Bloomington-Normal Magnet Nursing

The Benefits of Professional Nursing Organization Involvement

Crystal Bricker, MSN, RN, CNOR, is a nursing professional development specialist in the Perioperative Services department at Carle BroMenn Medical Center (CBMC). Bricker has been actively involved in the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) for many years. “In March of 2022, I attended the AORN Global Surgical Conference and Expo, where I was recognized by AORN with the 2022 Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Education, Clinical Award, for the work I did partnering with Illinois Wesleyan University to facilitate a senior nursing student with the opportunity to complete their leadership clinical in the OR at CBMC. From that experience, the student was able to secure a position in an OR nurse residency program at a Chicagoland hospital right after graduation.” Being involved in AORN has been a tremendous support for Bricker’s nursing career. Carle offers support for Bricker’s involvement with AORN by providing continuing education opportunities and reimbursement to support the maintenance of her national certification as a certified operating room nurse (CNOR).

Carle BroMenn opens new, fully integrated catheterization lab.

The Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Carle BroMenn Medical Center (CBMC) is a full-service lab caring for heart, vascular, stroke, neuro and interventional radiology patients. Since 2016, lab procedure volume has grown by over 42%, and procedures performed in the prep and holding area grew by 78%. Staff were challenged by space constraints and aging equipment that frequently needed repair. Nurse leaders Laura McCartney, MSN, RN, CNOR, director of Cardiovascular Services at CBMC, and Becky Buchwak, MSN, RN, CV-BC, patient care manager, cath lab at CBMC, recognized this cramped environment and old technology were affecting the staff and patient experience. They worked closely with finance partners and were key in developing a business plan to acquire $12 million in funding needed to replace the equipment and improve the space in these areas.

Carle BroMenn nurses look toward the future with VR.

The digital age continues to shape the way we learn and work. Nurses at Carle BroMenn Medical Center (CBMC) are testing virtual reality (VR) as another way to leverage technology to improve their skills. Angelia DeWeese, MSPH, CHSE, CSM, MOT, simulation education specialist at CBMC, and Lori Harper, director, nursing practice at CBMC, are partnering with Carle BroMenn Medical Center Endowed Professor Marilyn A. Prasun, PhD, CCNS, CNL, CHFN, FAHA, Mennonite College of Nursing, on a pilot program to learn more about the benefits of VR and how it can be effectively incorporated into training clinicians. This involves a training module where nurses complete a sepsis patient scenario through VR. This pilot included a group of 31 participants comprising Emergency Department nurses and ICU charge nurses. “This technology is not meant to replace current training methods,” DeWeese said. “It is an additional modality for staff professional development. Ultimately, we want to improve patient outcomes for sepsis.”

Dedicated Education Units welcome new students.

During the fall semester of 2023, Carle BroMenn Medical Center (CBMC) welcomed 16 new Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) nursing students from the Illinois State University Mennonite College of Nursing (MCN). A Dedicated Education Unit is an innovative approach to nursing education, partnering with academic institutions to prepare the nursing workforce of the future. Clinical experiences for nursing students are done by immersing them in one hospital unit and exposing them to the culture and system of CBMC throughout their nursing education. Students are integrated into the workplace in a way that allows them to be an integral part of the workflow, so they experience a realistic picture of nursing practice.

A DEU model bridges the education-practice gap, tackling the faculty shortage, allowing more students to be admitted to nursing programs, and easing the new graduate transition from education to practice. It also offsets onboarding expenses and connects potential nurse employees while they are still in their nursing programs.