JKF Journal

Indiana - Working Together to Eliminate Health Care Acquired Infections

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:30:00 +0000

On Tuesday I spent the day with doctors, nurses and health care administrators from all around the state of Indiana. These health care providers had come to Indianapolis to attend a leadership conference put on by the Indiana State Department of Health.

The first ISDH leadership conference was in 2007. Seven hundred and twenty people came. This year, over 1,000 people participated. Preventing health care acquired infections was the focus of this meeting. It is a timely and important topic. Just last week, the Archives of Internal Medicine released a study showing that hospital acquired sepsis and pneumonia killed 48,000 people and cost $8.1 billion in extra health care costs in 2006. These are just two of the many hospital acquired infections that harm patients. The CDC estimates that there are 1.7 million health care acquired infections annually, and 99,000 patients die each year because of them.

This is a subject that means a great deal to me. A hospital acquired infection played a part in my daughter Josie's death. This was a conference I needed to be a part of.

I have always enjoyed statewide collaborations on patient safety. It is exciting to follow the journey of a group of health care professionals from different facilities coming together, sharing information, helping each other achieve a goal that they all have in common. I had seen this happen in Michigan, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Now I hoped to be able to watch Indiana- a state I had been to three times in the past seven months (with two more visits scheduled in the next two months), a state where I was meeting hundreds of amazing health care providers, a state I was becoming very fond of- tackle this problem.

My job was to kick off the meeting. My goal was to inspire these health care facilities to join in this statewide collaboration. It would mean hard, hard work for those that signed up. It would mean reporting every single, ugly, little hospital infection that occurred- full, scary transparency. The ISDH had funding for some of the facilities to partake in this 18-month effort to reduce health care associated infections. I wanted them all to sign up, and I hoped that if that happened that somewhere, somehow the ISDH could dig up the extra funding.

I made the most of my 45 minutes speaking to the group. I hope I did a good job. I think I might have, but I won't feel satisfied with what I did until I know that the collaboration is in full swing with a full load of facilities signed up and chomping at the bit to fix this problem.

Thank you, Indiana, for letting me be a part of such an important day. Keep up the good work. I'll be rooting for you.

-Sorrel

P.S.- The ISHD had copies of my book on hand during the lunch break. I enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people (mostly nurses) and I enjoyed having the honor of writing notes to them in the front pages of Josie's Story. I am glad that there is a memory of Josie left behind in Indiana because I know her story will help push them the extra mile. Unfortunately the books sold out. To those who stood in line and did not receive a book, you can learn how to get a signed copy on our website. Thank you.

"Josie's Story" a National MS Society Books for a Better Life Winner

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:14:00 +0000

Last night, the National MS Society chose Sorrel's book Josie's Story as the winner in the "First Book" category of their Books for a Better Life Award. Many thanks to the New York City - Southern New York Chapter of the National MS Society for this honor. The recognition came on a particularly poignant day, as yesterday was the ninth anniversary of Josie's death. Thanks again to the National MS Society, and everybody who has read and shared the book.

For more information on the Books for a Better Life Award and the National MS Society, visit their website.

Care Journal on Back Order

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:32:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

The Care Journals are currently on back order. We hope to have Care Journals back in stock in late February. We are adding requests for Care Journals to a wait list, and will ship Care Journals as soon as we can.

Please continue to email your questions or requests to carejournal@josieking.org during this time.

Thank you for understanding.

-Andrea

50 Influential Women

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:42:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

Sorrel has been named one of 50 influential women who are changing the world by Woman's Day magazine.

Read Sorrel's story and see the entire list here.

Thanks to Woman's Day for this honor!

-Andrea

Shipment Notice for 2009

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

The last shipment of 2009 will be mailed on Thursday, December 17. Requests received by 4:00 pm EST on Wednesday, December 16 will be included in the shipment. Requests received after 4:00 pm EST on Wednesday, December 16 will be shipped in January 2010.

Affected items include:

"The Josie King Story" DVD
Signed copies of Josie's Story
Care Journal (small quantities only)
Nursing Journal (small quantities only)

We may be able to facilitate bulk orders of the Care Journal and Nursing Journal through the end of December. Please email Andrea at awesol@josieking.org if you are interested in learning more details.

Thanks for understanding!

