Welcome to PSFHS Nursing Services. We encourage every professional nurse to actively participate in decision making to improve nursing practice and our work environments. Here are some of our current committees and we invite nurses at all levels to participate. Any restrictions are noted in the purpose. If you have questions please contact the chair or talk with your clinical manager.

Committee / Chair / Purpose / Meetings / For Unit Use /
Nursing Leadership Council / Kate McCord, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNO / Nursing Council Chairs and Nursing Directors and VPs meet to establish strategic nursing direction and strengthen Shared Governance for nursing at Penrose St. Francis Health Services. (membership established)
Nursing Leadership/Management Council / Kate McCord, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNO; Lenora Kraft, BSN, RN / Nursing Leadership Council members, clinical managers, nursing leaders from across the continuum of services meet to communicate and implement strategic nursing direction and strengthen Shared Governance for nursing at Penrose St. Francis Health Services. (membership established) / 4th Tuesday,10-12 alternating PH, SFMC
Nursing Quality/ Patient Safety / Evelyn Angeles, BSN, RN, CCRN; Katrina Jones, BSN, RN / Facilitates the integration of quality and patient safety initiatives into daily nursing operations. This multi-specialty nursing committee will meet on a monthly basis to address nursing specific quality of care opportunities, process improvement opportunities, and review internal and national clinical performance data. / 4th Tuesday, 3-4 alternating PH, SFMC
Nursing Management Council / Lenora Kraft, BSN, RN; Jennifer Trahan, BSN, RN / To provide information and implement decisions necessary to support the clinical practice of nursing. (Nursing Managers Only) / 4th Tuesday, 1-2 alternating PH, SFMC
Nursing Practice Council / Christine Tavenner, BSN, RN; Louise Wilson, BSN, RN / The purpose of the Nursing Practice Council is to provide a forum for clinical nurses representing their respective units to participate in discussion, referral or decision-making that impacts specific nursing practice and patient care issues. / 4th Tuesday, 4-5:30 alternating PH, SFMC
Nursing Staffing Council / Roni Ferrenburg, MSN, RN; Kate McCord, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNO / Provide a forum for staff input into decisions affecting their staffing and work environment while working within the available resources. Provide staff education on staffing systems, budget process and best practices. / 4th Tuesday, 8-9 alternating PH, SFMC
Nursing Peer Review (CSI) / Deborah Turner, BSN, RN / Review investigations of identified quality of care events in a non-punitive manner; Identify opportunities for continuous performance improvement
Establish guidelines to review professional practice, to improve patient care and enhance patient safety; Recommend changes in systems or processes that will reduce the risk of a similar event in the future; Parallel the process used for peer review of physician practice / Twice a month. 2nd Fri 12pm Penrose Board Room; 4th Tues 2pm alternating PH even, SFMC odd months.
Nursing Professional Development Council / Daniele Lakin, RN, CCRN / To assess, implement and evaluate educational needs and activities of nursing staff to ensure excellent patient outcomes based on evidence and nursing research. / 4th Tuesday, 8-9 alternating PH, SFMC
Nursing EBP/Research Council / Velda Baker, BSN, RN, CGRN; Stefanie Quirk, MSN, RN, NP / To promote nursing research and use of evidence based practice to guide our nursing practices and improve outcomes within PSFHS / 4th Tuesday, 9-10 alternating PH, SFMC
Skin Resource Nurses / Mickey Miller, BSN, MBO, RN / Complete quarterly PU prevalence study and participate in education to improve patient skin care and reduce risk of PU. Educate colleagues on units. / Quarterly
Outreach Committee / Theresa Gregoire, Chaplain / Promote outreach activities to support needs within our community. / Contact Chair.
Nursing Clinical Advancement Program Peer Review Board / Cassie Tumanis, BSN, RN, CEN, PCCN / Design, review and revise CAP with PDC and Nursing Leadership approval. Review all applications and determine CAP levels. / TBA
Patient Experience Committee / Ann Kjosa, MBA/MHM, RN, FACHE / Contact Chair if interested. / Contact Chair.
Hand off Committee / Ann Kjosa, MBA/MHM, RN, FACHE / Contact Chair if interested. / Contact Chair.
