Staff Spotlight: Samantha Corkum, NICU Quality and Accreditation Supervisor

Q: Can you tell us a little about your role as the NICU Quality and Accreditation Supervisor and what a “day in your life” typically looks like?

A: In this role, I am ultimately responsible for overseeing all things quality in our unit, as well as maintaining our level of designation. The State of Texas was one of the first states in the country to develop written rules for levels of neonatal designation with mandated surveys, which occur every 3 years. Our next on-site designation survey is this October, so this is currently ruling my life, and my desk reflects this state of chaos; however, any time outside of designation, my job is a lot more exciting, and the plants on my desk are watered and thriving! A typical day looks like checking emails and event reports, listening to our daily physician check-in, rounding in the unit to check on staff and see how new initiatives are going, answering questions, etc. I help teach orientation and present at various staff meetings. My team consists of outreach coordinators who keep our referral facilities updated on their patients and serve as a touchpoint for outreach education, and database coordinators and abstractors who are vital to helping us benchmark ourselves. I depend on these teammates to help keep me informed as to what is happening in the unit as a whole (it is so big – I cannot know everything otherwise). I can take this information to leadership meetings to help guide us in our decision-making. I attend conferences every year where I can collaborate with others, and I sit on/lead multiple unit and house-wide committees, which keep me attuned with what is happening on the front lines, and what their needs are.

Q: What inspired you to step into the world of quality and accreditation, especially in such a high-stakes environment like the NICU?

A: My role has evolved over the years. I was a bedside nurse in the NICU, and I loved it. I thought, without a doubt, I would continue as such and aspired to grow into a charge nurse/ECMO/clinical nurse superstar role like some of the nurses who shaped me as a young new grad. Our director posted about a database coordinator role that was available, and I was intrigued, as I had no idea this role existed in our unit, and I am a nerd above all else. Upon shadowing the database coordinator, I was introduced to a whole “behind the scenes” world and instantly grew to love and respect this team. I successfully interviewed for the role, and I was still able to work bedside shifts once every 2-4 weeks, so it was truly the best of both worlds. I became passionate about tracking our outcomes, comparing them to other centers, and researching ways to improve (if necessary). With the new rules for neonatal designation came increased demands for quality and process improvement, case review, loop closure, etc., so I had to let my bedside shifts go to meet this demand, and I formally transitioned into the role as it is today. The state rules continue to evolve, placing even more demands on our team, but I am hopeful that this will mean safer care for neonates across the state in the future.

Q: What’s something about your work that most people might not know, but you think everyone should?

A: This job goes so far beyond auditing and tracking quality metrics. Some of my favorite parts of this role include the ability to interact/collaborate with other facilities across the country/world to ensure we are providing the most evidence-based care for neonates and collaborating with frontline staff in our unit to facilitate change. This is very much a “behind the scenes” role, like so many others in our unit, but it brings me so much joy when I look at the big picture and see the progress our unit has made, and the harm we have eliminated in this high-stakes environment.

Q: What’s a moment (big or small) in your role that made you stop and think, “This is why I do what I do”?

A: This job can be stressful in a unit of our size and complexity, but there are so many moments that keep me coming back the following day. Change is so hard and uncomfortable, and our unit has over 300 bedside nurses, and almost 600 staff members total (including doctors and Nurse Practitioners) who all need to come together and agree upon something new… You can imagine how easy a task that is. I am fortunate to be a part of an amazing multi-disciplinary leadership team that works together as a united front to help drive change, and when you see it happen, it is truly magical. Almost 3 years ago, we had 15 unplanned extubations in a single month (which was probably our worst month ever), and this year we have had 10 UEs across 6 months. The unit successfully reduced its centerline rate to an all-time low, which is amazing. I love being able to celebrate the frontline staff and see how proud they are of the work they put in to keep our babies safe.

Q: If your job had a theme song, what would it be and why?

A: This is a tough one! If I had to pick a song to describe my role, and honestly any role for a change maker in healthcare, it would be “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. It sounds cliché, but the theme of there always being a mountain to tackle, and it not being about how fast you climb it, but rather what’s waiting on the other side is reflective in quality and process improvement. Accepting that there will be times you get it wrong along the way rings true in this role and is symbolic of a PDSA cycle. There are also going to be things you may want to change, but cannot at that time for whatever reason, and you have to learn to be ok with that.