-Andrea

"Josie's Story" named a top health book in 2009

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:37:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

Josie's Story has been chosen as one of the top health books in 2009 by the Wall Street Journal's Laura Landro!

Her description of Josie's Story plus the other books honored can be found online: http://tinyurl.com/yfu6xgu.

We'll be reading some of Laura's other interesting choices.

Thanks for the acknowledgement!

-Andrea

Sorrel's Visit to Richmond, VA

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

On Tuesday, October 27, Sorrel is visiting her home town of Richmond, VA, for a book event:

St. Stephen's Parish Hall
6000 Grove Avenue

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Sorrel will discuss her book Josie's Story, and the medical errors that led to her daughter Josie's death.

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to awesol@josieking.org.

Thanks!

-Andrea

Josie's Story Excerpt on Oprah.com

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Hi everybody-

Just wanted to share some exciting news: there is an excerpt from Sorrel's book Josie's Story now up on Oprah.com. Please click to read it, and share the link with anybody you think might be interested.

Thanks!

-Andrea

At the Ivy Bookshop

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:07:00 +0000

Last week I had a book signing at the local Ivy Bookshop in my hometown of Baltimore. The Ivy- wedged between a Blockbuster and a men's clothing store just a mile from my house- has been a part of my book journey from the very beginning.

I had fallen into a good routine with the writing- after dropping the children off at school I would sit down in front of my laptop and start to write. It took about four hours of writing before the silence would start to bother me and the loneliness would set in. It was then that I knew I needed to head to the Ivy. It felt good to be surrounded by the books that covered every possible inch of the little store. I would usually buy a book, but the real reason I was there was because of Bonnie, Shirley, Alice and Greg. Every time I walked into the store they would ask me how the book was coming and they would say, "One day we will have a book signing party for you."

For a long time no one knew I was writing a book. But my friends at the Ivy did, and for two years they encouraged me and pushed me along. I never thought the day would come when my book would be lining the Ivy shelves, much less find a place in the front window, but it did. As Josie's Story tiptoed into the world, the book events began to fill my calendar- with the Ivy event set for Sunday, September 13.

I wasn't sure what would be worse: standing in front of 1,000 health care professionals- total strangers- or standing in front of the community in which I lived. What if no one showed up? What if they hated the book?

The Sunday afternoon was beautiful- not too hot. The sun had lowered itself behind the building just enough to provide the perfect amount of shade for the guests who sat outside in chairs that were lined up amphitheater-style. Tables of food surrounded the edges.

Dr. Peter Pronovost- a doctor from Hopkins who over the years had not only become a partner in my quest to improve patient safety, but had become my friend- introduced me to the guests. As I had seen so many times before, Peter captivated the audience with his brilliance, his charisma and his humility.

I had jotted down some notes on what I was going to say, but as I stood behind the podium I realized that I didn't need my notes. These were my friends, my family. I've learned that sometimes- actually, always- it is best just to speak from the heart. It does not matter who is in the audience- whether it is a large group of nurses and doctors or a small group of family and friends. All that matters is the message. If you have a message that you are passionate about, it will just sort of find its way from your head, through your heart, and right on out into the world.

I signed books with Sam my seven-year-old by my side. Friends would ask him to sign his name next to mine. With a black Sharpie pen gripped tightly between his little fingers, he concentrated hard and signed his name in perfect Calvert script. It became a book signing not just for me, but for my entire family with Jack, Relly and Eva filling requests to sign their names alongside Sam's. This was not just my journey. This was their journey, their story.

Thank you to Darielle Linehan and the Ivy Bookshop for getting so behind Josie's Story. Not only did they put on a beautiful event, but they also agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds to the Josie King Foundation. The little Ivy Bookshop is truly a bookstore with a heart- a BIG heart- and a desire to make a difference in people's lives.

Thank you to Peter Pronovost, whose work continues to transform health care for us all.

Most of all, thank you to my family and friends for coming out to support Josie's Story.

Watch Sorrel on NBC's TODAY Show

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:08:00 +0000

This morning, Sorrel appeared on NBC's TODAY Show with Matt Lauer and Dr. Nancy Snyderman. They discussed the problem of medical errors, and Josie's Story.

Click to watch a clip of the interview.

Thanks!

