Lantern Award

In September, 2011, the Marc and Laura Andreessen Emergency Department (ED) at Stanford Hospital & Clinics was awarded the Emergency Nurses' Association (ENA) Lantern Award. Representatives from the ED traveled to Tampa, Florida to accept the award.

The Lantern Award, as described by the ENA, "is a recognition award granted to emergency departments that exemplify exceptional and innovative performance as it relates to leadership in practice, education, advocacy and research." An emergency department honored with the Lantern Award must demonstrate a commitment to quality, a healthy work environment and accomplishments in incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation into emergency care.

At Stanford, the use of Shared Governance and the formation of six councils have played a large role in the success of the ED. The ED Call Back Nurse project was highlighted as a successful and innovative program. The call back nurses speak with many patients each day, helping them connect with Clinic appointments, answering questions related to a recent ED visit, and increasing patient satisfaction with a personal touch.

Patient satisfaction scores were discussed as an example of opportunities for improvement in customer service. The ED implemented a comprehensive approach to improve patient satisfaction, focusing on improving communication between physicians and patients, decreasing delays, facilitating access to the ED, and enhancing the physical work environment.

Other topics discussed in the application process were, mitigation of violence in the ED workplace, security and the metal detector, employee engagement scores, and systems and processes for patient flow. Communication using C-I-CARE principles was a key element discussed as a standard for the ED staff with each other and with patients.

Exemplars presented in the application included:

  • Why a traveling nurse chose to apply for a permanent position in the ED.
  • How safe patient care is ensured.
  • Communication handoff processes.
  • Fall prevention.
  • Emergency preparedness.

To demonstrate how the ED focuses on promoting education, the ED explained how the staff is shaped through education programs and competency validation. The methods for orienting new staff and ongoing nursing staff development were also described: for example, each nurse is required to attain and continue certification for Basic Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Trauma Nursing Core Courses, and Stroke Education.

The ED staff is grateful for the generous donations from Marc and Laura Andreessen, who are helping them achieve Stanford Health Care's mission of healing humanity through science and compassion, one patient at a time.