Page 10 - SRNS Today November 2021
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10   |   SRNS TODAY   |   NOVEMBER 2021
        10   |   SRNS  T ODA Y   |   NOVEMBER 2021
        Brilliant IDEAS



        The SRNS Individuals Developing Effective Alternative
        Solutions (IDEAS) Program held its annual Risk
        Reduction/Productivity Contest through May and June of
        2021. This contest recognizes SRNS employees for their
        suggestions regarding productivity, safety, security and
        green improvements.
        Each suggestion was graded on a specific criterion
        to meet contest rules. Three winners were selected      University of South Carolina Aiken Nursing Program student Daija Gary receives training
        by a judging committee composed of the SRNS FIT    from SRNS  Registered Nurse Misty McCully.
        Continuous Improvement Team and the Interface
        Management Office. The top three winners each received
        cash prizes with first place receiving $1,000, second   Student nurses gain experience
        place receiving $750 and third place receiving $500.
        SRNS Principal Continuous Improvement Specialist   in Occupational Health
        Blake Leaphart leads the SRNS IDEAS program. “SRNS   Nursing degree students are participating in a job shadowing program within
        employees are full of innovative solutions and ideas   SRNS Medical Department at SRS, to sharpen their skills and gain experience
        that benefit our vital missions and day-to-day tasks   working with nurses and physicians practicing health care in an industrial setting.
        that take place on-site,” said Leaphart. “We receive an
        average of 40 ideas each month. To encourage others   “Clinical rotations are an important means for our students to develop a basic
        to submit their input, we host the annual Risk Reduction/  understanding of what is required within the different types of nursing disciplines
        Productivity Contest to help SRNS continue to improve   found in the greater Aiken-Augusta area,” said Robyn Havens, Professor,
        and streamline processes.                         Registered Nurse (R.N.), Ph.D., University of South Carolina Aiken (UofSC Aiken)
                                                          Nursing Program. “It’s the student’s opportunity to shadow a nurse and learn
        “We are so pleased with the innovations and ideas our
        workforce submitted for this contest. We are so thankful   through observation. In time, they will perform fundamental nursing procedures as
        for all the individuals who submitted their ideas, and   well under the supervision of an experienced health care practitioner.”
        we are looking forward to the next Risk Reduction/  “The students get firsthand experience at taking care of employees. And that’s
        Productivity Contest.”                            what Occupational Health is all about,” added Havens.
                                                          Ideally, students studying nursing will be exposed to a wide variety of clinical
        THE FIRST-PLACE ENTRY, submitted by Savannah      rotations to include: Community Health (Occupational Health care falls within this
        River Tritium Enterprise’s Rebecca Suits, was a tritium   field), Critical Care, Emergency, Geriatrics, Labor and Delivery, Medical-Surgical,
        containment vessel life extension project. Once   Pediatrics, Perioperative and Psychiatric health care.
        implemented, this initiative would result in a cost savings
        of over $2.8 million.                             Over the years, Misty McCully, an R.N. at SRNS, has mentored students as they
                                                          worked through their clinicals, originally in a hospital emergency department
        THE SECOND-PLACE ENTRY, submitted by              and now within SRNS’ medical team. “They are eager to learn, helpful and hard
        SRNS’ Angela Pizzino and Steve Jahn, found a new   workers. We take this responsibility seriously and do our best to ensure their
        way of recycling depinned compressed gas cylinders.   experience here has been of significant value. And who knows, one day we may
        The current process requires them to be cut in half   be co-workers.”
        before being recycled through the current scrap metal
        vendor. Pizzino and Jahn offered a solution that identified   According to Havens, putting classroom theory into practice -- in a variety of
        numerous vendors who accept these cylinders without   nursing environments -- helps each student grow and excel in their ability to
        being cut in half that could be contracted for quicker   choose a field in nursing they will find rewarding. At SRS, the students assist with
        recycling to streamline the current process.      multiple tasks, such as vision exams, hearing tests and blood pressure checks.
        THE THIRD-PLACE ENTRY, submitted by SRNS          Daija Gary, a senior in the nursing program at UofSC Aiken, stated that this clinical
        Site Training’s Joanna McKinney, proposed a solution   at SRS was her first opportunity to work outside of a hospital, having already
        that would allow employees to self-schedule an    experienced emergency medicine and pediatric care at Doctors Hospital. “I love
        appointment for a mask fitting. This idea would benefit   working with children, but having now experienced life at an occupational nursing
        the productivity of trainers doing the mask fitting by   facility, I could see myself potentially working in this area, in time, after having
        having confirmed appointments each day; it would keep   gained some general experience elsewhere.”
        people from congregating outside the mask fitting room   Havens explained that during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic last summer,
        waiting on service; and would allow an opportunity for   many of the medical institutions throughout the region refused to accept UofSC
        additional reminders for individuals coming in for mask   Aiken nursing students for clinical rotations. “Only the hospitals and SRS would
        fitting of what they should and should not do before   allow them to visit their facilities. And for that, I’m deeply grateful,” she said.
        their appointments.
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