With 1,150 nurses on just one NYU Langone Medical Center campus in New York City, communication can be challenging.

"We've connected all of our nurses by e-mail with dedicated distribution lists that promote ready communication with each other, their nurse managers and their nurse leaders," said Susan Bowar-Ferres, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president/chief nursing officer at NYU. "We also have innovative, staff-driven communication, including a Facebook page the OB nurses set up to facilitate their self-scheduling.

"We support those valuable social networks to disseminate and exchange information."

Technological Touch

Across the region, savvy nurse leaders are using technology to inform and engage staff.

"All of our 1,400 nurses have a hospital e-mail account," said Trish O'Keefe, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer at Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, NJ. "If I want to get a message out, or if one of our shared-governance councils wants to share an update, it's easy to send targeted messages. We have updated our Web site for shared governance, including goals for each council, so our nurses can study the information any time of day or night."

Joan Harewood, MA, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president for patient care services/chief nursing officer at Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy and Old Bridge, NJ, likes to include a personal touch in her electronic communications. "We created an intranet site with an 'Ask Joan' column, and staff can also e-mail or call me at any time," she said.

Collaborative Environment

Kathy Webster, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, vice president of patient care services at Hudson Valley Hospital Center, Cortlandt Manor, NY, emphasized the need for interpersonal communication, as well.

"We want to keep our employees informed about what exactly is going on within the organization, and we seek their input all the time," she said. "That starts with their introduction to the organization during orientation, when the CEO attends to introduce himself and meet new staff. The vice presidents, including me, then conduct 1:1 meetings with newly hired staff to welcome them and learn about their needs."

At Schneider Children's Hospital, New Hyde Park, NY, clinical communication is highly collaborative.

"Traditionally, physicians would tell the nurses the plan of care and nurses would carry it out," said Cari Quinn, MSN, RN, NE-BC, associate executive director for patient care services. "As part of TeamSTEPPS [Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety], we improved our ability to speak to our colleagues and respect one another. Patient care is now very much a shared experience between parents, nurses, physicians, and other disciplines.

"Everyone is on the same page - and what happens next is no longer an unknown by all those involved in the patient experience," she said.

Sandy Keefe is a frequent contributor to ADVANCE.