Susan Dimitrijevic is the new Senior Nurse Program Manager at TCHMB! She will be working very closely with TCHMB’s newest project underway, Recognition and Response to Postpartum Preeclampsia in the Emergency Department (PPED). Learn more about Susan in this Q and A.
Tell us about yourself:
I’m Susan Dimitrijevic and just started with TCHMB as the Senior Nurse Program Manager. I know my last name is a whipper, it is pronounced D-me-tree-yay-vich, but please feel free to call me Susan D.
I’ve lived in Austin for the past 17 years with my husband and son, we love it here, more love is had for Austin in March than in August because of that unrelenting heat but that’s the way love goes, right? We have 2 “covid” dogs K.C. and Bear, I love to snuggle the pups, cook, craft, hang out with friends, and watch movies.
I have been a nurse for over 25 years with most of those years in the NICU. I spent the last 17 years as a leader in the NICU at Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin as a supervisor, manger, and neonatal program manager. I was involved in and oversaw numerous quality initiatives, and I am extremely excited in my new role at TCHMB to work closely with maternal and neonatal leaders to impact safe care for both mothers and babies.
In the PPED project, I am here to support you with:
Monthly check in meetings
Assist with creating your hospital AIM and PDSA cycles
REDCap assistance and data extraction from REDCap
Hosting monthly Reinforcement Calls
Connecting you with like hospitals for collaboration
What is the best way for hospitals who are enrolled in PPED to stay engaged?
Frequent check in calls with QI nurse
Small tests of change working toward a big goal, analyzing data to see you’re moving forward.
Attend Office hours offered twice a month
Collaboration with others facing similar obstacles and meeting with people who have been able to overcome the obstacle you’re facing. We will help connect you.
What should hospitals that aren’t enrolled know about the project?
We know that not everyone has the bandwidth or capability to be enrolled in the project. Changes made in the reinforcement hospitals and the metrics they’ve been able to achieve will be shared with the hospitals who are part of TexasAIM.
What is the best way to find information about the project if you are enrolled/not enrolled?
If your hospital is enrolled – check out Basecamp. All information including webinars and REDCap instructions, are listed there.
If you’re not enrolled, check out the PPED project page. It has all the information you need to know about PPED as well as the Recruitment Packet and Enrollment Form if you are interested in signing up.
How long is the project going to last?
The project aims are that:
By September 2023, Emergency Departments will increase patients screened for postpartum status and for elevated blood pressure (SBP >/= 140 and/or DBP >/= 90) and symptoms of preeclampsia by 50% from hospital baseline.
By September 2023, Reinforcement Cohort hospitals will increase joint ED and OB unit case reviews performed for cases of postpartum patients with elevated blood pressure (SBP >/= 140 and/or DBP >/= 90) presenting through the emergency department by 50% from baseline.
We anticipate to be done with data collection and analysis in November 2023.