The nurses on Three North Wing (3NW) love receiving cards, emails and letters of appreciation from patients and their family members. Former patients often come back to visit the floor to personally thank the nurses who helped them during their recovery. Each gesture means the world to the team of nurses on the orthopedic surgical unit at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center.
The 3NW team was recently recognized on a national level, as well. The team received two major nursing awards: the prestigious DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses and the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). Together, these honors reflect the unmatched dedication and expertise of the 3NW team.
DAISY Award and Beacon Award for Excellence
The awards recognize nursing teams nationwide for excellence in several categories, including patient safety and communication, collaborative care and high morale among staff members. “Every day, we put ourselves in our patients’ shoes and do whatever we can to make a difference in their lives,” said Teresa Hernandez Villegas, BSN, RN, who has worked as a 3NW nurse for more than a decade. She said the awards highlight the values of the 3NW team, which include integrity, compassion and a strong commitment to patient-centered care.
The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes nursing teams that exhibit exceptional care across three categories: patient outcomes, work environment and nursing workforce. The 3NW team received a Silver-level AACN Beacon Award, which holds a three-year designation.
The DAISY Award, sponsored by The DAISY Foundation™, recognizes nurses for going above and beyond to deliver excellent care. Nurses can be nominated by patients, family members and fellow staff members. Many 3NW nurses have been honored individually with DAISY Award nominations, but this is the first time the entire 3NW team has received the award.
Supportive work environment equals better patient care
One of the factors that sets the 3NW team apart is the cohesion among leadership and staff. Unit Director Kelsey Zwang, MSN, RN, CCRN, NE-BC, leads the team. She works tirelessly to foster a positive environment and provide nurses with the resources to do their job well. “Everyone feels heard, understood and supported, even during critical moments,” Villegas said. “We all have a voice and feel like valued members of the team, and that really improves the nurses’ morale.”
Clinical nurse managers consult 3NW nurses frequently to get their take on policy changes, listen to their ideas, inquire about challenges they’re facing and talk through solutions. UCLA Health invests in resources, including advanced equipment and a dedicated lift team, to protect nurses from injuries during transfers. New nurses have mentors to help them thrive, and everyone is encouraged to support their fellow team members. Villegas also notes the many opportunities for professional growth and continuing education.
Together, these resources enable the nursing team to focus on delivering the highest-quality care. “There are multiple people to support you,” said Aida Tapia, MSN, ONC, who has worked on 3NW for 11 years and serves as a mentor for new nurses. “That is truly what we want to embody in this unit.”
Many 3NW nurses have been on the team for 10 to 20 years, or more, because of the supportive environment. The longevity, collaboration and high morale among the staff benefits every patient. “UCLA Health takes pride in taking care of nurses, and that allows us to deliver better care to our patients,” said Villegas.
Fostering a culture of safety
Patient safety is a key measure of both awards. Coming out of the pandemic, the 3NW team renewed their focus on enhancing safety policies. Today, they continue prioritizing patient safety. As a result of their efforts, the team:
- Was awarded the 12-month zero harm achievement for zero catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI)
- Exceeded the national benchmark on hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI)
- Had zero falls with injury in a six-month period
- Had zero medication errors over a two-year period
- Received the Team Safety Award for achieving five years without a central-line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)
In 2022, the 3NW team led the way in implementing the Ecolab® Hand Hygiene Compliance Monitoring System. All 3NW nurses carried Ecolab badges throughout the day. Every time a nurse cleaned their hands, sensors detected, tracked and monitored the hand hygiene event. The initiative helped staff members protect patients by preventing the spread of infection. The hand hygiene system is used throughout UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Collaborating for comprehensive care
For the 3NW nurses, collaboration is vital to their work. They coordinate with experts from multiple specialties daily, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, spiritual care, social work, care coordination and prosthetics and orthotics. They communicate with UCLA Health staff who provide the full spectrum of services, including diabetes educators, subject matter experts and nutritionists.
The team has also been known to collaborate with experts beyond hospital walls. Recently, when a patient required a special type of wheelchair, the 3NW nurses reached out to the wheelchair vendor. “This patient needed a unique power-tilt wheelchair, and we needed to be familiar with the equipment,” said Villegas.
Communicating with the vendor, the 3NW team learned about the wheelchair’s features so they could prevent pressure injuries and help the patient feel more comfortable. The nurses created a customized care plan to ensure the patient would continue progressing in his recovery.
Consistently finding ways to improve
Villegas and Tapia emphasize that the 3NW team is always evaluating their performance and looking ahead. “As part of our evidence-based practice, we look at the national benchmarks and spearhead our improvement projects based on that information,” said Tapia. “We consider what we have done as a unit to improve so we can continue providing the best care.”
The 3NW team also receives feedback and guidance from the AACN about how to address areas for improvement. Incorporating that feedback helps the team become even stronger. Villegas and Tapia say the entire team is honored and humbled to be recognized with such meaningful awards. Above all, however, they emphasize that the focus remains on their patients. “Nursing can be challenging, but it's also extremely rewarding,” said Tapia. “Our nurses are reliable, dedicated and resilient. We are very passionate about providing the best care possible.”
