There is a belief that the relationship between health care professionals and their patients is critical to the healing process and care satisfaction of patients as well as to the satisfaction of nurses. Crittenton Hospital Medical Center (CHMC) and Oakland University School of Nursing (OUSON) have set out to show the efficacy of Relationship Based Care (RBC), a care delivery model, through a $2 Million gift from the CHMC Foundation to the OUSON, that will support the advancement of professional nursing practice and research. Barbara Penprase PhD, RN has been appointed as the inaugural Crittenton Endowed Professor with her most important focus on developing research supporting a Relationship Based Care model. Dr. Penprase’s work will establish the foundation on which the evidence will inform nursing practice. The outcomes of Dr. Penprase’s work will encourage innovation and evidence to support improved patient care, strengthen clinical leadership and develop processes for efficient, safe and quality patient care delivery.
Kathleen Van Wagoner, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer at Crittenton, is the driving force behind both the endowment and implementing the model of RBC at Crittenton.
“The expertise and experience that Barbara Penprase brings to this position will help provide the evidence that supports our model of care that is based on RBC. Ultimately, we believe the research will show that an intentional focus on creating relationships improves not only the patient’s experience, but allows our nurses to experience the highest degree of satisfaction with their profession,” said Van Wagoner.
Penprase is a veteran faculty member at Oakland University whose research focus is on empathy and nurses. She has conducted various studies, received grant funding and published articles related to empathy and the effects it has on nursing care and professional burnout.
OUSON Dean, Kerri Schuiling, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, is equally as enthusiastic about Penprase’s appointment.
“The RBC philosophy empowers the patient because the patient is respected as a critical member of the treatment team and participates in his or her own treatment. Penprase has been practicing the tenets of RBC through her work with students, staff and patients for a number of years. I can’t think of a better person for the position.”
OUSON nursing students have the opportunity to participate in the RBC cohort at Crittenton which allows 24 bachelor of science in nursing students to learn the RBC model and practice it through their clinical rotations – all of which will be held at CHMC where they can see the model in action with the CHMC nurses who practice the philosophy resulting in the students gaining an understanding of the CHMC system, Dr. Penprase will assume her new role on August 18, 2012.
For more information on the Endowed Professorship or Relationship Based Care, contact Crittenton Hospital Medical Center at (248) 652-5409 or Amy Johnson, Oakland University School of Nursing at (248) 364-8781.