September 8th - Official Book Release of "Josie's Story"

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:06:00 +0000

My book Josie's Story has been in stores for a number of weeks, however today- September 8th- is the official publication date. It is now in stores nationwide- 20,000 hardback copies in Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Amazon.com and book stores in little towns and big cities all across America and Canada.

September 8th has been on my mind for many months. Will I regret having written the book? Will I regret having Josie's story- my family's story- out there for everyone to read? Did I do a good job? Will people like it? What if they hate it? I have decided that I cannot worry about those things anymore because they are now out of my hands. I will simply cross my fingers and hope that people will like the book and hope, hope, hope that the book will perhaps make a difference in someone's life- a mother who has lost a child, a nurse who is finding a way to speaking up and prevent a medical error, a patient who is in the hospital bed and is not sure about the medication that is about to be administered.

It took me four years off and on to write the book. When I signed the book deal with Grove/Atlantic two years ago it was no longer off and on. I learned that deadlines are good things. It was a long, sometimes lonely, two years of writing with some ups and downs along the way. When my editor told me the whole thing needed to be restructured, I wasn't sure how I would do it. But I trudged along, knowing that I had to do the work. I had to get to September 8th and I had to do a good job.

In a few days I will pack my bag and leave my family, whom I have never left for more than a day, for an entire week. This will be the beginning of a Fall book tour. I will travel to hospitals around the country and do my best to inspire doctors, nurses, pharmacists, risk managers, and CEOs, to continue their essential work on the patient safety front. At each event Josie's Story will be available. I look forward to spending time with the many great health care providers I will be meeting.

I am ready for the second part of the book journey. I hope this part of the journey will further raise awareness about medical errors and patient safety, further inspire health care providers and further educate patients and their families. But most of all I hope people just like Josie's Story.

I look forward to reporting in after my travels.

From the Institute for Family-Centered Care Conference

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:51:00 +0000

Hi there-

In August, Sorrel had the opportunity to attend the Institute for Family-Centered Care's 4th International Conference in Philadelphia. The Institute for Family-Centered Care (IFCC) is a non-profit working with patient advocates and health care providers to improve care delivery. Sorrel was honored to deliver the closing plenary address. IFCC hosted two book signings in support of Josie's Story. Sorrel loved meeting with the dedicated conference attendees, who are going back to hospitals all around the country and work to strengthen productive partnerships between families and health care providers. Thank you to everybody who stopped by the book table.

Here are two pictures from Philly:

Photo Credit: Institute for Family Centered Care

Thanks to the entire IFCC's team- with a special nod to Bev Johnson and Julie Ginn Moretz- for their hard work in creating a meaningful, successful conference!

-Andrea

P.S.- Come back next week for a special note from Sorrel.

Parents the "Missing Link" in Patient Safety Efforts

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:42:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

A fascinating new report on the role of parents in pediatric patient safety efforts is published in the July 30 issue of Journal of Hospital Medicine (paid registration required). A summary of the article is available through the University of Michigan.

Beth A. Tarini, MD, MS, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical School, and her co-authors Paula Lozano, MD, MPH, and Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH, of the Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, looked into parents' perceptions of medical errors, patient safety, and communication. They found that nearly two-thirds of parents felt that they had to closely oversee their children's hospital care to prevent a medical error from happening.

Interestingly, parents who reported a higher level of confidence in communicating with the medical team were less likely to be worried by the potential for medical errors.

Dr. Tarini draws an important conclusion: "We need to address parents' concerns about errors and find ways to make them feel comfortable talking to us about their child's care. Parents are an underutilized resource in our efforts to prevent medical errors."

I can't echo Dr. Tarini's sentiment enough. While some parents are trained medical professionals, most are not. But parents- because of their close relationships with their children- are often able to sense important but subtle changes in their children's conditions. Parents are more than visitors. They have the potential to meaningfully contribute to their children's medical care. Time has come to harness that potential.

-Andrea

JKF now on Facebook!

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:27:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

First Twitter, now Facebook!

The Josie King Foundation now has a presence on Facebook. Please check us out and link to us.

Thanks for your support!

-Andrea

Summer Shipping Details

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:49:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

Just a quick note to let you know that there will be a shipment of "The Josie King Story" DVDs and single copies of the Care Journal going out on Wednesday, July 22. If you would like a copy of either the DVD or the Care Journal soon, please email awesol@josieking.org by 5 pm EST on Tuesday, July 21.

