Meet our Nursing Staff
Patient Safety Initiatives Are the Focus of Advanced Practice Nurses

The active role of nurses in providing safe patient care is essential at Trinitas Hospital. The importance that nurses play as the primary 24/7 inpatient caregivers cannot be underestimated. Those admitted to hospitals come for nursing care; all other types of care can be provided on an outpatient basis.

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement's "5 Million Lives Campaign" drives home the need for collaborative interventions to effect quality care improvement initiatives developed at local, state and regional levels. The Advanced Practice Nursing workgroup at Trinitas Hospital creates an organized framework that continually promotes a culture of safety and quality.

Members of the Advanced Practice Nursing workgroup are Diane Reehhl, RN, MSN, CRNP, BC, Medical Surgical Clinical Nurse Specialist; Bernadette Pryor, RN, MS, MA, CPHQ, Nursing Performance Improvement Coordinator; and Debbie Durand, RN, MSN, APN-C, CCRN, Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist. All three nurses work together to initiate and sustain various projects for the Department of Nursing.

Diane, Bernadette and Debbie work as a "well-oiled team" that complement one another's strengths, drawing on individual expertise in clinical practice, statistical analysis, program development, quality improvement, and adult education techniques. Department-wide, and often hospital-wide initiatives that they create, are showcases for their expertise, their ability to motivate staff, and their effectiveness in moving ideas from concept to reality. Their activities have resulted in appointments as Co-Chairs of three Nursing Councils, including Performance Improvement, Practice, and Research & Education. In addition, these three outstanding nurses were recently awarded the Trinitas Hospital 2007 President's Award for the Service Pillar of Quality in recognition of their leadership efforts in improving patient safety and quality outcomes.

Some individuals may say that these three nurses are "just doing their jobs." On one level, that is absolutely right. However, the passion, zeal, energy, and commitment with which they perform their roles makes them more successful that most working groups of Advanced Practice Nurses. Their combined ability to encourage and mentor nursing staff and students has earned Diane, Bernadette and Debbie high praise from their nursing colleagues. Very simply, their commitment to Trinitas Hospital does not end when the door closes behind them each night.

If you'd like to learn more about our outstanding nursing staff and how to become a member of our team, contact Human Resources at
908-994-5325.