Recognition for outstanding patient education efforts
Recognition for outstanding patient education efforts
Going beyond normal job duties is encouraged
The first week in November, four to five Golden Apple Awards are presented to individuals and groups at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for excellence in health care education.
The award ceremony coincides with the health education observance the first full week in November co-sponsored by the Health Care Education Association based in Amarillo, TX, and Atlanta-based Pritchett & Hull Inc. It is the culmination of a recognition process that begins two months in advance.
Early in September, each department holds a Health Education Expo. At that time, any staff member or physician at the department level can submit displays for the expo that feature an aspect of health care education that has been completed within the past year.
Submissions for the expo can include journal articles, research, posters, class curriculum, teaching materials, presentations, and testimonials or letters about staff or physicians who practice excellence in staff or patient and family education.
Managers may appoint a person to coordinate the expo in their department or use their representative to the Family Centered Education Council. Expos featuring departmental staff, community, and family and patient education efforts are held on both campuses and all satellite areas of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
The expos showcase all the outstanding work that is being done in health care education helping staff and managers to become aware of these efforts, says Kathy Ordelt, RN-CPN, CRRN, patient and family education coordinator at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Often managers give each entrant a reward of some kind, such as a certificate for a free yogurt in the cafeteria or a candy bar.
"These projects all have to be above and beyond a person’s normal realm of duty," she says.
The best of the best selected
During the two weeks the projects are on display at the expo, department staff vote for the one they think is the best. The winner from each department competes at the systemwide level and is judged by members of the Family Centered Education Council, of which Ordelt is an advisor. Thirty to 40 entries are submitted, and four to five Golden Apple Awards are given, depending on budgetary constraints.
The award is a lapel pin that is proudly worn by the recipients. It is an apple that has a blue stone purchased from Brown Industries (www. browninc.com/) and reads "Golden Apple Award" with the year it was given. In addition
to the pin, winners receive a certificate signed by the Chief Learning Officer and CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as well as an American Express gift certificate.
| Sources For more information on the Education Expos and Golden Apple Awards in celebration of National Health Education Week, contact:
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The announcements of the winning entries are made during a special breakfast attended by all nominees, and senior leaders present the awards. "Education is given a very heavy weight in our health care facility," says Ordelt.
The Family Centered Education Council judges all entries according to the following criteria:
- Does the educational offering reflect CHOA values and goals?
- Does the educational offering go "above and beyond" usual educational activities?
- Was the offering completed within the past year — September to September?
- Would you want to use the offering yourself?
- What is the potential impact of the offering?
- Does it help the target audience obtain new information using high-retention learning methods?
- Does it provide an innovative solution to a difficult educational need?
- Is it well planned, creative, interesting, and engaging?
The award-winning projects vary greatly. One staff member received the Golden Apple Award for a textbook Ordelt wrote for schoolteachers on how to take care of children who re-enter the school system following a brain injury or with neurological problems.
The sports medicine department won one year for a set of laminated cards it produced for coaches on treating sports injuries. The cards were on a ring that could be hooked to a belt loop so they were easily accessible during football, basketball, and other sporting events.
One year, the staff member who produced a computer program instruction booklet won an award. The booklet explained how to use a very complicated new computer program.
"She went way above her normal duties to try to simplify, it and they had great outcomes as a result of that with the training time decreasing significantly," Ordelt recalls.
Going beyond normal job duties is encouraged The first week in November, four to five Golden Apple Awards are presented to individuals and groups at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta for excellence in health care education.Subscribe Now for Access
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