Requests received after Tuesday at 5 pm will be shipped the week of August 14th.

We will still be able to process bulk Care Journal requests during this time.

Thanks for understanding!

-Andrea

"The Josie King Story" DVD is back in stock

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

Just a note to let you know that "The Josie King Story" DVD is back in stock. Email dvd@josieking.org to order a copy. Thanks for your patience!

-Andrea

Josie King Foundation now on Twitter

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:59:00 +0000

Hello everybody-

I'm happy to report that the Josie King Foundation is now on Twitter! You can follow us at www.twitter.com/jkfaw.

We're looking forward to connecting with the patient safety community here.

How do you use Twitter?

-Andrea

More Great Advice from Nurses

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:36:00 +0000

Hello again-

The rejuvenating tips from nurses on how to cope with work-related stress keep rolling in. I just wanted to share the latest bits of advice with you.

Keep 'em coming! Keep spreading the word about this project!

-Sorrel

"I de-stress by dancing at least once or twice a week. I love dancing - it is something that helps keep me sane and gives me something to look forward to outside of work. One tip for work stress: Don't take things personally. If a patient/colleague/family member/MD snaps at you, it's not you - they are stressed out too. I find laughing defuses the situation - it helps them relax. It also prevents me from getting angry - which would just escalate the situation. Yeah, don't take things personally is the best advice I've been given. I also vent to my nursing colleagues - it helps to know that other people are sharing your pain." - C. Rae

"Take a moment everyday to reflect on what went well, what didn't go so well, and what you can do better tomorrow.

Always take a moment to take a deep breath when the world is moving quickly by you and you can't keep up. Who knows your speed might be what everyone should be moving at throughout the day.

Baking fresh treats for your co-workers is the best medicine and always makes a nurse's day brighter." - Sheryl C., RN, MSN, Washington, DC

"I find that in order to care well for others, I must first take care of myself. Without my health, I wouldn't have the strength to perform the hard work nursing requires. Daily exercise and good nutrition are essential to helping me cope with stress. I love group fitness classes, weightlifting, and 'clean' eating!

I also set aside one night a week to relax and have a date night with my husband." - Kathryn A., BSN, RN, South Lyon, MI

"As a NP I try to remember to always thank everyone for helping me to help my patients. It really is a group effort. And thanking people is a great way to defuse stress as it makes people feel appreciated. Surprising the staff every once in awhile with cookies or another treat goes a long way to making people feel appreciated. Praying with patients and staff is a great way to lessen stress." - Kimberly B., MSN, CRNP, Pittsburgh, PA

"I know that it sounds sappy but...I try to appreciate all the good things, my family, my health, my job, etc. I don't want to be in the position (like some of my patients and families) of having regrets (the could of, should have syndrome) in life. I am not waiting for retirement to care for myself, to tell my husband or children that I love them, or to just be in the moment. Life will probably always be too short but my glass is more than 1/2 full." - Maureen

"I find good friends to be the best stress relief. I love my coworkers and we go out regularly to debrief about work and personal lives. I also value my non-nurse friends that I don't talk about work with. They help me remember there is more to life." - Anonymous

"We go through so much each day. I have been a nurse for many years, most in the Baltimore area. What really helps me is thinking about how the families and patients feel, particularly after losing a child. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the technology and what we have to get done each shift. However, when I start feeling that way, I think, if this was my family, how would I feel and what can I do to make it better. That is how I cope." - Joanne M., RN, MSN, NE-BC, FABC, Newark, DE

Nursing Project Update

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 08:30:00 +0000

Thank you to all of the nurses who sent us their words of wisdom on how they deal with work-related stress. We are compiling these tips into a toolkit specifically for nurses. This project is under development.

Below this note are some of the great comments we have received. Please take a look. I hope you find them as helpful and inspirational as I do. Please, please keep the comments coming and spread the word to other nurses who many have a helpful tip they want to share. Remember, you can post your advice directly on the blog, or you can send an email to nursing@josieking.org.

Thanks, too, to everybody who has helped us spread the word about this project. Your efforts are really making a difference!

