Kristina Muoio, RN, electronic medical record (EMR) specialist
It’s no secret being a nurse these last 2 years through the pandemic has been a challenge. But at Akron Children’s, our nurses continue to rise to the occasion to meet the needs of our patients and families. Every day, they make a difference. In celebration of national Nurses Week May 6-12, we asked a few of our nurses to reflect on the pandemic and share how they keep their passion for their jobs, as well as their hopes for the future of nursing.
Kristina Muoio is an electronic medical record (EMR) specialist whose primary duties are to help employees with Epic documentation, troubleshoot issues or breaks in the system and shadow end-users to see if she can make their workflow more efficient.
Why do you stay in nursing? Even though I am not on the front line, I think our nurses are passionate about their patients and that’s what gets them through their shift and brings them back for their next one. Our nurses truly embody the mission of the hospital, they treat every patient as if they were their own.
What effect has the COVID pandemic had on you as a practicing nurse? Being in Information Services, we needed to make a tremendous shift when the pandemic started. Along with getting our telehealth program implemented, we had to set up employees with all the programs and tools they needed to be able to successfully work from home. Our department went from being on campus daily to working virtually. My team specifically focused on employee in-person elbow-to-elbow support. We had to be innovative and think outside the box when it came to reaching our front-end staff. We wanted to be available and provide the same amount of support as staff members previously received.
What self-care routine or steps have you taken since the pandemic to help you deal with stress and avoid burnout? My top self-care practices include exercises, especially walking with my dog or doing yoga. I also take time routinely throughout my day to step away from my computer when I need to. Taking a moment for myself helps me refocus my attention on my tasks and assignments.
What aspect of your job are you most passionate about? I’m most passionate about helping others work efficiently. My goal is to be as supportive and helpful as I can to employees who are on the front lines. I want to make their job easier. If I can give them tips or tricks in their Epic documentation that speeds up their time on the computer, and leads them to being able to spend more time with their patients, my purpose is met.
Where do you see the future of nursing at Akron Children’s? The future of nursing at Akron Children’s is bright. I think we have amazing nurses who are compassionate and innovative in their daily practice. We will see great improvements and advances in the nursing practice from our nurses.