Pressure Ulcer Peer Review Committee / Mickey Miller, BSN, MBO, RN / Peer review of pressure ulcers, action planning and performance improvement. / 4th Thurs 1230-1330
Clinical Effectiveness / Jeff Oram-Smith, MD, CMO / Leadership committee that is delegated responsibility by the Community Board for ongoing oversight of safety improvement activities via periodic reports from individuals or groups accountable for implementation of quality and patient safety efforts at PSFHS. The committee is comprised of members of the Community Board, Senior Administration, Medical Staff, Quality Improvement, Nursing leaders, and clinical ancillary department leader. Direct care nurses invited. / 3rd Wed 7-8 PH Board Room
Code Blue/RRT / Olinda Spitzer, MSN, RN, CNS, CCRN / Improve patient safety and staff competency through review and analysis of data related to Code Blue and RRT, mock drills, performance improvement. / 2nd Wednesday, 8-9 am, even months Crit Care/PH, odd @ SFMC-ACR
Central Line / Kathy Guy, BSN, MHSA, RN, NE-BC / Review CL infections. Establishes policies related to Central lines ,insertion, care . Determines educational needs for staff related to central line care- dressing changes / 4th Thurs of the month at 0830 in CVU conf room
Education/Conf $ Application Review/Approval / Kathy Guy, BSN, MHSA, RN, NE-BC / Contact Chair if interested. / TBD
Critical Values / Kate McCord, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNO / Interdisciplinary committee to improve patient safety and meet regulatory requirement by monitoring compliance with critical value reporting and timeliness / Quarterly Meeting
Jan, April, July, Oct
PH Board Rm 1-2 pm
Ethics Committee / Larry Siedl, VP Mission and Ministry / Contact Chair if interested. Membership requires application process. Currently recruiting direct care nurses. / 1st Wed 7a-8a, CC A
Interdisciplinary Policy Committee / Kate McCord, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNO / Interdisciplinary committee that reviews, revises and approves interdisciplinary policies. / Monthly
Medication Reconciliation / Kate McCord, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNO / Performance monitoring and improvement on medication reconciliation process. / 2nd Tues 3-4pm, PH Board Room
EIT: Entity Implementation Team / Ramona Beal, BSN, RN; Kate McCord, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNO; Jeff Oram-Smith MD, CMO / Oversight multidisciplinary committee to support the change management process to ensure effective implementation of system-wide projects including corporate improvement projects. / Weekly
Patient Education / Kate McCord, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNO / Review and approve organizational developed patient education materials. Identify needs for changes in patient education. / Quarterly
Fall Prevention / Dana Justus, RN CVU, Kris Williams, RN 7th, Rose Ann Moore, MSN, RN, NE-BC / Interdisciplinary team for oversight of hospital wide fall prevention and outcomes. / Monthly
3rd Thursday at 0830
Infection Control / Robert Weber, MD / Infection Control program and oversight. Contact Infection Control Practitioners to express interest and find out meeting times.
Magnet Champions / Deb Nussdorfer, MSN, RN, NE-BC / Reps from all areas gather stories for magnet documentation, build awareness, knowledge and enthusiasm. / 2nd Tues @ PH 0815-0930; 3rd Tues @ SF 9-10
Magnet Steering / Deb Nussdorfer, MSN, RN, NE-BC / Oversight for Magnet Journey. Review status, timeline planning, identification of hurdles. / 4th Friday 7:30-9:00 Cactus Room
Medication Use Committee / Calvin Eisenach, RPh / Interdisciplinary hospital wide committee that reviews all aspects of medication dispensing /administration. Pharmacy, medical and nursing staff. / Monthly, 3rd Thursday at 1500
Pain Committee / Dan Chatelain, MSN, RN, Pain CNS / Interdisciplinary hosp wide committee to oversee pain management effectiveness and safety. / 1st Fri 7-8 PH Board Room
Pain Resource Nurses / Dan Chatelain, MSN, RN, Pain CNS / Education on EBP pain management strategies, review and planning related to any practice changes and patient satisfaction ratings. / 2nd Tues 12-1 PH Board Room
Patient Safety / Jeff Oram-Smith, MD, CMO / Hospital oversight for patient safety
Red Rules Committee / Jeff Oram-Smith, MD, CMO / Monitors compliance with Red Rules and takes action to improve
Restraint and Seclusion / Rose Ann Moore, MSN, RN, NE-BC / System-wide committee that oversees restraint and seclusion with goals to reduce use and when used to ensure its is least restrictive and appropriate/meets regulatory mandates / 3rd Tuesday, 1030 at PH
Stroke Effectiveness Team / Ellen Lane BSN, RN / Evaluated effectiveness of stroke program, make revisions and improvements as indicated / 3rd Wed, 12-1 in Board Room with lunch
SCIP (Surgical Care Improvement Project) / Oversight of SCIP quality metrics and identification of potential practice issues. / Contact OR managers/directors.

Every unit or specialty area includes additional committees and work groups – check with your manager.