SVHC Celebrates Strong Nurse Satisfaction Survey Results

Caption: Nurses and other staff from the Renal Dialysis Unit took a moment to celebrate strong nurse satisfaction survey results with nurse and organizational leaders. The department logged a 100 percent response rate. Shown, from left to right, are Pamela Duchene, PhD, APRN, chief nursing officer and vice president for Patient Care Services; Whitney Bull, CCHT; Connie A. Jastremski, RN, MS, MBA, ANP-C, FCCM, chair of the SVHC Board of Trustees Board Quality Committee; Marylou Rivera, HT; and Donna Gunther, RN, BSN, CNN

BENNINGTON, VT—November 23, 2022—Throughout the month of August, the nurses of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), participated in the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) RN Survey, which measures nurse job satisfaction. The results are in. SVMC’s nurses scored SVMC higher than the national average in all categories. Studies link high nurse satisfaction with improved patient outcomes.

“We have so many nurses and leaders from all areas working together to make SVMC the best place to build a satisfying nursing career, and those efforts are paying off,” said Connie A. Jastremski, RN, MS, MBA, ANP-C, FCCM, chair of the SVHC Board of Trustees Board Quality Committee. “When nurses are happy and empowered, patients get the highest quality care. That’s why these measures are so important.”

Nurses from all departments rated the practice environment, staff participation in policy decisions, accessibility of chief nursing officer, job enjoyment, administration’s demonstrated response to employee concerns, recognition for a job well done, adequate staffing and resources, nurse-physician working relationships, autonomy, and others.  

SVMC’s nurses rated the hospital particularly high in a category designed to determine nurses’ satisfaction with their role in making important decisions about care.  

“Members of the leadership team are present in clinical areas,” said Debora Malachuk, RN, BSN, who has worked as a nurse in the Medical-Surgical Department for 16 years.  “They are quick to listen and support us in any way that we need. With that familiarity and collaboration, I feel empowered to make changes that positively impact my patients.”

While all measures were positive compared with industry averages nationwide, the survey provided information about areas that hold the greatest opportunity for improvement, including the need to offer more career development and continuing education programs. It also identified departments that are thriving and those that need additional support.

“We are proud of the 2022 results and grateful for the information we need to improve even more,” said Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President for Patient Care Services Pamela Duchene, APRN, PhD. Noting a gain in survey results over 2021, Duchene continued, “our year-over-year performance gives me great confidence that we have the systems and tools we need to continue the positive trend in ways that matter most to our nurses.”

Developed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) and administered by Press Ganey, the NDNQI® is a validated instrument for measuring nurse satisfaction and hospital quality. The program database examines the relationships between nursing satisfaction and patient outcomes. Healthcare systems use the information to guide nursing strategy. More than 2,000 U.S. hospitals and 98% of Magnet®-recognized facilities participate in the NDNQI program.

About SVHC:
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, healthcare system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices.

Southwestern Vermont Health Care is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC ranked fourth nationwide for the value of care it provides by the Lown Institute Hospital Index in 2020 and is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. The health system is fortunate to have the support of platinum-level corporate sponsor Mack, a leading supplier of contract manufacturing services and injection molded plastic parts based in Arlington, VT.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.