Firelands Health Nurse Wins Award for Improving Patient Safety and Outcomes

Firelands Health Nurse Wins Award for Improving Patient Safety and Outcomes

Firelands Health is proud to announce that Samantha Lehman, BSN, RN, has been named the grand prize winner of the hospital's annual Nursing Clinical Ladder Program, earning a $5,000 cash prize for significant, evidence-based improvements to patient care delivery systems.

Lehman's portfolio of projects was judged to have the greatest impact on patient care outcomes among all submissions in the highly competitive, peer-reviewed process.

Impacts on patient care:

• Rewrote patient discharge instructions for Digestive Health to improve patient understanding and reduce the likelihood of readmission.
• Created a sedation policy for ventilated critical care patients.
• Developed a difficult intubation supply cart, ensuring immediate access to necessary equipment during life-threatening patient emergencies.

The Nursing Clinical Ladder is a voluntary, self-motivated professional development tool that encourages nurses to utilize evidence-based practice to drive innovation within unit operations and patient care. The program provides career incentives for professional growth, with candidates judged on clinical practice, leadership, professional development and length of employment.

Firelands Health also recognized participants Marisa Munafo, BSN, RN and Danielle Buathier, BSN, RN, OCN, for their contributions to the clinical ladder.