-Sorrel

"Having spent most of my nursing career working in Adult ICU, I find that staying 'grounded' literally helps keep me sane! I like to spend time outdoors - whether trout fishing on a beautiful stream or lake, working in my yard or garden, or just taking a walk really helps puts things in perspective. I especially find sharing time and talking with my family helps maintain balance." - Tamma

"I think my staff is just the greatest. When our work life becomes very challenging I like to have lunch with the staff and catch up on what is happening in their home life. It does help maintain balance. We have mini "Lunch and Learns"; we lunch and learn that life does not have to be all serious." - Mary Ann, Pittsburgh, PA

"One of the things that I feel has the most impact on helping nurses to cope with the everyday stress is the fact that we are a team of professionals and when push comes to shove, stand together and help each other - basically we are each other's counselors. We openly discuss our feelings with our co-workers and cry together while giving each other hugs and letting each other know we are here and that we all understand what each other is going through. That kind of support is not felt in many other professions. We are a team of support and care for all!" - Tracy N., RN, BSN, MSN, Pittsburgh, PA

"Learning to de-stress, by spending time with my daughters or just me by reading a good book or going for a run with my dog. In my dream world every healthcare facility would have a gym and a massage parlor to help encourage all healthcare workers to take a moment to de-stress so we can think clearly." - Kimberley S., RN, Ontario, Canada

"I try to look for the humor in an otherwise difficult situation, to make myself laugh and others laugh, and to remind us all to not take ourselves TOO seriously. Laughter IS the best medicine and a unifying force in the midst of stress." - Sue

"I'm an optimist and try to maintain that optimism while working in a 'negative' or stressful environment. I like little quotes that I can hold onto. Sir Winston Leonard Spenser Churchill states, 'A pessimist sees the difficulties in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.' Thoughts like Churchill's keep me going. Here is another one: 'In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure,' from Bill Cosby." - Laura S., Lewes, DE

"I love to sew- especially baby quilts or crafts. While I'm sewing, I'm thinking about the new baby- and am always amazed by the miracle of new life and I know I have the opportunity to touch 'life' while I work. I am filled with wonder!" - Anonymous

"As a pediatric nurse, some days are definitely better than others. When the stress seems like it has taken over my life some strategies I use to cope include; having a good hearty belly laugh in the company of good friends, taking a trip to the playroom for some BINGO with the kids during a break, and remembering to step back for a minute to remember WHY I am a nurse and what my purpose is." - Alicia

"I recently started beading and I love to see what my imagination can create. I also have done scrapbooking for many years. I love to recall the memories of the event. I have recently been asked to teach scrapbooking to middle school age children who attend after school activities programs." - Lori

"I started exercising. Now to burn off stress, I run. In fact, I am running my first 5k this spring. I am also a bit (45 lbs) lighter, which is great, too. I feel so much better now that I have consciously taken my stressors off of me." - Elizabeth, Michigan

"Exercise always makes me feel best - I love riding my bicycle and get together with a co-worker that lives close by. We'll get together and chat and ride at the same time. I belong to a hiking/biking group. If I can get to a hike or ride once a week, I'm happy. The rest of the time is spent walking my dog when I have time to get out." - Dorothee K., Pittsburgh, PA

"I think stress relief depends on the energy needed to be expelled or reversed.

When I need to de-stress and calm down, walks in the forest and on the beach of Lake Michigan can be the best (especially with the dog). Other calming activities have included yoga, reading a novel by the fireplace, and cooking with family/friends.

The other spectrum, of energy "release" needs, can be best met by a workout at the gym, working in the yard, cleaning the car or the garage, and my favorite of all, is going out after work with a fun group of friends for munchies and cocktails (try to do that every couple months!)." - Todd K., RN, Holland, MI

"As a pediatric nurse working in ICU and the Peds ER for over 25 years I have seen more than a lifetime's share of tragedy and sadness when children are severely injured or killed. I have found peace in the ability to return to work to face another day only through the faith I have in God. I try to pray every day. I especially pray during a code - for the doctors and nurses administering care to the child, and for the parents. I found taking a walk or a drive and being quiet with God allows him to minister to my heart and heal me." - Ann D., RN, Copiague, NY

"My faith has carried my through my nursing career for 30 years and it has never failed me. Surrounding myself with my family and a few close friends has also been very important in coping." - Sandy

"I cope by listening to those who trust me enough to share their pain. Just by having someone open their heart to share the pure emotion, all of my stress seems to melt, and I find myself feeling very thankful and at peace with my life." - Anonymous

