Patient Nomination:
My mother was a patient in 1 South, and she is a very particular woman, who can also be described as demanding. May God bless her. However, my siblings and I love her for who she is and accept her and her demands; she is our mother and very precious to us. However, her stay in 1 South was not like a stay within a hospital, no, it was not! The nurses of 1 South treated my mother as if she were a queen; nothing was too big or small for them.

They would come into the room each morning with a smile and introduce themselves, and their head nurse, Tracy, came every morning to ask us how we were, and we never felt the nurses were rushed or under stress. The nurses all came in smiling, and when they spoke to my mum, they got down on her level and made sure she understood clearly. A special thanks to Hilaria, Jora, and Fatima, the doctors, and the heart of the hospital, the nurses. Can you imagine that on my mother's discharge, she asked me if it was possible to extend her stay as she enjoyed being with the nurses and the care they gave her.

Neuroscience/ 1 South Achievements

Quality Indicators – Striving for zero harm:

The team collaborated effectively to achieve excellent outcomes, as demonstrated by the maintenance of zero harm in HAPI (Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries) Stage 2 and above and CLABSI (Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections) rates.

CLABSI: Last case recorded on 20 September 2024
HAPI Stage 2 and above: Last case recorded on 3 November 2023

However, a concern was identified regarding a high number of patient falls. In response, the team launched targeted Quality Improvement Projects focused on fall prevention. These initiatives resulted in a significant decrease in falls, showcasing the team’s commitment to patient safety and continuous improvement.

Fall Prevention Initiatives:
Recognizing the high incidence of falls in 2024 (17 falls across 1 South and the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, including 1 fall with minor injury), the team launched targeted fall prevention strategies under two projects:
a. I.A.C.T Project (1 South):
Fall incidents (including EMU) dropped dramatically in 2025 from 17 falls in 2024 (including 2 with injury):
• Q1: 4 falls
• Q2: 0 falls
• Q3: 0 falls

Just Do It Project (Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU)):
Falls in this high-risk area were reduced from 5 in 2024 (including 1 with injury) to:
• Q1: 1 fall
• Q2: 0 falls
• Q3: 0 falls

Collaboration
The success of these projects was driven by interdisciplinary collaboration, which included:
• Patients and Families
• Neurosurgery Physicians
• Physiotherapists
• Case Manager
• Housekeeping Supervisor
• Quality Management Coordinator
• Ward Clerk
• Patient Care Assistants (Porters)

Two collaborative meetings were conducted during the project phase to align strategies, share feedback, and address gaps promptly.

Education and Engagement:
• Nurse Education: Delivered bi-weekly sessions focusing on implementation strategies, success stories, and gap analysis. These sessions included feedback on documentation audits and compliance with patient/family education.
• Patient and Family Education: For EMU, a custom educational video was developed to explain fall risks and prevention strategies in this high-risk setting, ensuring better understanding and engagement.

As a result of this achievement, 1 South submitted an entry for the National Patient Safety Award to be announced in 2026.

Optimizing NPO Practices for Neurosurgery Patients (I.A.C.T Project):
In early 2025, the team identified a concern that neurosurgery patients were being kept Nil Per Os (NPO) for extended periods before surgery, which negatively impacted patient comfort, hydration status, and overall care quality. To address this, the team initiated a collaborative project involving multiple stakeholders:
• Neurosurgery Physicians
• Operating Room (OR) Team
• Nursing Team: Took the lead in monitoring NPO status, educating patients and families, and ensuring timely updates to the surgical team. Nurses also flagged any prolonged NPO cases for immediate intervention.

• Baseline (Jan–Apr 2025): 19 hours
• Current (May–Aug 2025): 10.8 hours

The outcome represents a reduction of 8.2 hours, significantly enhancing patient outcomes and experience.


Staff Engagement and Recognition:
• To foster team spirit and celebrate our specialty, the team organized a Neuroscience Nurses Week in May 2025, which coincidentally coincided with Nurses Day, featuring interactive neuroscience-themed games, refreshments, and gifts.
• Two team building activities were conducted and included structured games, recognition and fun.
• The team celebrated World Culture Day in May 2025.
• The team proudly joined hands with the multidisciplinary team and patients to raise awareness for World Wide Pressure Injury and Prevention Day in November 2025. The team shared knowledge and promoted healthy practices.
• An end-of-year party is planned for 26 December 2025 to celebrate our achievements for 2025.
• The team recognized outstanding contributions through the Star of the Quarter program, honoring 1 Staff Nurse 1, 1 Neurosurgery Resident, and 1 PCA (porter) for the first three quarters of 2025.
• 1 South won the Unit Council Award at the Stars of Excellence in November 2025
• Tracy was recognized for the Nurse Leader Excellence 2025 at the Stars of Excellence in November 2025.
• Tracy received the Daisy Award for Nurse Leader in January 2025.
• Multiple thank-you letters from patients further validated the team’s professionalism and caring.

Professional Development:
• The team set a goal to enhance knowledge on two key themes this year through self-study, and 100% of our nurses successfully completed these on-line courses.
o Neurological disorders
o Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), reinforcing our culture of learning and respect
• Two nurses have successfully completed the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Certification (WOCC) Program.

Nurse Interaction:
To enhance teamwork, the team assessed RN–RN interactions through an internal survey. Based on the findings, the team conducted lectures on expected behaviors to promote respectful and professional communication among staff.
• Results from the NDNQI RN Satisfaction Survey (September 2025):
o The hospital target was to exceed the mean in seven identified categories.
o The unit achieved six categories above the mean, with one category meeting the mean.