Articles-Thought Leadership Improving Resuscitation throughout the Care Contin | Page 5

Importance of High Quality Resuscitation in
Hospice Environment
“High-quality resuscitation is extremely important
during end-of-life care,” Haynes said. “Often people
assume that hospice is where people go when they’re
ready to die, but that is not always the case.” Haynes
explained that patients may have desires for certain
interventions, and staff should be prepared to make
every effort to sustain life for them, not to mention
their visitors and family members. Additionally,
patients may be there without a directive, and staff is
responsible to deliver CPR until a directive is
developed or found. Haynes added, “If a facility is
going to be available to provide CPR, they should be
able to do so at a level that would provide opportunity
for the best outcomes.”
Learning from Successful Resuscitation Programs
In working as a resuscitation coach to a range of care
continuum facilities, Haynes has observed resuscitation
programs that succeed and fail. “Once certain foundational
items are in place, I typically see organizations move
forward successfully with quality CPR training,” Haynes
said. Reflecting on her coaching experience, Haynes
explained that many organizations aren’t sure how to
initially navigate the pathway to success. “I’ve found that
being committed over time and forming a group of
individuals who are willing to share in planning leads to
success.”
When asked what advice she had for organizations seeking
to improve their programs, responded, “Ensure that staff
are trained to perform quality CPR because it really does
improve outcomes. I think improvement and survival are
associated with providing quality CPR on a consistent basis,
and healthcare settings across the continuum are
embracing this as the need to improve outcomes and
quality of care initiatives grows.”
Future Predictions for CPR
When discussing the future of resuscitation, Haynes spoke
optimistically about a continued international focus on
improving survivability and outcomes. She also predicts
that care delivered outside of hospital walls will have an
increased presence in meeting healthcare needs, creating
an even greater need for quality CPR training. “We as
educators and learning development specialists will need
to continue to create efficient and advanced modes of skill
development and maintenance of competency,” Haynes
said. “Once an individual experiences success performing
CPR, whether in training or in a real scenario, they see the
value of quality training and will strive to continue to build
their confidence and ability to deliver quality CPR.”
This article is dedicated to the memory, service, and commitment to
improving resuscitation outcomes of Donna Haynes, who passed away
before it was finished. Donna Haynes served as a national resuscitation
coach at HealthStream. During her HealthStream tenure, Haynes
partnered with organizations to establish sustainable resuscitation training
designed to meet each group’s unique needs. With over 30 years in the
healthcare industry as a nurse, clinical educator, and a Human Resources
specialist, Haynes had a deep understanding of the vital role of proper
resuscitation and simulation techniques. Prior to joining HealthStream,
Haynes was an administrator at Pullman Regional Hospital. In addition to
her resuscitation expertise, Haynes’s varied healthcare career included nursing roles as an emergency
department, pediatric intensive care, and medical surgical staff RN, Director of Clinical Education and
Simulation, and Magnet coordinator. She was a national award winner for her work in developing CPR
competence. Haynes enjoyed sharing her knowledge of resuscitation and simulation with healthcare
organizations across the country in the development of best practice resuscitation programs.
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