Own It!

Inconsistent leadership in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, contributed to increased turnover in staff nurses and decreased physician satisfaction. To help resolve this problem, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Clinical Scene Investigator (CSI) team in the CVICU implemented the “Own It!” project.

First, the CSI team collected baseline data using the HWEAT. Then the project was officially announced to the nurses in the CVICU unit. The strategy of the project involved the following:

Near the end of the project, the CSI team surveyed the staff using the HWEAT. Results indicated that the team exceeded their improvement goals, with a larger than expected reduction in their unit’s staff nurse turnover rate. Overall the project was an amazing success, and the CSI team hopes to conduct the project in other intensive care units in their organization.

Sueyon Dodd, BSN, RN, Kevin Muntean,...