When Casey sees the need to make big changes in patient care, she jumps right in. Targeted temperature management programs can improve patient outcomes considerably after a cardiac arrest, but it requires staff to train on new equipment and understand the data behind the practice. Casey spearheaded this initiative, working across disciplines to develop the policy, procedures and procurement of materials. She worked collaboratively and meticulously and even trained charge nurses on the criteria herself. The end result has been the full implementation of temperature management in the ICU.
That was not the only time Casey acted as a change maker: She led a team to improve the rate of hospital-acquired infections, finding the gaps in established practice. Inspired by the show CSI, she engaged teams of what she called Nurse Sensitive Investigators to assess compliance with infection prevention. The result was a full year without any reportable pressure injuries and a drop in hospital-acquired infections. The success of the program has drawn the attention of other hospitals nationwide who hope to replicate it.
Casey keeps the patient at the center of everything she does: She often asks her colleagues to consider a patients’ values and point-of-view, and sensitively engages patients and their families in conversations about their goals and wishes. She often asks herself and her colleagues: “What can we do better for our patients?” That simple question encompasses Casey’s holistic, safety-oriented practice.