Commitment to quality and safety

Toward this effort, multidisciplinary teams work to ensure we follow some of the most advanced treatments, processes and guidelines available.

The Leapfrog Group has recognized Florida Hospital for Children as a top children’s hospital based on our safety, staffing and practice standards. By focusing efforts on accurate medication dosing and administration, safe caregiver ratios, and appropriate antibiotic use, we can maintain excellent quality and service.

Florida Hospital for Children has earned Magnet® recognition, by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which establishes the hospital as a national leader in nursing and patient care. Only 7 percent of the nation’s hospitals have received this recognition.

In collaboration with Florida Hospital, Florida Hospital for Children is on the path to becoming an ELSO Center of Excellence in ECMO — a life-saving therapy for high-risk patients. We have been awarded the ELSO Pathway to Excellence – Silver Level, in recognition for our preparedness to be a Center of Excellence.

One of the ways we have increased our vigilance of quality and safety is our Daily Safety Brief. Representatives from our nursing units and ancillary departments convene at the same time every weekday to report previous-day’s events, discuss potential problems and plan for likely contingencies. Having all disciplines at the same table allows smooth shift-transitions and alerts the clinical, auxiliary and leadership team to safety concerns.

Providing patient- and family-centered care is of the utmost importance at Florida Hospital for Children. We consider our patients and families our partners-in-care whenever they visit the hospital. We have a seasoned Family Advisory Council (FAC) and Teen Advisory Council that meet monthly. Members of our FAC participate in several hospital councils, including the Patient Safety and Quality Committee. Their unique perspectives on clinical care, quality service and safe processes are crucial to continual safety and quality care. For parents and guardians who cannot participate in the Family Advisory Council due to distance, Florida Hospital for Children’s E-Council offers an online platform for council membership. We are committed to building a culture of safety and excellence with our patients and families.