Volume 9 Issue 18 September 5, 2014

PRESBYbulletinPenn Presbyterian Medical Center

Making History and Progress with the National Veterans Wheelchair GamesTh is year marked the 34th National Veterans Wheelchair Games—the largest gamesyet, with over 650 men and women competing in soft ball, quad rugby, basketball, power soccer, and other events in Philadelphia and South Jersey.

Support from the U.S. Department of Veterans Aff airs (VA) for wheelchair sports dates back to the 1940s, when disabled World War II vets played wheelchairbasketball in VA hospitals nationwide.

Forty years later, the VA established the Recreation Th erapy Service, whichstrengthened support for the rehabilitative qualities of wheelchair athletics. Th e fi rstgames were held a year later, with 74 veterans from 14 states facing off in numerous sporting events.

Th is year, the aptly-named theme was “Philly: Where Heroes Make History.”

Some of the week’s volunteers came from Penn Medicine, including physicians, nurses and other hospital staff and students from Penn Medicine’s High Schoolnurses, and other hospital staff , and students from Penn Medicines High School pipeline program.

“Th ere was such a positive energy—smiles on everyone,” said Nora Brennan, BSN,

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The 20014 Penn MMedicinneInfl ueenza Vaccinne Camppaign for emmployeees will beegin as usuual in laate Septeeember/earlyy Octobber. This ttiiming is choosen too providdde optimal pprotecttionduringgg the usual peak ttimess for inflflfl uenza infeection iinthe Phhhiladelphia area. The vvaaccine commponenntsare iddentical to those oof2013. AAs usual, thhe UPHHSOccuppational Heealth practiices will proovide vaccinnation oppoortunitiesat muultiple conveenient sites. The calendar anddetaills will be poosted on theee UPHS Intrranet Homeeepage. Pennn MediicineeStaff wwwill be ablee to prinnt their ooown bar-cooded

conseent forms beeeginning in mid-Septeember.

Any PPenn Mediciine faculty or emplooyees who ccchoose to bbe vaccinated for thhe 2014 seasson in theirown ddoctor’s officces or pharrmaciees, shouldd save the dddocumentattion annd submit it in Septeeember or Occtober r withh their bbar-coded ffoforms. Documentaationncan be submitteddd by drop-offf to your PPenn Medicccine OccupaationallHealthh Practice ooor by emailing PDFFs (including the barr-coded forrm) toOccHealth@uphsss.upenn.eduu.

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Contact Us: Katie Delach | katie.delach@uphs.upenn.edu | http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside/presbybulletin/

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RN, CHFN, a primary care connector nurse at the HUP, whose husband served as a U.S. Marine and whose nephew served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Th is is a great city to explore, we have so much to off erin history, medicine, and other areas—these guests should see that.”

Brennan seized the opportunity to give back, volunteering at the durable medical equipment room,the hospitality table, and Kids’ Day. On top of those duties, she was one of thousands of fans in the stands at many events, including awards ceremoniesand basketball.

For those of us who are not veterans, the Games are a vital reminder thatthe costs of war extend far beyond the battlefi eld. Th e event exemplifi es our disabled veterans’ ability to triumph over adversity, and the importance of caring for those who have served in ournation’s military.

For more on the 34th National VeteransWheelchair Games including fi rst-person accounts from Penn Medicinevolunteers, please visit the Penn Medicine News Blog at http://news.pennmedicine.org/blog/.

Making History and Progress with the National Veterans Wheelchair Games

Age is just anumber…my birth date makes meunique

The Joint Commission Center for TransformingHealthcare has reported that “an estimated

80 percent of serious medical errors

involve miscommunication when patients are transferred or handed off.” As acore council, we identifi ed fi ve key components crucial for all handoffs, and madeimproving handoffs a focus for this year. The fi ve components are: introduction of self, patient’s name, date of birth, allergies, and if the nurse asked if you had anyquestions. Over 200 observations were done hospital-wide and we found that date of birth had the lowest compliance with only 42 percent. Many nurses were usingage as the identifi er. Identifying patients correctly is a National Patient Safety Goal, and at least two unique identifi ers should be used for each patient.

As a committee, we made several interventions to highlight the importance of usingdate of birth in handoff communication. We threw “birthday parties” with cupcakes,balloons, and bright pink t-shirts with our slogan. We also rounded on every unit with balloons and pens, posting signs as huddle reminders.

In the coming months, we will be collecting post-intervention data. Next year, the council will focus on improving compliance of allergies. In the meantime, we remindall staff that “age is just a number…my birth date makes me unique!”

Nursing Quality Council: Handoff Communication

COMMUNITY SCHOLARS-IN-RESIDENCE: A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR FACULTY RESEARCH TRANSLATION

Applications are nnow being acccepted for tthe inaugurall ccohort of Commuunity Scholars-in-Residence programm to beegin iin January 200115. Th is neww facullty develoopment oppoortunity will enablee Penn faculty to ddeevelop meanningfuul reseaarch relatioonships with community healthh orgaanizations, essttablish best practicces incommmunity-engagged research,, and leeveragge their expeertise for schoolarshiip thatt leads to improved health outcoomes. Commmunity schoolaars-in-residdence wwill ideentify researrch opportunnities and co--develoop ressearch projecctts during a ttwo-yeear perriodwith aa communityy research paartner oof theeir choosing. ThTh ey will haave deddicatedd releasse time for coommunity-enngagedd heallth research aannd will receiive mentorinng and a uniqque collaboraative skills-deevelopmmentt program. Sttaanding facullty are eligiblle. Applications are ddue Monday, Septemmber 15th and ressuults will be aavailable in early Octobber. Applicatiion materialss are avvailabble here: httpp:///www.medd.upennn.eduu/chbr/trainiing.shtml