Celina Afenir
Loma Linda University Children Hospital, USA
Title: Shared Leadership: Creating a Space for Truth to Empower, Engage and Strengthen Relationships
Biography:
Celina Afenir is an inspirational and motivational executive with a focus on a truth leadership approach. She has a proven record of success in strategic, organizational, operational, and fiscal management of the Children's Services, specializing in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatrics Unit for major healthcare organizations within the United States Pacific Southwest and Northwest (California, Arizona, Oregon and Washington States). She has a BSN, MBA/Healthcare Management and is currently pursuing a PhD (Doctoral in Performance Improvement Psychology) at Grand Canyon University. She was a co-presenter at the 2016 National Association of Neonatal Nurses 32nd Annual Education Conference on the topic of Innovative Family Centered Care Bundle: One Hospital's Journey of Working with Family and Staff to Significantly Improve Communication and Patient Experience in the NICU. She is currently the Director of Patient Care Services NICU Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital California USA.
Abstract:
Background: Based on employee rounding, the NICU leadership team identified the need of the NICU frontline staff members to be encouraged and empowered to make decisions on initiatives, changes, projects and performance improvements. There is a perception of inconsistent follow through from leadership team on issues, concerns, and suggestions regarding opportunities for improvement. As a result, historical employee engagement survey participation has been less than 50% and engagement results were below standards. Purpose: The NICU Practice Council was developed to represent the unit-based aspect of the shared governance model in healthcare. The frontline staff members are empowered to identify barriers to clinical practice, improve processes and/or workflow by partnering with the leadership team to help remove identified barriers and facilitate resources. The NICU Practice Council has the responsibility and accountability to establishing and maintaining the standards of evidence-based practice which describe and guide the care provided.