Most hospitals have nurse educators, a nurse assigned to each unit whose job it to; you guessed it, educate. Providing the most current information is actually a full time job in the world of health care. At my hospital though, we don't have nurse educators. We're just too small for the expense. So the managers have to play the part of educator. My partner Natosha and I have created the Nursing Enrichment Team, NET. Which is basically just the two of us taking it upon ourselves to provide opportunities for learning and growth and hopefully some fun along the way.
Hospital need to have something called accreditation in order to get full payment from Medicare/Medicaid and most insurance providers. These accrediting organizations set standards for best practice and safe care and then survey (inspect) the hospitals who subscribe to them on a regular basis for compliance. Our health systems happens to use The Joint Commission. And our Joint Commission survey is due any time now. In order to prepare, the NET (Natosha and I) created about three months worth of silly activities and competitions to make the staff feel comfortable and confidant about the survey. The Joint Commission Run Ready Challenge started today. Challenge number one; I hid ten cards on each unit (3 units total) with questions that a staff person might need to answer if a surveyor was on the premises. One point per question. Unit vs. unit. I also made a handbook for each unit with the questions and answers because we don't want to catch people not knowing the answers, we want to teach them.
So one unit puts aside the packet I prepared and tells me they are too busy to "play." Were they busier than the other two units? Probably not. At the end of the day they were in third place, no surprise. Then a staff person from another unit actually saved them by going to their unit and helping them to answer the questions and tie the score.
My point? I've been that person who is too serious, proud, self-absorbed or whatever. But today I realized, that isn't a flattering way to be. In fact, if you're trying hard not to look silly this makes you look exactly that.
My advice? Take a chance in life and have a little fun when the opportunity presents itself. Hey, The Joint Commission is coming ready or not. So join in the games and stop taking yourself so seriously.
And by The Joint Commission, I mean life in general is coming ready or not. And by games, I mean laugh, cry, try, fail and join the rest of us. No matter the outcome, it'll be a lot less lonely.
I double dawg dare ya.
Hospital need to have something called accreditation in order to get full payment from Medicare/Medicaid and most insurance providers. These accrediting organizations set standards for best practice and safe care and then survey (inspect) the hospitals who subscribe to them on a regular basis for compliance. Our health systems happens to use The Joint Commission. And our Joint Commission survey is due any time now. In order to prepare, the NET (Natosha and I) created about three months worth of silly activities and competitions to make the staff feel comfortable and confidant about the survey. The Joint Commission Run Ready Challenge started today. Challenge number one; I hid ten cards on each unit (3 units total) with questions that a staff person might need to answer if a surveyor was on the premises. One point per question. Unit vs. unit. I also made a handbook for each unit with the questions and answers because we don't want to catch people not knowing the answers, we want to teach them.
So one unit puts aside the packet I prepared and tells me they are too busy to "play." Were they busier than the other two units? Probably not. At the end of the day they were in third place, no surprise. Then a staff person from another unit actually saved them by going to their unit and helping them to answer the questions and tie the score.
My point? I've been that person who is too serious, proud, self-absorbed or whatever. But today I realized, that isn't a flattering way to be. In fact, if you're trying hard not to look silly this makes you look exactly that.
My advice? