Maine Medical Center sustains strong nursing team during pandemic

Nurses at Maine Medical Center surpassed national benchmarks in reduced surgical errors, workplace violence prevention and innovation. The Portland-based hospital had zero errors during the eight quarters appraisers reviewed its safety record, according to AONL member Devin Carr, DNP, RN, Maine Medical Center CNO. The superior safety record was due to consistently implementing required and recommended safety practices, such as marking the surgical site and taking a time out before the surgery begins to verify the patient’s name, procedure and surgical site, Carr said. Maine Medical Center reduced workplace violence by hiring more security guards in its emergency department, stationing additional guards in its secure acute psychiatric unit within the emergency department and installing metal detectors at the ambulatory and main entrances. The hospital’s innovation center offers initial startup funding to support innovative ideas. These practices helped Maine Medical Center to achieve Magnet status for a fourth consecutive time. (HealthLeaders Media article, 9/26/22)