St. Luke’s Hospital announces that Jane Phillips, RN, BSN, has joined the staff as the performance improvement/education coordinator. Improving quality of care is central to St. Luke’s Hospital’s culture and mission. The staff is dedicated to creating an environment in which all employees – physicians, nurses, technicians, hospital board members and administrators – are engaged in quality improvement. Phillips will coordinate and monitor these efforts.

With a focus on performance improvement, quality improvement and continuous quality improvement, St. Luke’s Hospital, like all hospitals, is working hard to meet – and exceed – standards of patient care. Using best practices, St. Luke’s can now compare or benchmark patient care and safety practices to Critical Access Hospitals, to western North Carolina hospitals to other North Carolina hospitals or across the nation.

Phillips will ensure that St. Luke’s hospital-wide performance improvement initiatives will continue to be consistent with Carolina HealthCare System’s monthly reporting methods for standardization, increased accountability and monitoring capabilities.

Phillips will also coordinate the nursing-wide educational requirements, standardization and accountability through an annual education blitz as well as manage year-round update requirements.

Phillips received her Bachelor of Science in computer science and mathematics from Converse College in 1991. After watching her husband work as a paramedic for Spartanburg County, her interest in nursing was sparked. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in nursing from USC Upstate/Mary Black School of Nursing. Phillips was an honors scholar for leadership excellence, is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and was on the dean’s and president’s honor lists.

“This job is the best of both worlds for me,” said Phillips. “It satisfies both my love of numbers and computers as well as my love for nursing. It doesn’t get any better!”

Phillips said two of her top goals for her new position are to simplify the annual education competencies and to streamline the orientation process for new hires and department transfers.

“I want both processes to be seamless and not confusing or time consuming for staff,” Phillips added.

She also wants to continue to improve education regarding compliance throughout the hospital for patient safety and continued excellence in care.

Phillips will be working alongside Sandy Brooks, chief nursing officer.

“I am very pleased that Jane accepted this position. With her previous computer and math skills accompanied by her nursing knowledge, she is a great fit for this job,” Brooks said.

“I’m excited to be at St. Luke’s Hospital. It is close to home and it feels like family here,” adds Phillips. “I look forward to working with the nursing team as we improve the lives of our patients.”

Phillips lives in Landrum with her husband, John, and their two children, 14-year-old William and 11-year-old Meredith. When not keeping up with quality and performance at St. Luke’s Hospital, Phillips enjoys gardening, reading mysteries and traveling.