As part of a growing tradition, Aultman’s 13^th annual Spirit of inquiry took place the first week of December in the hospital’s Bedford lobby. The event provided an important opportunity to display practice improvement projects implemented and patient outcomes improved by multiple disciplines including pharmacy, therapy, social work and nursing.

This program gives Aultman employees a platform to share their hard work with others, showcasing their commitment to excellence. Completing a practice improvement or research project for Spirit of Inquiry prepares participants to submit their abstract to a regional or national conference as well.

The theme for this year’s event was “Putting the Pieces Together for Evidence-based Practice” and featured a total of 31 posters. Ten of the projects submitted were presented by 2015-2016 Research Academy participants. The posters of all participants were on display for public viewing in the lobby from Nov. 30 – Dec. 2 and the event itself took place on Friday, Dec. 2.

The Spirit of Inquiry event included poster presentations, judging and an awards presentation. Attendees also enjoyed listening to a total of four speakers during the luncheon. Keynote speaker Karen Gil, Ph.D., presented “Differentiating between Research, Evidence-based Practice and Quality Improvement.” Other speakers for the day included Linda Brunk, RN, CPN, ACE-CHC, Beth Chenevey, BSN, RN, CCRN-K, and Courtney Stryffeler, DNP, RN, CCRN.

Congratulations to all of this year’s Spirit of Inquiry poster award winners:

Research: Self-Reported Occupational Fatigue of Direct Care Nurses and Nurse Managers in a Community Hospital - Karen Chirumbolo, MSN, CNS, RN; Katie Emler, MSN, RN-BC; Jennifer Roth, MSN, RN

Practice: ALL IN for Excellence in Geriatric Care - Linda Griggs, MSN, RN-BC, ACNS-BC

Global Impact: Step-Down Acuity Based Staffing Protocol - Kristi Cain, BSN, RN; Jennifer Morrow, MSN, RN, PCCN; M. Samaan, MD

Committee’s Choice: Impact of Pharmacy-Directed Vancomycin Dosing in Multiple Clinical Settings at Aultman Hospital - Tom Bonsall, Pharm.D., BCPS; Scott Perry, Pharm.D., BCPS