Celebrating International Nurses Day

Announcement | May 12, 2020

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, our healthcare heroes are ensuring humanity’s health more than ever before. To celebrate International Nurses Day, we’re highlighting the often-unsung heroes of the healthcare sector: transition teams and resident nurses.

Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center Mission Bernal & Van Ness Campus

Throughout the process, our team worked alongside various clinical experts with nursing backgrounds, including the project manager who coordinated the project initiative from the operational and clinical perspective, the COO of both campuses, and over a thousand medical providers. Major leaders on the campuses were nurses who CallisonRTKL planned and coached through phases of change– whether they were moving into one of the new facilities or assuming new patient populations at their current site.

“The size and timing of transitioning these two campuses required strong leadership from both the client and from CallisonRTKL’s transition team. Having clinicians and a retired nurse administrator on the leadership team was incredibly beneficial in an efficient and timely transition execution.” – Alice Wainwright, RN, MSN, NHA, FACHE

Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center

The CallisonRTKL transition planning team worked closely with the project manager who was the Director of Emergency Services Departments and a registered nurse. CRTKL was able to assist her in prioritizing essential tasks with a focus on her involvement in all levels in the decision-making processes that related to patient and staff safety. The FG leaders involved in the Patient Move Process, Operation Process Redesign, and Training/Education phase were also nurses whom CallisonRTKL coached through the development of work plans and guided through the execution phase of the project.

“We utilized a collaborative transition model that engaged staff and providers throughout the planning and execution of the transition. It is important to involve front line staff in the way spaces and processes will function early in the project to ensure some basic items are standardized.” – Velma Jackman, DSL, MS, PMP, CPHIMS, LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE, CLGB

Cook Children’s Medical Center South Tower Addition

Although project leadership did not have a clinical background, the CEO of the organization was a nurse, so the internal culture was wired to seek out consultants with a wide breath of clinical and operational experience. The CallisonRTKL team fit well into the project mold, understanding the complexity of patient care setting type (children) and having the ability to adapt planning and execution workplans to the unique patient care requirements.

“We manage the transition. We coach people through the entire process of moving. What we do is highly detailed– we handle all of the logistics: the supplies, the equipment. Our work culminates with the patient move– in an ambulance with a nurse– and that’s what people remember most, but it’s only successful with years of planning.” – Alice Wainwright 

Washington Hospital Healthcare System Morris Hyman Critical Care Pavilion

This was a fast-paced project which resulted in multiple changes in care delivery/service process changes and new equipment and technology. Over 300 staff and providers needed to be educated and trained on these changes and concurrently could not skip a beat in maintaining current operations. Utilizing lean principles, this project was completed in a short, one month span.

“Having the right people at the table was critical. Nancy was very involved— holding twice-daily meetings and pushing for timeliness and prioritization throughout the process. Doug was the glue that held us together; we would not have been as successful without him.” – Alice Wainwright

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton – 5th Floor Expansion

Having no healthcare or clinical operations expertise on the client’s Facility, Construction and Design team, the CallisonRTKL transition planning team was engaged to facilitate a consistent dialogue with senior management and staff on what would be needed to successfully activate new spaces for patient care and plan a move of Level III NICU patients.

CallisonRTKL also brought on the expertise of a registered nurse from our medical equipment planning group, OneEQ, to add value to the project. Her clinical background enabled her to provide the team with the information necessary to make informed decisions on what equipment and technology would most effectively enhance patient care, be seamlessly adopted by staff and be selected for the list of corporate purchasing contracts– a win-win for every stakeholder.

“It is important to involve the right people at the beginning of the project, including nurses, clinicians and staff, so that all the needs of staff are met.” – Alice Wainwright