Chief nurse executive details milestone year in Grand Rounds session

Chief Nurse Executive Margaret Calarco, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, delivered her Grand Rounds address on July 19, focusing on the successes of the past year and underscoring the many accomplishments of Michigan Medicine nurses. Calarco also highlighted the supportive, inclusive and collaborative environment that allows nurses to thrive within the organization.

Titled “Nursing at Michigan: Leading the Way,” the presentation touched on the organization recently earning Nurse Magnet Recognition Program® status — obtained largely through efforts of the nursing staff — as well as other ongoing efforts, including the department’s DEI initiative, leadership and professional development opportunities, and a renewed focus on self-care.

“This is nursing at Michigan,” Calarco said. “It is your work, every hour of every day, impacting thousands of lives, not only while they’re here, but forever.”

Nursing staff and the department collectively garnered 43 awards and honors throughout the past year, including:

• 11 DAISY Awards: Edward Alelmann, Michelle Dettore, Andrew Goy, Paul Gibson, Wendy Ogren, Anita Briggs, Tanya Grzybowski, Emily Schlund, Ning Etchill, Tammy Deyarmond, Jonathan Friedman

• 2017 Lantern Award: Children’s Emergency Services

• The Frankel Cardiovascular Center Clinical Innovation Award: Mobility Aid/Early Ambulation in CVICU

• “Liberation” Top Team Award, Society of Critical Care Medicine: Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Michigan Medicine nurses also shared their expertise and creativity throughout the health care industry, including two keynote speakers, 48 professional presentations, 81 poster presentations and 39 publications.

Calarco also spoke about recruitment and retention efforts — an area which has seen continued growth and success.

Michigan Medicine hired more than 1,000 nurses over the last fiscal year (including transfers) and boasts a vacancy rate well below the national average.

Career fairs saw record attendance, and the Career Launch program, which targets senior nursing school students from across the state and focuses on preparing them to navigate the job market, continues to grow in popularity. Michigan Medicine has proven successful at not only attracting but also retaining first-year RNs: the national turnover rate has increased to 27 percent while Michigan Medicine’s rate is only 6.1 percent.

Associate Professor Emerita Angela Delvecchio, M.A., R.N., 95 years old and retired for more than 30 years, attended the presentation by Calarco’s invitation. She was particularly impressed by the work completed to earn the Magnet designation.

“My nursing school in Chicago was a diploma program, and they got Magnet,” Delvecchio said. “I didn’t realize the amount of work that went into it until recently. I wanted to come here and see all these hard-working people.”