Leadership

Executive Training for Research Application (EXTRA)

Sandi Cox

EXTRA Fellow, 2006: Sandi Cox, MN (admin), CRN(C)

Current position: Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Director, Rehabilitation and Complex Continuing Care, Bloorview Kids Rehab

Current job role:

As the chief nurse executive, I am accountable for the planning and implementation of strategies that set the standard for professional nursing practice at Bloorview, including the integration of education, research and best practices. In my role as senior director, I develop the strategic direction for the service within a culture of quality and patient safety, ensuring that accountabilities and performance meet or exceed established benchmarks and standards.

Intervention project: Setting the Stage: Using an Evidence-informed Approach to Address Implementation of Nurse Practitioners Within a Pediatric Rehabilitation Centre

The focus of this intervention project is to apply evidence in the planning, implementation and evaluation of nurse practitioners at Bloorview Kids Rehab. The literature describes challenges and barriers to the successful integration of nurse practitioners within health-care teams. Challenges include role confusion, lack of organizational support and limited use of evidence to guide planning.

Through this project, Bloorview has taken a systematic approach to examine the organization’s ability and readiness to integrate nurse practitioners within a change-management framework. The application of the participatory, evidence-based, patient-focused process for advanced practice nursing (PEPPA) conceptual model has been fundamental to this work. Through the application of this model, we will develop a comprehensive evaluation framework that integrates structure, process and outcome indicators.

EXTRA benefits:

The EXTRA program has provided amazing opportunities to expand my network across the country. This has been useful as each of us tackle the challenges of operating within an increasingly complex health-care milieu. As well, using evidence to inform decision-making has become a cornerstone of my practice. I have developed a greater appreciation of the value of and need for the interface between research evidence and both clinical and administrative practice.

Most significant skills acquired through EXTRA:

My involvement in the EXTRA program has made me feel better equipped to access knowledge and information to inform my decision-making. I am more proficient in accessing and appraising literature and I use the EXTRA desktop to facilitate my work as a health-care leader.