WELCOME
As chief nurse executive for one of the largest health systems in the nation, I am honored to present the 2020 UPMC Center for Nursing Excellence Annual Report, which highlights the extraordinary contributions of our talented and dedicated nurses and health care teams.
2020 was unlike any other year in healthcare. As we kicked off 2020 poised to celebrate “The Year of the Nurse and the Midwife” as designated by the World Health Organization (WHO), we were thrust into the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout the evolving pandemic and the changing needs of our communities, our patients, and our families, UPMC nurses remained steadfast in their commitment to providing compassionate, excellent, and patient-centered care. They stepped into new or changing roles as needed, rising to the needs at hand. Our nurses went the extra mile to connect our patients with family members during challenging situations, finding safe, virtual, and alternative solutions to provide them necessary and meaningful support.
Despite the challenges faced in 2020, our nurses continue to create an excellent UPMC Patient Experience. When you think about the patient experience, our nurses are a constant presence throughout the continuum of care. Everything a nurse does impacts the way the patient perceives the quality of their hospital stay or visit. That is why our nurses live our values and execute our key UPMC behaviors. In our hospitals, bedside shift reporting is one way nurses ensure open communication between patients and the care team. In addition, our nurse leaders round on our patients each day to ensure we are meeting our individualized patient and family needs.
UPMC cares about our employees. The feedback from our nurses is valuable and drives our nursing strategic vision. I use the input from our UPMC nurses and our shared leadership structure to improve both the employee and patient experience. Our annual report highlights many of these initiatives, including a robust nursing career ladder, professional development opportunities and resources to promote self-care.
I am proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to continuing to transform nursing practice and patient care. I hope that you enjoy learning more about the passion, commitment, and talent of UPMC nurses in our annual report.
Warmly,
Holly Lorenz, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Chief Nurse Executive
UPMC Center for Nursing Excellence
