Improving Patient Outcomes by Developing Nurse Champions

To adequately describe the role of a nurse leader in developing staff and the unique Tampa VA Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program, a description of the Polytrauma System of Care (PSC) is warranted. This description will subsequently support the development of the unique and distinct role of the transitional nurse champion. The intimate level of involvement of a nurse leader from the inception of this program and an understanding of the exclusive needs of this patient population were imperative to program development and success. The following is a brief description of this process.