Team Pulsara

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Greg Brown, MN, RN, for writing today's blog post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn. 

Over the last week, I've been discussing the importance of charge nurses being able to maintain a calm face and a positive attitude when things go wrong at work -- after all, their outlooks can affect the entire rest of the team who looks to them for guidance. 

But, this is sometimes easier said than done when things get challenging. So, I wanted to bring to light three of the most common obstacles I face in my role as a charge nurse and my best strategies for working through them efficiently and in a way that encourages my team. 

Check out Obstacle #1: Lack of Staffing Resources in the ED

AND

Obstacle #2: Barriers to Facilitating Flow for ED Patients

Finally, here's obstacle #3, which is something I know is not unique to charge nurses but rather is a pain felt throughout the entire care team.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Greg Brown, MN, RN, for writing today's blog post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn. 

Last week, I introduced the first of three main obstacles I've identified in my time as a Charge Nurse: "Lack of Staffing Resources for the ED." If you missed it, you should really check out part 1 here to get some context. 

In this series, I'm discussing not only the challenges Charge Nurses face in our roles, but also the importance of maintaining a positive outlook in efforts to best keep up the morale of the rest of our teams. This next issue can be particularly difficult to tackle with a calm face, especially since it's all about the well-being of our patients. But, taking a second to breathe can help maintain relationships and ensure better outcomes for everyone involved.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Greg Brown, MN, RN, for writing today's blog post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn. 

It’s no secret that Emergency Department nurses wear many hats, but as Charge Nurses we have additional demands beyond those of our colleagues. When walking into the charge role, we are gifted not only with the responsibility, but also the privilege to lead a staff for the next 12 hours.

No matter what happens over those 12 hours, there are always two outcomes: The shift will get better, or it will end. I, for one, relish the challenge of being a charge nurse in a busy ED. I get to flex my problem solving, prioritizing, and critical thinking skills in a broader scope that affects my organization as a whole entity.

That being said, when things start to go sideways, the challenge can become overwhelming and exhausting, and the only thing we can do is to make the best decisions we can at that moment. Sometimes we win, and sometimes we fall on our faces. But that is the beauty of leading an ED. We are surrounded by allies, who all rally behind each other and pick each other up. Our successes and failures are shared, and as a Charge Nurse, we get to lead, well … the charge!

Recently, Pulsara announced the latest version of their communication Platform, which includes real-time consultation between specialists, transfer functionality, and streaming video. With these added features, Pulsara is continuing down the path of helping our partners improve patient outcomes and minimize medical errors due to miscommunication.

“This iteration of Pulsara is a turning point for the company,” said James Woodson, Board Certified Emergency Physician and CEO of Pulsara. “Simplifying the jobs of clinicians and allowing for increased efficiency and optimized patient care has always been Pulsara’s goal. With the added features of Consult/Transfer and live Video we hope to streamline the communication process even further.”

"On average, the researchers found hospitals could share 4.6 types of information within the same organization and 2.7 types of information between different organizations." 

This quote is from a recent study in Becker's Hospital Review, and we see evidence of it every day.  Organizations prioritize addressing intra-organization communication and data exchange over inter-organization communication and data exchange.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOZEMAN, MT -- June 5, 2018 -- Pulsara and JEMS (Journal of Emergency Medical Services) are proud to announce the selection of Pulsara’s version 7.0 as a Hot Product from the JEMS EMS Today Conference & Exposition, which was held February 21–23 in Charlotte, NC.

Prior to this release, Pulsara’s communication platform focused on STEMI and Stroke care from EMS to definitive treatment within the hospital. Version 7.0 allows users to dynamically create a patient channel, build any team based on patient need, and communicate.

“Broadening the Platform to include any time sensitive emergency will allow EMS providers to have one way to do their job. They no longer need to use different communication tools for different conditions. One tool for any emergency,” said James Woodson, Board Certified Emergency Physician and CEO of Pulsara.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Justin Baker for writing today's blog post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn. 

Having been in EMS now for 19 years, I have noticed one thing among the medical community: some medical providers are very interested in advancements in technology and improvements in patient care outcomes, but only as long as it does not require them to change or increase their workload.

As technology has continued to evolve, I hear “Wow, that is great, but it is just another thing for me to do.” or “I already have too much.” Even if it is the best thing for the patient, you will still typically hear the staff concerns.

The more reluctant members of the medical team tend to bring up roadblocks for why their teams can't do things a certain way, or why changing technologies will not work for them. For example, when working to implement Pulsara in our region, we hear concerns about how it's just one more tablet and application to have to use, despite the fact that statistics show that Pulsara decreases time significantly and ultimately improves the patient outcome.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Jessie Senini for writing today's blog post. You can connect with her on LinkedIn. 

I’m sitting here thinking about how to even start a “thank you” letter to my fellow EMS brothers and sisters in arms for everything that you do, that we know you do. However, I can’t help but wonder, does saying, “you are so appreciated,” mean that much when it’s coming from another medic? The answer is yes, truly and deeply. And perhaps it is even more so that I appreciate you now because of knowing where you have been and what you have been through.

For those not in the field, it’s easy to forget about the role of EMS in our lives. It’s a job that works predominantly behind the scenes until they are needed; countless hours training and preparing for whatever comes their way (and usually at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning). It’s imperative that we always remind ourselves to stop and thank these people for everything they do. It’s not just a job - it is a dedication to their fellow mankind to make sure they will do everything possible to save your life.  

In the U.S. someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds. As such, it's incredibly important both that patients and family members act FAST to get help, and that clinicians do everything in their power to reduce time to treatment as much as possible.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Arron Paduaevans for writing today's blog post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.

In healthcare, there are always victories and losses, but when your hard work, great tools, and perfect timing align to improve treatment outcomes, the victory is much sweeter. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This week (May 6 - 12) marks the annual National Nurses Week, which takes place on Florence Nightingale’s birthday week. This year’s theme is “Nurses: Inspire, Innovate, Influence.”

No where does this theme hold more true than at Pulsara. 

We are lucky enough to have seven nurses on our staff. Some have been with us since the beginning of the company. Others joined only this past year. But all of them inspire us to continue making the Pulsara platform better and easier to use, they innovate with new ideas for helping others in healthcare, and they influence the rest of the team with their spirit, intelligence, grit, and servant leadership. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOZEMAN, MT -- April 23, 2018 -- The spotlight is being shone once again on Pulsara, recently named one of Montana High Tech Business Alliance’s 12 High Growth companies to watch in 2018. Pulsara is excited to be recognized as one of Montana’s rising stars among over 500 high-tech companies in the state.

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Jean Morgan for writing today's blog post. You can connect with her on LinkedIn. 

According to a recent HIMSS Analytics Survey, over 83 percent of healthcare organizations are already using cloud technology.  It allows both hospitals and patients to access information in a cost-efficient way. So, what should you expect when you receive a contract for cloud services?  

Glad you asked. Check out our anatomy of a SaaS contract in language anyone can understand.

Leading communications platform honored in the category of Mobile Healthcare Innovation.