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November 13, 2023 / 2023 Connecticut's Healthcare Heroes Awards

2023 Healthcare Hero: Larry Rebich

Larry Rebich, Greenwich Hospital, Yale New Haven Health System Staff Nurse, Perioperative Safety Coach, Operating Room Return to the honorees homepage
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Winner Category | Nurse

Larry Rebich became a nurse after a career as a senior executive in airlines, media and entertainment. He’s known for calming anxious patients by encouraging them to focus on a “happy thought” before falling asleep prior to surgery.

His calm, professional, knowledgeable and friendly manner works wonders with patients and staff.

What have been your significant contributions to your organization in the past year?

One of my jobs in the OR is certification champion, which means I try to make it an easy, simple process for nurses to pursue their professional OR certification.

We employed a number of new tactics in the past year to encourage this, and our nurses responded by increasing our certification rate from 52% to 74%.

More importantly, the nurses are using this certification process as a guide to becoming lifelong learners, models of competent practice and advocates for excellence and patient safety. We won a 2023 Compass Award from the credentialing organization for our efforts in this regard.

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Tell us about a challenge in your job that you were able to overcome.

I managed our ‘Go Clear Smoke Free’ project, which eliminated surgical smoke in all operating and procedure rooms. This 18-month project included placement of specialized equipment, new supplies to increase compliance, staff training, physician communication and education efforts and compliance audits.

The hospital won a national award, the first in our system to do so.

What’s your next major goal and/or challenge?

Our lead orthopedics nurse wants to develop and pilot an orientation/onboarding program for surgeons new to Greenwich Hospital. This will ensure that the OR is ready and able to perform the procedure the way the surgeon wants, with minimal surprises, which could then lead to near-miss or preliminary safety events.

Personal Side

Favorite way to relax: Kayaks, wine tasting, barbecue, garden, hammock, hipster cocktail party playlist

Favorite movie: “Blade Runner”

Currently reading: “The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge”

Favorite cause: Anything anti-war

Fun fact: Among the fun things I’ve done are running with the bulls in Pamplona (at an age that I probably should have known better) and taking air combat flying lessons over Long Island Sound.

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