Southlake Regional Health Centre is proud to once again receive a Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) designation from the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) for 2022-24 for delivering high-quality care resulting in optimal patient outcomes. As part of Southlake’s commitment to enhancing quality and patient safety, Southlake began pursuing the BPSO designation in 2015 and was first designated in 2018. The organization was re-designated in 2020 and late 2022.
BPSOs are healthcare and academic organizations that have partnered with the RNAO to apply evidence-based Best Practice Guidelines (BPG) to optimize patient outcomes at all levels of healthcare.
“Our BPSO designation is a testament to the leadership and dedication of Southlake’s team, as well as our commitment to patient quality and safety,” said Elizabeth Ferguson, Vice President, Clinical Transformation, and Patient Experience & Chief Nursing Executive. “This recognition highlights how Southlake creates and maintains a culture of excellence by embedding evidence into daily practice to ensure our patients receive the best care possible.”
Since 2015, Southlake has implemented the following RNAO best practice guidelines (BPG) to positively impact the health and well-being of patients and families:
- Care Transitions (within the organization)
- Care Transitions (in and out of the organization)
- Professionalism in Nursing
- Person and Family Centred Care
- Caregiving Strategies for Older Adults with Delirium, Dementia and Depression
- Developing and Sustaining Interprofessional Care
- Nursing Care of Dyspnea: the 6th Vital Sign in Individuals with COPD
- Assessment and Management of Pressure Injuries for the Interprofessional Team
- Ostomy Care – Management Assessment and Management of Pain
- Engaging Clients who use Substances
- Breastfeeding – promoting and supporting the initiation, exclusivity and continuation of breastfeeding for newborns, infants and young children
- Care and Maintenance to Reduce Vascular Access Complications
- Preventing Falls and Reducing Injury from Falls
The BPGs provide a bridge between research and practice, ensuring the most current available knowledge is applied through care provided to patients and their families. Their integration has become part of the culture at Southlake and is often a starting point when developing new processes or policies.
The RNAO commended Southlake in its 2022-24 BPSO designation for implementing creative strategies for recruiting and engaging BPSO champions within the organization. Strong internal and external dissemination of BPSO work, and a commitment to using BPGs to support nursing, build capacity, maximize clinical excellence and evaluate outcomes was also highlighted.
“We’re proud of our commitment to evidence-based practice and grateful for the many staff members across the organization who supported the uptake of BPGs to ensure our patients receive the very best care,” said Sarah Alisch, Director of Inter-Professional Practice, Patient Experience and Clinical Transformation. “We look forward to Southlake’s continued partnership with RNAO as a BPSO designate.”
