Kim Ladouceur, RN, nurse in charge for Braunwald Tower 11ABD, demonstrates the bedside organizer.

An out-of-reach call button or a misplaced TV remote or personal belonging may increase some patients’ risk of falling if they attempt to get out of bed on their own to access these items.

In 2019, this was top-of-mind for Maureen Tapper, MSN, RN, PCCN, a nurse in-charge (now nursing director), and Sarah Thompson, MSN, RN, CCNS, CWON, a Wound, Ostomy and Continence nurse, who was the professional development manager on Thoracic Intermediate and Surgical Care at the time.

Working with the Brigham Digital Innovation Hub, Tapper and Thompson identified a cost-effective product that attaches to the patient’s bed and secures items like cell phones, TV remotes and the call button.

They received funding from Estrellita Karsh, longtime friend and donor of the Department of Nursing, for a pilot.

Tapper and Thompson provided education about the bedside organizer and surveyed clinical nurses, PCAs and patients during the pilot.

One patient shared: “In the past, I was always dropping the phone, TV remote, and other items on the floor. They were cluttering my bedside table or under the sheets somewhere. With the organizer, everything was in reach and in one place. This made calling the nurse in the middle of the night so much easier. Thank you, Thoracic nurses, for developing the bedside organizer.”

Based on survey results, Tapper and Thompson worked with the vendor to tailor the bedside organizer, which was later approved by the New Products Approval Committee.

Because of its impact on safety, quality of care and patient experience, the organizer is now given to every Thoracic patient upon admission. Tapper and Thompson are also exploring opportunities to implement the product more broadly.

Why it’s Magnet

Magnet designation requires an example of an innovation involving nursing as part of the New Knowledge, Improvements and Innovations (NK5) component of the Magnet model. This is one of many examples throughout the Brigham demonstrating how nursing-led innovations improve the care and experience of patients and loved ones.

It’s who we are.