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Currents To Medical Center Employees: Some changes are underway with the hospital administrative team with the retirement of the Heart Center administrator and the selection of a new Children’s Hospital administrator.      Mr. Charles Winstead, Heart Center administrator, will be retiring at the end of this month. Mr. Winstead joined the MUSC Medical Center in 1990. Prior to that he was employed as a radiology practice manager in the private sector, he worked at North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Bowman Gray) as Radiology administrator and he worked at MUSC for a period of time in the mid-1970s.     Charles played a key role in implementation of state-of-the art radiology systems (PACS) at MUSC and he strengthened the Heart Center management. He added stability to the Medical Center administrative team. We will greatly miss Charles and wish him well.      I am pleased to announce that Mr. John Sanders has recently accepted the Children’s Hospital administrator position. A search committee, chaired by Dr. Phil Saul, professor of  pediatrics, director, pediatric cardiology and vice chair for clinical affairs, Department of Pediatrics, completed an exhaustive search process to select John for this key position.      John completed his MHA at MUSC and was employed here in the mid-1990s. Among various positions held, he has most recently been associate  administrator of Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. We look forward to John’s starting date of Aug. 11.    Thank you very much. W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center STAR Productions presents ‘Terms of Endearment’  In a scene from “Terms of Endearment” with Shirley McClaine and Debra Winger, McClaine’s character frantically screams and harasses a nurse to give her daughter pain medication, as it’s one minute past the prescribed waiting period and Winger’s character is in immense pain. Winnie Hennessy, Palliative and Supportive Care clinical nurse specialist, used the scene to remind managers that pain management and assessment at the Medical Center will be scrutinized during the November JCAHO survey.    Hennessy announced that the MUSC Pain PI Committee organizational structure changed to include broad representation from psychiatry, ambulatory care, children’s and the adult hospitals. Each “area” has a pain task force that will implement strategies to improve pain screening, assessment and management for their populations.     Concerning pain management and assessment, JCAHO standards mandate the following: Patients have the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.  Effective pain management is appropriate for all patients, not just dying patients.  Each patient is reassessed at points designated in hospital policy (MUSC pain policy is C-64).  Reassessment occurs at regular intervals in the course of care.  Reassessment determines a patient’s response to care.  A significant change in a patient’s condition results in reassessment.  Patients are educated about pain and  The organization collects data to monitor performance.   MUSC pain policy C-64 clarifies that pain screening may be performed by designated employees, as screening implies interpretation of data (pain score). Although several types of health care employees can screen for pain (pain score with vital signs by CA/PCT or technicians), interpretation (assessment) of the screening or data collected MUST be completed by a RN or provider.     In addition, MUSC Pain screening, assessment and management policy, C-64, states that inpatient nurses will educate all patients on age-appropriate pain scales, screen and (if appropriate) assess all patients for pain on admission, and document on the appropriate form. Initial assessment will be followed by pain screening every 8 hours (minimum) and may be delegated to CA/PCT (routine vital signs). All patients will be re-screened for pain within 1 hour after an intervention, pre or post procedure, with outcome documented in the medical record. Patients will be reassessed with a new report of pain, pain score greater than personal relief goal, or pain that intervenes with healing or ADLs. For  information, review MUSC policy C-64.    Currently the data collected for monitoring pain screening, assessment and management is primarily gathered from the nursing audit tool. Although documentation for pain screening and assessment is completed consistently (94 percent), documentation for the re-screening of pain every 8 hours and 1 hour post intervention is sub-optimal (<80 percent). Efforts by the MUSC Pain PI task force are underway to improve these indicators.     For additional information on JCAHO pain standards, JCAHO scoring of pain, MUSC pain policy C-64, call Winnie Hennessy at 876-1121 or e-mail her at hennessw@musc.edu or pager # 11132). No more MUSC scrubs to leave hospital According to MUSC Policy A-06, scrub suits, specifically those used in operating rooms, are not to leave the MUSC campus. University and Medical Center assigned scrubs should be taken off before an individual leaves campus to go home after a shift.    Individuals seen leaving in MUSC scrubs or coming to work in MUSC scrubs will begin receiving citations. Employees are asked to cooperate with this policy, as non-compliance presents a safety issue to patients and employees. MUSC issued scrubs, under no circumstances, are to be taken home.     For more information, contact Rosemary Ellis at ellisro@musc.edu, or Karen Weaver at weaverk@musc.edu. Human Resources Updates Susan Carullo, employment and compensation manager, updated managers about the PeopleAdmin implementation. The rollout went smoothly and the system now has 276 postings and 255 unique applicants. She also reminded managers to print out an individual’s application during the interview process so that a signature may be obtained.  The signed application should then be forwarded to HR with the PEAR form when an individual is hired. Announcements Michael Irving, clinical services administration, showed managers a new prototype home page for the Medical Center Intranet. Irving asked for suggestions and feedback concerning what should be organized where, etc. For more information or to comment, email Irving at irvingm@musc.edu. Dave Bennett, a former MUSC employee, has rejoined the MUSC family in the capacity of web resource manager in Marketing and Creative Services. Peggy Anthony was recognized for her recent promotion to Hollings Cancer Center manager.  Karen Weaver announced that MUSC’s Labor and Delivery Childbirth Education program was nominated by a parent that attended Childbirth classes for a Johnson and Johnson award for dedication, skill, and excellence in practice by childbirth nurses. At the end of the year, all of the recipients of this award will be reviewed and one institution will be chosen as the overall winner. The winner will receive a $1,000 for education and two staff members will receive sponsorship to attend the AWOHNN in 2004.  Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.