Naval Hospital Jacksonville ranks in Florida’s top ten hospitals for nurses’ communication with patients, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.

At Florida’s top ten hospitals, at least 84 percent of patients surveyed indicated "nurses always communicated well."

“In healthcare, effective communication is a key component of patient safety,” said Capt. Matthew Case, Naval Hospital Jacksonville commander and Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Jacksonville commanding officer.  “We value this recognition for communication, as part of our larger approach to patient safety.”

This recognition comes as the nation celebrates Nurses Week (May 6-12) and the Navy Nurse Corps’ 112th birthday on May 13.  Nurses Week, first observed in 1954, this year coincides with the 200th anniversary of the birthday of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale.  The Military Health System’s military and civilian nurses play leading roles in maintaining military health and readiness.

The Navy Nurse Corps was established by Congress in 1908.  There were 20 original members of the Navy Nurse Corps, known as the "Sacred Twenty."  Navy nurses fly with wounded from battle-torn areas; provide care in the fleet and on hospital ships; establish local nursing schools, clinics and hospitals in remote areas of the world; lead hospitals worldwide; and serve as scientists, researchers and teachers.

“I am extremely proud of my staff for this recognition,” said Capt. Susanne Blankenbaker, NH Jacksonville director of nursing services.  “It is a true testament to our nurses’ dedication to safety and patient-centered care.  It’s a direct result of our continuous process improvement projects, acting on patient feedback.”

TeamSTEPPS, one of the communications frameworks used by nurses and other staff at NH Jacksonville, is an evidence-based set of teamwork tools, aimed at optimizing patient outcomes.

Scores were collected from April 2018 through March 2019.

Naval Hospital Jacksonville and Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Jacksonville deliver quality health care, in an integrated system of readiness and health.  NH Jacksonville includes five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia.  It serves 163,000 active-duty, family members, and retired service members, including 75,000 patients who are enrolled with a primary care manager.  NMRTC Jacksonville ensures warfighters’ medical readiness to deploy and clinicians’ readiness to save lives.  NMRTC Jacksonville includes five units across Florida and Georgia.  To find out more, visit www.tricare.mil/MTF/jacksonville.

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