St. Luke’s nurses showcase research

Health care providers often change lives one patient at time, but Marion “Buzz” Reno, BS, RN, discovered a way to broaden his impact on patients.

Reno participates in research at St. Luke’s Hospital on the Plaza.

“Every nurse’s biggest goal, in my opinion, is to feel like they’ve made a difference,” Reno said.

Reno, who works in the operating room, said research enables him to make a difference in the lives of patients he may never even see.

“You can make a global difference,” Reno said. “You can become published.”

As activities chair for St. Luke’s Nursing Research Council, Reno helped organize St. Luke’s Annual Research Day, which occurred May 14.

Multiple disciplines participate in Research Day at St. Luke’s. This year there were about 25 nursing entries, Reno said.

“Nursing research is really growing here,” he said.

In January, St. Luke’s hired Jaque Carpenter, RN, Ph.D., as nursing research program director.

Carpenter oversees nursing research throughout the hospital.

“My role is just to help motivate nurses to continue research projects,” Carpenter said.

St. Luke’s Annual Research Day provides a show-and-tell opportunity for nurses who participate in research.

“It allows the hospital to celebrate the work the nurses have been doing in research,” Carpenter said.

Reno has research under way with colleagues Nancy Sullivan, MA, BSN, RN, Kelly Jones, RN, and Grace Wong-Fairchild, BSN, RN.

These operating room nurses are researching the effects of a voice recording that tells pre-op laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients what they will likely experience after surgery.

In the research study, patients listen to the recording on an MP3 player three times before they come in for the surgery.

Reno said patients who listen to the instructions on the MP3 player might be less likely to return to the hospital if they experience common post-op symptoms, such as soreness and vomiting.

“It’s going to help them have realistic expectations,” he said.

Reno and his team plan to test the MP3 recordings on 100 laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients.

“We are just beginning data collection as we speak,” Reno said.

During Research Day, Reno and his group displayed a poster that outlined their research, while other presenters demonstrated completed research and evidence-based practice projects.

Nicole White, RN, BSN, showcased an evidence-based practice project that researched interventions for ventilator-associated pneumonia.

White is on the intensive care unit’s research committee. She said she enjoys the opportunity to participate in research as a staff nurse.

“It’s very cool,” White said.

Research Day represents St. Luke’s research friendly culture, Carpenter said.

“We want nurses to be inquisitive about their practice,” she said.

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