We are pleased to acknowledge the recipients of
the 2010 OANHSS Awards. This program is our annual opportunity to
celebrate individuals and organizations that
demonstrate outstanding leadership, innovation and excellence in
care and services for seniors.
OANHSS Leadership Award
(Sponsored by: HIROC)
Bev Preuss
Bev Preuss is
the recipient of the OANHSS Leadership Award which is presented to an
individual who has demonstrated exemplary leadership and has made an
outstanding contribution to OANHSS and the long term care
sector.
During her career, Bev has
demonstrated leadership and made significant contributions to the sector
and to seniors in Ontario. She has held the administrator position in
municipal and charitable sectors, worked in small and large homes in
communities in the north and south of the province, and has operated
life lease, retirement home, seniors’ housing and community
services agencies. Bev also helped establish the Alzheimer Society
in Brantford, developed a successful proposal for an Alzheimer day
centre, was a member of the Brant District Health Council for three
years, managed a medication program in a pharmacy setting for six years
that serve 1200 long term care beds, and established and operated the
placement and co-ordination service for Brant, a forerunner to the CCAC
placement service.
Our Leadership Award winners
stand out not only for their exemplary performance in their official
roles, but also for the tremendous amount of time they willingly
dedicate to represent OANHSS to shape a better system of care and
services for seniors. Bev is certainly no exception. She has been a true
ambassador for the Association, never hesitating when called upon to
lend her support. She is extremely dedicated and committed,
speaking out on behalf of members and the work the Association
does whenever asked or whenever the opportunity arises. Bev
championed our cause on a number of major committees over the years
including the Long Term Care/Mental Health Steering Committee, programs
standards and the Ministry of Health/OANHSS liaison
committee.
Bev served as President of OANHSS
in 1997-98. Her tenure was a time of heady days in long term care
with the then-Conservative government’s massive announcement of
$2.5 billion to build 20,000 new beds and rebuild a further 16,000,
which we were told was one of the largest infrastructure projects in
North American history at the time. Bev’s other official roles in
OANHSS include six years as a director on the Board, chair of the
convention committee, chair of the nursing committee and three terms as
chair of the administrators section in Region 2. When her employment
took her from John Noble Home to Saint Luke’s Place in Cambridge,
she immediately became involved with Region 3 and eventually became
chair. In each of these capacities, Bev consistently displayed her
trademark commitment and dedication to serving members and the
Association.
In looking at the range of
Bev’s long term care experience and her dedication, it is an
honour to recognize her with the Leadership award.
Innovation &
Excellence - Supporting Seniors
(Sponsored by:
Lifemark Health Management)
Fairview Manor -
"Get WITH IT Program"
Fairview Manor is the recipient of the
OANHSS Innovation & Excellence Award - Supporting Seniors
for their Get With It! program.
The initiative mirrors a community wide wellness program
that encourages residents to “get with” the benefits of
walking. The objectives of which are to create a culture of walking
in the home and recognize walking as an essential daily wellness
activity.
The program motivates staff to
consistently walk residents daily at 11:30 a.m. Upbeat music is
piped in the hallways for 30 minutes. Depending on the music, residents
sing along, move or dance while holding onto walkers and staff.
Staff encourage, motivate and assist all residents who have the
ability to bear weight to participate. Everyone has a good time. At the
end of the walk, residents are encouraged to drink a glass of water to
assist in the prevention of constipation and UTIs.
Outcome measures are taken daily
to determine the effects of the walking program. The statistics gathered
to date show improvements in resident endurance, balance, gait, mobility
and mood. Other statistical reports generated show a significant
decrease in the number of residents requiring a totally dependent
mechanical lift for transfer. Since the implementation of the walking
program, Fairview has seen a decrease in incidents of pressure ulcers, a
resolution of community acquired chronic ulcers, improvement in cardio
pulmonary health and a reduction in contractures.
The increased social interaction
and the feeling of empowerment by being able to stand and walk, has
improved each resident’s psycho-social well being making them more
willing to join in activities.
Innovation & Excellence - Workplace
Quality
(Sponsored by: Koster Consulting &
Associates)
Lambton Meadowview Villa - "Med
Error Reduction Program"
Lambton Meadowview Villa is the recipient of the
OANHSS Innovation & Excellence Award - Workplace Quality
for their Med Error Reduction
Program. The program was a response to a
visibile increase in medication errors, a majority of which were
missed doses of medication at the home. A regular review of the
home’s incidents suggested a systemic problem that was not
relieved by additional training. Staff identified how difficult it was
to rotate between home areas as each floor was managed
differently.
Upon further investigation, the
home found that each floor, over time, had developed very different
systems including med-cart set-up and administration times for certain
medications. Based on the templates provided by staff, a
standardized med-cart template was developed that incorporated as many
common layouts as possible. These were then agreed to and all of the
med-carts were changed to match the standardized layout. A copy of the
standard template was provided to each staff, and posted on the med-cart
and the med-rooms. The attending physicians were then asked to set a
standardized administration pattern for each resident, for example, all
pain patches will be applied at 21:00 hours, all Fosamax given on
Saturday, all B12 given on the first Saturday of each month.
The implementation of the program
required the participation and cooperation from a number of groups,
including frontline staff, the contracted pharmacy service and the
physicians. The program utilized a number of QI techniques to address a
situation that, if left unresolved, could have had a negative impact on
the residents.
The primary improved outcome was
the reduction in medication errors, as measured through medication
incident reporting. Anecdotal evidence also suggests a reduction in
staff stress levels. There were no costs incurred to the home to
implement the program
List of 2009 OANHSS Award Winners
Previous OANHSS Award Winners
Questions?
For more information on the OANHSS Awards Program, contact Pam Seran-Rode at (905)
851-8821 ext. 253
