Members of the interprofessional ethics rounds on Tower 9CD. From left: Martha Jurchak PhD, RN; Galen Henderson, MD; Mary Amatangelo, MS, RN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, CNRN, SCRN; Fr James Ojo; Ling Zhang, LICSW; and Vince Vacca, MSN, RN, CNRN, SCRN, ENLS.

In a step toward achieving Magnet designation, BWH submitted a body of evidence in April that demonstrates how the hospital meets 49 standards within the components of the Magnet model: Transformational Leadership, Structural Empowerment, Exemplary Professional Practice, and New Knowledge, Innovations and Improvements. Empirical Outcomes are required throughout the components. The 75 initiatives selected for submission are examples of our deep commitment to quality, nursing excellence, interprofessional collaboration and innovation. Throughout the year, we will use “Magnet Matters” to share some of these examples with you. We hope you will be inspired by the broad range of examples and the work being done across BWH.

Kim Leger, MSN, RN (left photo), Massiel Ortiz, MJ, BSN, RN, and Stephanie Ahmed, DNP, FNP-BC (right photo), share how they exemplify the hallmarks of Magnet.

Exemplary Professional Practice

Nurses use available resources to address ethical issues related to clinical practice and organizational ethical situations.

Example 1: Ethics Rounds Strengthen Communication and Improve Direct Patient Care

What happens when a family rejects a care team’s recommendations due to closely held cultural beliefs? How does a clinician honor what a patient would want if the patient can no longer speak? Who should decide the best interests of the patient? To help answer questions like these, the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Tower 9CD, convened weekly interprofessional ethics rounds.

The rounds are led by the clinical ethics executive director and attended by the nurse-in-charge, the clinical nurse caring for the patient, the nurse director, the neurology attending physician, the chaplain and the social worker. Other members of the care team are invited and attend if they are available. These open forums provide an opportunity for every member of the care team to discuss and analyze an ethical issue affecting a patient and their family.

Over the past 11 years, team members have helped families distinguish the difference between what they want and what they think the patient would want for treatment. These conversations have helped families understand and manage their emotional response to withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment and have helped the care team deliver optimal patient care for patients and families facing the impact of neurological disease.

Visit www.BWHPikenotes.org/Magnet to access BWH’s Magnet submission website where you can read more about these examples, listed under Exemplary Professional Practice, EP17.