#ptsafety

Justin Micalizzi 2018 IHI Forum Scholarship Winners Announced!

We are more than pleased to announce the Justin Micalizzi Institute for Healthcare Improvement Forum Scholarship winners for 2018!

We have selected 3 beneficiaries this year who focus on pediatric healthcare quality and safety. In total, we have awarded 33 scholarships in Justin’s name since we began this project in 2008. Many thanks for our partnership with IHI and The Task Force for Global Health who made this possible as well as, the many donors who continue to give to the Justin’s HOPE Project to allow this educational program to continue and thrive.

Thank you to all of the applicants! It’s always so difficult for Maureen Bisognano (IHI) and I to select the top 3 essays as they are all wonerful. Our goal is to inspire the clinicians to learn from their experience at the Forum and bring this knowledge back to their patients, families and community. We are also so proud of the work that they’ve already accomplished. Please read about the selected beneficiaries below.

Please help us continue with Justin's HOPE Project by donating here at The Task Force for Global Health and designate "Justin's HOPE" on the drop down- https://www.taskforce.org/justinshope

Most Sincerely,

Dale Ann Micalizzi

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Ami Vaughn BSN, RN, CVRN-BC has a background in pediatric and adult cardiac intensive care units and cardiac cath lab caring for patients with acquired and congenital heart disease, and she is also currently pursuing her MBA with a healthcare management specialty. She now is a Quality Improvement Specialist for the Heart Center at Texas Children's Hospital working primarily with cardiology service on improvement projects within the Heart Center as a whole but with special attention to the Charles E. Mullins Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. She is passionate about pediatric, adult, and congenital cardiology, and she is excited to work with such an amazing team that is dedicated and engaged in continuous quality improvement for our patients and their families.

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Tristan Kwiecinski became a registered nurse at the age of 32 after searching for a career of meaning and value to society, thus making the transition from helping deliver pizzas in her early 20s to helping deliver babies in her 30s and 40s. She graduated in 2008 from San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico with an ADN degree and in 2018 from Western Governors University with a BSN degree. Maternal and Child health is her nursing focus and passion. She is employed as a staff RN in the Labor/Delivery/Recovery/Postpartum/Nursery departments of two rural hospitals in mountainous northern New Mexico. Tristan never ceases to be amazed by the many cultural and biological facets of breastfeeding and the potential this behavior has to positively impact public health goals. Accordingly, she became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 2013.

She is the step-mother to Kevin and Sean, both en route to finishing degrees in chemical engineering and the mother to Dakota, who will graduate from high school next May. Against the odds, Dakota survived a rare blood disease for which he was treated as a toddler with a stem-cell transplant. Therefore, Tristan also knows intimately what it is like to be in a long-term health crisis and to be reliant on safe, well-functioning and humane systems to keep children alive. She is, therefore, very honored to receive the Justin A. Micalizzi IHI Scholarship which has allowed her to attend this year’s IHI National Forum.

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Amy Jo Perry, BSN, RN-C, CPN Amy Jo Perry received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan in 2007. As a former teacher, she holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Memphis State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from David Lipscomb University. She is currently enrolled in the Doctorate of Nursing Practice program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga anticipating completion of her degree in May, 2020. She is an instructor at Lee University School of Nursing in Cleveland, Tennessee. In addition to teaching, Amy Jo practices as a pediatric nurse at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she serves as a Safety Coach. Her passions include pediatric patient safety and teaching. Her experiences include pediatric critical care, neonatal critical care, clinical educator, hospital orientation coordinator and presenter, and nursing education.

Quality and Patient Safety Teaching Day at Albany Medical College 2018.

What an honor to be asked to present for the AMC 3rd year Medical students again this year! Their enthusiasm and curiosity gives me great hope for the future of medicine.

Many thanks to Dr. Jim Desemone and Dr. Mandeep Sidhu for their vision in creating a magnificent teaching event for the medical students with a focus on safety, quality, compassion and trust.

Special thanks to Dr. Ray Walsh, AMC PICU Physician and friend, who joined the discussion sharing emotional thoughts about his care of Justin after transport from a neighboring hospital to his unit.

We were able to donate several signed books to the Schaffer Library of Health Sciences at AMC. Thanks to the authors for their generosity in sharing real time knowledge with the staff and students.

Thank you, Dr. Ron Litman, for telling Justin's story once again. The article was noticed by many anesthesiologists, internationally. They have contacted me vowing to do better.

One young anesthesiologist writes: "...I promise you I will always do my best for patient safety! Not in the paper or theory, but in reality! I promise you i will always follow all the safety recomendations and best practices.

That's my promise to you, and it makes me incredible sad that noone near me can see things this way. But at least i will!

I will stand for you, for Justin, for safety."

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