"Personally, I make sure I stay in contact with those I love the most during the week. My children and grandchildren all live out of town. A phone call to any one of my grandchildren always lifts my spirits. Their energy is contagious, even over the phone." - Kathy, Harper University Hospital

"I take my dog on a long walk and then once home drink a large glass of ice water to flush out any remaining stress hormones." - Shelley, RN, Pittsburgh, PA

Needed: Advice from Nurses

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:19:00 +0000

I need your help. We've been struggling with something here at the Josie King Foundation. Here's the deal: we are creating a toolkit for nurses, something that will help nurses cope with the stresses of the job, something that will make their days a little better, something that will let them know how much we appreciate them. I know lots and lots of nurses. I've seen them at work in hospitals around the country. I'd like to think that I sort of have a notion as to what it must be like to be a nurse, but the truth of the matter is- I don't REALLY know.

So, I am asking all of you wonderful nurses to help. Here's what I'm looking for: quick tips on how to cope with the challenges of being a nurse. What do you do that helps you do your job well? What have you discovered that helps you deal with stress? It could be anything like:

"Once a week I buy fresh flowers to put in the nurses' snack room." - Sandy K., RN, Grand Rapids, MI

"When I come home after a long day on the job, I like to bake cookies with my eight-year-old." - Sue S., RN, BSN, Tampa, FL

"I just started walking for forty minutes every day with my neighbor. It really helps clear my head, and my jeans fit a little better." - Tamara M., RN, Houston, TX

Please post your tried and true tips below. You can also email your tips to nursing@josieking.org. We want to collect and share your great ideas with other nurses. If you would like to, please include your city and state, too.

I'll be sure to share updates on this project as it progresses, but right now we need as many tips as possible from nurses. Spread the word to your nursing friends and colleagues, and have them post their tips, too.

Thanks so much for your help with this, and for all of your hard work with patients,

Sorrel

Patient Safety Week

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:46:00 +0000

It's Patient Safety Week- a time to reflect on all of the great patient safety projects and initiatives that have been under way. So many people have done so much to make our hospitals safer and for that I am forever grateful. But this is also a week to look ahead towards an even safer, better health care system. From what I can see, we have come a long way, but the journey is not over yet. There is work to be done.

I've heard from nurses and doctors all around the country who are planning on commemorating Patient Safety Week. There will be speeches announcing new safety programs, and ceremonies honoring caregivers who have done remarkable safety work. Patient safety is front and center, and I am excited about that.

Let's stay invigorated. A few quick hopes of mine:

If you are a caregiver, keep focusing on improving how you communicate with your co-workers and patients. Even if your team communicates well, the nature of team work is one of continual change, and it helps to check in every now and then to make sure everything is still working well.

If you are a student, keep learning about patient safety and preventing medical errors. Ask your professor or mentor about the changes they have seen with regard to medical errors since they started practicing.

If you are a patient or family member, thank your health care team for incorporating patient safety techniques into their daily routine.

I'll be commemorating Patient Safety Week with a few groups around the country this week. I hope that everybody is able to support Patient Safety Week in a way that is helpful and meaningful for them.

Keep up the good work!

-Sorrel

Update: IHI On Call Transcript and Audio Download Now Available

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:07:00 +0000

Hi everybody-

Just wanted to spread the word that the transcript and audio download of Sorrel's IHI On Call session are now available at IHI's Open School website.

We hope that you enjoy the conversation. Feel free to comment on the session here, or at IHI's Open School blog.

Thanks,

Andrea

IHI On Call: Talking with Nursing and Medical Students

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:13:00 +0000

The first time that I ever spoke to a room full of medical students was a few years ago at Johns Hopkins. I told them Josie's story and at the end of the talk I asked them if they had ever head of the Institute of Medicine's report "To Err is Human". No one raised their hand. I remember feeling shocked that these students- who were taught how to cure diseases, deliver babies and mend broken bones- were not being told about one of the leading causes of death in our country- medical errors. The more medical and nursing students to whom I talked, the more I realized that it was indeed a rarely discussed topic. I found this frustrating and confusing. Since then I have tried to talk to as many medical and nursing students as I can. These young minds are the next generation, and if I could make a tiny difference in how they would care for their patients by sharing Josie's story then I was going to do it.

