STAFF/PATIENT MANAGEMENT WINNER

Cheryl Keiller, RN, BSN, CNOR
Director, Operating Room
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C.

Keiller has found the secret to improving communication among her staff — have them eat dinner together.

But not a run-of-the-mill catered meal. Keiller’s multicultural staff bring dishes to a potluck feast that represent their backgrounds, such as cuisine from the Caribbean, India and New Zealand.

"Everybody brings a different dish. We have a real cultural mix," Keiller said. "Anything can be discussed over food."

The meals are a way to thank staff for their hard work and have become a means for them to accept and celebrate their diversity.

"Our staff is diverse, and this breaking bread together has broken down barriers and created close friendships and improved working relationships," her nominator wrote.

The door to her office, opposite the OR control desk, is open to staff, physicians, visitors and families. "All who enter feel welcome, valued and heard no matter what the question or issue," her nominator wrote.

Keiller’s work also has led to positive results at her hospital. The OR flash rates have dropped to one. Quality measurements, such as surgical counts and medication labeling on and off the sterile field, are consistently at 100%. The hospital’s three-tier surgical safety checklist compliance is at 100%, and scores for patient satisfaction in the OR are above the benchmark.

Surgeons, anesthesiologists and OR staff came in up to two hours before their shifts to participate in a "complex, multidisciplinary fire drill" to educate them about how to respond to an OR fire, her nominator wrote.

Keiller also has built relationships with the hospital’s facilities team by going on weekly rounds "to ensure that physical plant issues are addressed quickly," her nominator said.

During crises, Keiller has a "calm, yet decisive" manner and prioritizes patient safety. When a flood occurred throughout the ORs, Keiller led her team so effectively that patients and families were not aware of the problem, her nominator wrote.

To show their appreciation, the OR staff physicians held a surprise Cheryl Keiller Appreciation Day that included a wall-sized mural of thanks, her nominator wrote.

Keiller encourages her staff to give back to the community by organizing a campaign to provide backpacks for needy children before the school year starts. She also makes sandwiches and lunches for the homeless at a local shelter.

Karen Long is a freelance writer.