2020-2021 Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Nursing Highlights
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Receives Grant to Fund Nursing-Led Provision of Advanced Care Services Via Telehealth
The grant, which was awarded by the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation, will help the hospital provide more nursing-led advanced pediatric care services via telehealth to families in need. This exclusive grant was only awarded to eight recipients in 2021, and the award gives the nursing staff at Nicklaus Children’s a great opportunity to reach out and address the needs of underserved populations in the community.
The grant proposal was authored and submitted by nursing leaders Danielle Sarik, PhD, and Jane Bragg, APRN. Thanks to the funding provided, the hospital’s Pediatric Advanced Care Program (PACT) was able to begin offer their services via telehealth beginning in December 2021.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Receives Award from West Coast University to Support Nursing Research
Since 2016, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has partnered with West Coast University to collaborate on improving pediatric health care and preparing nurse scientists for the future. In October 2021, this partnership was further enhanced by a $20,000 donation from West Coast University to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. This generous gift is intended to further support nursing research, as well as fund scholarship activities at the hospital.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Oncology Nurse Participates in Multisite Pediatric Cancer Study
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, education of the child and family upon discharge is a key consideration in their health care. However, hospitals currently lack a standardized, consistent approach to this discharge education. In 2021, Michelle Burke, an oncology nurse at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, participated in a study that examined the feasibility and effectiveness of two different Parent Education Discharge Support Strategies (PEDSS) for families with a child newly diagnosed with cancer. This study took place in multiple sites across the United States.
This valuable research aims to make the educational approach for parents of a child with cancer more effective. The evidence seems to support a standardized approach to this educational strategy, and nurses are a key part of this educational preparation upon discharge from the hospital.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Nurses Attend FNA Advocacy Days Program
The Florida Nurses Association Advocacy Days is an annual event that is intended to empower nurses to use their voice to speak on legislative and political issues that impact their profession and health care in general. In 2021, Advocacy Days was held virtually, but it was still a great opportunity that Nicklaus Children’s Hospital nurses Tania Martinez and Carolina de Almagro were thrilled to take part in.
Advocacy Days not only includes seminars that discuss issues of importance in this year’s state legislative session, but it even gives nurses a chance to speak one-on-one with legislators and let their feelings be known on these issues. Advocacy Days is a great opportunity for both upcoming and seasoned nurses to get involved in advocacy work, regardless of whether they have prior experience or not.