Rebecca Brown receives CMH Patient Safety Award
Citizens Memorial Hospital/Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation presented the inaugural Patient Safety Award to Rebecca Brown on March 10.
Brown is a restorative certified nurse assistant (RCNA) at Colonial Springs Healthcare Center, a skilled nursing facility in Buffalo.
“Rebecca has shown a tremendous amount of dedication to ensuring that we have a safe environment here at CSHCC,” Roy Pace, CSHCC administrator, wrote in his nomination. “She always attends the safety committee meetings and has always come to me with any concerns that she has found when working the floor to make sure we have a safe environment not only for the residents but her co-workers.
Pace credits Brown for helping implement and monitor the door alarm system for the Memory Care Unit. The system ensures that staff are aware when residents go out of the courtyard and exit doors.
“She has truly shown me that she is committed to safety,” Pace wrote. “She has worked with the company for over 20 years and still comes in daily trying to make a difference.”
Brown is also the facility’s safety champion. CMH has more than 50 safety champions who are front-line staff in clinical areas, helping their peers focus on safety. They are advocates for their co-workers and assist in resolving concerns with employee or patient safety. Started in 2022, the Safety Champions are part of CMH’s focused efforts to improve patient safety.
“I want to make sure my patients, residents and staff are safe,” Brown said of her role as a safety champion.
Patient Safety Awareness Week
Brown’s nomination was one of nearly 30 submitted for the inaugural CMH Patient Safety Award. The award presentation is part of Patient Safety Awareness Week, celebrated March 9-15. The week is a dedicated time and platform for growing awareness about patient safety and recognizing the work already being done.
Patient safety efforts include daily leadership safety huddles, culture of safety action plans, safety champions, and departmental huddles and vision boards to monitor progress on safety goals.
“At CMH, our commitment to patient safety is at the heart of every patient and resident interaction; we continually strive to achieve zero preventable harm,” said Lisa Hogan, patient safety and regulatory compliance coordinator. “Performance improvement initiatives like Rebecca’s keep us moving in that direction. In alignment with our mission, vision and values, we recognize Rebecca’s efforts and applaud all CMH staff working to provide the safest, highest quality and best experience for the communities we serve.”