I am grateful to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) for creating the Open School (www.ihi.org/openschool). The Open School is a great resource for medical and nursing students to round out their patient safety education. They offer free courses in patient safety and quality improvement, sponsor essay contests, and host safety conferences for students of the health professions. Each month the Open School offers an On Call teleconference lecture, in which a guest speaking talks about a topic related to patient safety. Students from all over the country listen in and learn. I don't believe anything can take the place of a classroom with a professor, however this may be the next best thing.

On Tuesday- with the help of modern technology- I sat at my desk in my home in Baltimore and had the honor of talking to a few hundred students from around the country. The session was called "Channeling Grief into Action". Simon Mathews, a medical student at Johns Hopkins, moderated the hour-long session. I shared Josie's story. I explained that Josie didn't die because of one misplaced decimal point, because of one doctor or nurse. She died because of a lack of communication. After I spoke, Simon opened the lines to take questions from callers. I loved hearing from the students and I could tell that they had been moved.

For me it had been an hour well spent. It was my chance to make an impression on these brilliant minds that will take healthcare into the future. It was my chance to remind them of the importance of good communication and the need to create a culture in which reporting errors is considered heroic; a culture where doctors and nurses work as a team to prevent medical errors; a culture where the patient is heard and when a mother says, "Something is not right..." she is listened to. I hope I succeeded in delivering that message.

Thank you to IHI for realizing the importance of getting this information to students. Thank you Deepa Ranganathan for pulling the program together, and thank you Simon Mathews for being a great moderator.

For more information, check out the links below:

-An audio recording and a transcript of the session will be available at www.ihi.org/openschool at the end of the month. This link is also the gateway to all of the information about IHI's Open School.

-IHI's Open School blog (www.ihiopenschool.blogspot.com) has an open conversation about the session where you can post comments/questions. I'll be checking in on the comments and responding to them.

-Want to take IHI's educational programming wherever you go for free? You can subscribe to their informative podcasts at the Apple iTunes Store. Just go to the iTunes Store, search for "Institute for Healthcare Improvement" and click "Subscribe" to download IHI's podcasts.

Book News

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:00:00 +0000

When Josie was first in the hospital, I kept a journal. It helped me remember everything that was happening, everything we had to do. It helped me release some of the stress. When she died I continued to write. I wrote and I wrote and I wrote. I had to get my sadness, my anger out. It was one of the things that really helped me.

As I ventured into the health care industry, I continued to write off and on. One day I realized that I had what looked to be a book in the making and so I showed it to a few people. They told me to find a book agent, so I did. My agent told me I could get a book deal, and I did. Two years ago I signed with Grove/Atlantic, a publisher in New York. Since then I have been working on the book pretty much full time.

The book is called Josie's Story. It is about how our family once was. It is about Josie's death and how we struggled to survive. It is about making the decision to either let the grief and anger destroy me or do something positive, something for Josie. It is about the search for religion, the search for understanding what it means to forgive and the search for the reason why. The book is about my journey into a world I knew nothing about, the health care industry. It is about the wonderful doctors, nurses and other health care providers I have met along the way and the amazing hospitals that have invited me - in my small way - to help them become safer. But most importantly the book is about all of the wonderful things that have come from Josie's death. Josie's Story will be in bookstores in September 2009.

I continue to accept speaking invitations. Starting in early September, we will be able to have book signings after the speeches. If you are interested in learning more about speeches and book signings, click here. Of course, you can always email any questions about speaking requests to speaking@josieking.org. We will get right back to you.

As we get closer to our publishing date we will have more details to share.

One final note- a portion of the proceeds from the book will go to support the Josie King Foundation.

Thanks- as always- for your interest and support.

"Questions Patients Need to Ask"

josiekingfoundation@gmail.com (JosieKingFoundation) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:53:00 +0000

There is a great new book out there for patients and their families. It is called Questions Patients Need to Ask. Dr. David Shulkin, CEO of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, wrote it with the hopes that it would help patients and their families get safe care and be as informed as possible when in the hospital. Dr. Shulkin has been on the front lines of the patient safety movement for years now, and is truly passionate about patient safety.

It's important to ask questions when in the hospital, or in any health care setting. We developed our Care Journal with that very thought in mind. Dr. Shulkin's book is a great tool for empowering patients and their families. His book is informative and a must-read for anyone who is going into the hospital or who knows someone who is.

For more information, visit Dr. Shulkin's website at www.questionspatientsask.com.