Infection Reduction Project Wins National Award

 Staff from St. Elizabeth Medical Center/MVHI Cardiac Surgery and Infection Prevention recently received an Award of Excellence at the national American Operating Room Nurses (AORN) Congress in Chicago.  The award is for a poster representing a project implemented in 2004 to reduce post-operative infections after open heart surgery. The poster, entitled Targeting Zero- A Bundle Approach to Reducing Mediastinitis After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery, reflected the work of a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses from various departments including the Cardiothoracic Operating Room, the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care and Progressive Care Units, Holding Area, and the Infection Control/Prevention Department, physician assistants, educators, and pharmacists.  Staff members implemented the project after an increase in infections was noted in 2003.  They reached their goal of zero in the category of donor site infections in 2006 and zero deep sternal wound infections in 2007. 

The award represents success in improving both clinical and financial outcomes for the Medical Center.  Halsey Bagg, Director of the Cardiac Services, recognizes Stacey Misiaszek, Cardio-Thoracic Operating Room (CTOR) Staff Nurse; Lorraine Circelli, Nurse Manager of the CTOR; and Linda Kokoszki, Infection Prevention Coordinator; and James Monahan, Nurse Manager of the Cardio-Thoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU) and Progressive Care Unit (PCU), for their work on the poster and in Chicago and to all of the staff involved in making this project a success.  Special thanks to Kevin Foresti, Marketing, Public Relations and Government Affairs, for his vision and design skill in creating this poster.

PHOTO CAPTION:  Pictured left to right are: Halsey Bagg, Lorraine Circelli, Kevin Foresti, Jim Monahan, Linda Kokoszki and Stacey Misiaszek.