Southlake Regional Health Centre has once again received a Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) designation from the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario for 2022-24.
The designation is for delivering high-quality care resulting in optimal patient outcomes, the hospital said in a news release.
As part of Southlake’s commitment to enhancing quality and patient safety, Southlake began pursuing the designation in 2015 and was first designated in 2018. The organization was re-designated in 2020 and late 2022.
The designated organizations are health-care and academic organizations selected by the RNAO through a request for proposals process to apply evidence-based best practice guidelines to optimize patient outcomes at all levels of health care.
“Our BPSO designation is a testament to the leadership and dedication of Southlake’s team, as well as our commitment to patient quality and safety,” said Elizabeth Ferguson, Southlake vice-president of clinical transformation and patient experience and chief nursing executive.
“This recognition highlights how Southlake creates and maintains a culture of excellence by embedding evidence into daily practice to ensure our patients receive the best care possible.”
Since 2015, Southlake has implemented the following RNAO best practice guidelines:
- Care transitions within the organization;
- Care transitions in and out of the organization;
- Professionalism in nursing;
- Person and family-centred care;
- Caregiving strategies for older adults with delirium, dementia and depression;
- Developing and sustaining interprofessional care;
- Nursing care of dyspnea: the sixth vital sign in individuals with COPD;
- Assessment and management of pressure injuries for the interprofessional team;
- Ostomy care – management assessment and management of pain;
- Engaging clients who use substances;
- Breastfeeding – promoting and supporting the initiation, exclusivity and continuation of breastfeeding for newborns, infants and young children;
- Care and maintenance to reduce vascular access complications;
- Preventing falls and feducing injury from falls.
Best Practice Spotlight Organizations provide a bridge between research and practice, ensuring the most current available knowledge is applied through care provided to patients and their families.
Their integration has become part of the culture at Southlake and is often a starting point when developing new processes or policies, the hospital said.
The RNAO commended Southlake in its 2022-24 designation for implementing creative strategies for recruiting and engaging "champions" within the organization. Strong internal and external dissemination of BPSO work, and a commitment to using best practice guidelines to support nursing, build capacity, maximize clinical excellence and evaluate outcomes was also highlighted.
“We’re proud of our commitment to evidence-based practice and grateful for the many staff members across the organization who supported the uptake of BPGs to ensure our patients receive the very best care,” said Sarah Alisch, director of inter-professional practice, patient experience and clinical transformation. “We look forward to Southlake’s continued partnership with RNAO as a BPSO designate.”
