication to improvement, education and patient experience this team exemplifies every day." RAISING THE BAR To better serve patients, the third floor surgical unit team focuses on education, safety and the satisfaction of both patients and the nurses who care for them. Recent improvement projects include implementing additional fall prevention measures and adding opportunities for more nurses to continue their education. HCA will reward the surgical unit by sending three nurses to a national conference in Washington, D.C., where they will earn credits toward continuing education. 7

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