Like many emergency departments across the country, the ED at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC) weathered a storm of challenges over the last several years, from waves of COVID-19 hospitalizations to a surge in gun violence in Philadelphia.
To simply get through those years would have been admirable in itself. Instead, PPMC’s multidisciplinary emergency team excelled.
“The staff is continually looking at patient outcomes and how they can do better. They’re looking at underserved populations and what they can do from an emergency department perspective to help the community,” said Lisa M. Triantos, MSN, RN, CEN, NE-BC, clinical director, Emergency, Medical, & Behavioral Health Nursing at PPMC.
Now, that work has been recognized. In July, the PPMC ED became a first-time recipient of the Emergency Nurses Association’s (ENA) 2022 Lantern Award. The three-year designation signifies exceptional and innovative performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy, and research.
PPMC was one of just 29 EDs in the United States – and the only one in Pennsylvania – to meet the award criteria this year. The team will be formally recognized by the ENA at its annual conference in Denver, in October. Nationwide, only 86 EDs currently hold the Lantern Award.
ED nurse Lauren McPeake, BSN, RN-BC, said the award fills her with a sense of accomplishment. “Our department has endured highs and lows over the last couple years. My co-workers and I work very hard at what we do, day in and day out, and to be recognized by the ENA… is nothing short of amazing,” she said.
While the award is technically for nursing, Triantos said, “We couldn’t have achieved it without the entire interdisciplinary team,” which spans beyond clinical staff in the ED to include physicians and nurses on other units as well as departments such as Dietary and Environmental Services.
Nurse manager LeighAnn Mazzone, MSN, RN, CEN, noted, “All of the work that was highlighted in our submission speaks to the dedication the team has shown to improving the care our patients receive in the ED, as well as improving the environment for our staff. Being recognized by the ENA for all of their hard work and persistence is truly something they should be very proud of. I know I am.”
ED team accomplishments recognized by the Lantern Award include:
- A redesigned patient flow model that decreased patient wait times and improved access to emergency care
- Innovative approaches to caring for patients with COVID-19
- Development of a Violence and Aggression Behavior Bundle to mitigate patient and visitor violence
- Improved access to HIV testing and treatment for the West Philadelphia population, in collaboration with the infectious disease department
- A multifaceted approach to ED staff wellness