King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre’s mission is to “provide the highest level of specialized healthcare in an integrated educational and research setting”. This statement reflects our status as both a principal tertiary and quaternary care hospital and that we frequently deal with the most challenging surgical and medical cases within the Kingdom.
Nursing Affairs plays a significant part in ensuring that we fulfil the hospital’s mission. With over 3,600 employees Nursing Affairs comprises a significant portion of all employees within the hospital. Staff Nurses alone total over 2,600 and hail from a multitude of nations. Our dynamic team of highly skilled and specialized nurse professionals work in collaboration with other members of the heath care team to achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients.
KFSH&RC Nursing Affairs’ supportive leadership, philosophy of quality as everyone’s responsibility, patient led care plans and education, excellence in innovation and research has led to professional growth and successful staff retention. Additionally the Nursing Affairs Department sets the stage for quality improvement and facilitates the nurse’s roles in those activities. In 2014 alone 205 nurses attended 111 international and national conferences and workshops. Additionally, in the past year Nursing Affairs aided the publication of four collaborative nursing research projects in international peer reviewed journals and three Cochrane Systemic Review Summaries in three international and distinguished journals.
Initially awarded in 2000 JCIA accreditation has been proudly maintained for the last 15 years.
KFSH&RC’s values of Patient Focus, Integrity, Quality, Compassion and Teamwork underpin all that we do in Nursing Affairs, directing the methods and means that we use to accomplish our mission and to ensure that we are able to fulfil our mission of providing, “the highest level of specialized healthcare” within the Kingdom.
Achievements
Where are we on our Magnet Journey?
Magnet designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, is the only international award that recognizes nurses as integral team members in influencing positive patient outcomes. Research has demonstrated that nurse satisfaction and patient outcomes are higher in Magnet Hospitals than in non- Magnet hospitals.
Achieving Magnet recognition means satisfying a demanding set of criteria. The stringent criterion measures the strength and quality of nursing and our interdisciplinary approach to patient care. More importantly for us, Magnet recognition simply supports what we already know, that our nurses are the best.
Achieving Magnet status also sends a message to our community that we are committed to providing the best care possible.
The Magnet Vision
Magnet organizations serve as the fount of knowledge and expertise for the delivery of nursing care globally. They are solidly grounded in core Magnet principles, flexible, and constantly striving for discovery and innovation. They lead the reformation of health care; the discipline of nursing; and care of the patient, family, and community.
Measuring Quality at KFSH&RC
Nurses at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre have entered a new era of improving patient safety and patient outcomes through our participation in the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators® (NDNQI). For the last four years, KFSH&RC joined NDNQI® in an effort to accurately capture specific data related to the nursing care we deliver and to be able to benchmark with over 1900 hospitals internationally. This initiative has provided us with the ability to direct quality improvement projects across all of Nursing Affairs and to specific units. In addition, we have some indicators that we measure internally such as hand hygiene and documentation.
What do we measure?
Nursing sensitive indicators are those that reflect the structure, process and outcomes of the patient care that nurses around our facility deliver on a daily basis. Structure is indicated by the supply, skill level and education of nursing staff. Process measures aspects of nursing care such as assessment, intervention, and RN job satisfaction. Patient outcomes are those that indicate if there is a greater quantity or quality of nursing care. Nursing in our organization have the following nurse-sensitive indicators:
In addition to the above, we strive for excellence by ensuring that our customers are satisfied:
Saudi Nurse Leadership Program
Worldwide the nursing profession is undergoing transformation with the pace of change accelerating every day. Many countries including Saudi Arabia have concerns about the international shortage of nurses which is not limited to only clinical nurses but more critically in competent leaders and managers. The KFSH&RC initiative to conduct a structured Nursing Leadership and Management Program is both exemplary and unique within the region.
Nursing Affairs and Nursing Development and Saudization have developed a leadership program that will create and develop future Saudi nurses’ leadership talent. The program is outcome based and supported by latest evidence in leadership development. The core curriculum content is divided into six modules and includes: background preparation, context and focus for management and leadership, resource management in healthcare, nursing leadership, research and evidence based practice, and project planning management. The program incorporates theory transition into practice through selected clinical rotations.
Continuing Education for our Nursing Leaders
Nursing Affairs place an important emphasis on the Professional Development & Continuing Education of our nursing leaders. As a result Dr. Charlotte Karam and Dr Lina Daouk from the American University of Beirut (AUB) were commissioned to develop and deliver a customized leadership development program for Nursing Affairs
The initial phase of this work got off to a flying start with both Dr Lina Daouk & Dr Charlotte Karam meeting with the Nursing Leadership team as well as other staff members to complete a needs assessment. The primary objective of this was to customize the program curriculum to the development needs of the Head Nurses and Program Director participants with an awareness and recognition of the cultural differences across KFSH&RC.
Recognition
Nursing Affairs place a major emphasis on the retention of our staff. Many international studies have identified that job quality and workplace support has a combined impact of up to 70% on job satisfaction. Our nursing staff turnover has been reducing by about 2% every year for the past few years. We believe the reason for this is due to the emphasis Nursing Affairs places on staff retention and recognition.
The DAISY Award
KFSH&RC is the first hospital outside of North America to introduce this program of recognizing and celebrating the compassionate care provided by extraordinary nurses. Overall the program is the same as that run in North America however we have been able to adapt it to meet the needs of our multi-cultural workforce. We utilize the hospital values to underpin the criteria for eligibility for nomination.
The award not only recognizes nurses within the hospital but also internationally; the monthly winner’s name is published on the DAISY Foundation Website and in the quarterly DAISY foundation magazine. To add to this amazing acknowledgement, the monthly winner’s name, photograph and the reason they were nominated is published in Sandscript and on the KFSH&RC website.
The decision for Nursing Affairs to participate in this program was based on the following:
Thank You Campaign
This campaign has been a major success and thousands of cards have been printed since then! The primary reason this campaign has been such a success is because it encourages nurses and other team members to take the time to acknowledge each other by saying ‘Thank You’ to specific work colleagues. All staff regardless of where they work or what job they do is encouraged to complete and forward ‘Thank You’ cards. Nursing management is also encouraged to acknowledge their staff on a regular basis.
We are a multicultural health organization and so it is only fitting that on our ‘Thank You’ cards, acknowledge the words ‘Thank You’ in many different languages.
Nurse Recognition Week
We hope that our staff are recognized throughout the year however every effort is made to ensure that the Nurse Recognition Week very special’ for our staff.
The week comprises a variety of events including some that are fun but with an educational element. The Recognition and Retention Council invite a key note speaker to the event on an annual basis.
Nurse Recognition week takes many guises from the sponsorship of breakfast/lunch on the units to the official Awards Ceremony attended by the CEO and the Executive Team from the hospital. A Gala Dinner is also held during the week where the Nursing Executives dress up in national dress and welcome all staff with a traditional Saudi greeting of gawa (cardamom coffee) and dates!
The week concludes with the Family Fun Day by the pool where most department staff takes on the role of vendors for the day selling a range of international food and delicacies. This is our equivalent of “Taste of Riyadh” with a truly international flavor! Funds raised on the day are utilized across the nursing departments or given to local charities; the decision regarding how to utilize the funds is made by each department.
Certification Recognition
KFSH&RC places an emphasis on specialty certification. Nurses are encouraged to complete relevant certification and reimbursement is often available for those who pass the relevant exams. A formal recognition is held to celebrate their hard work.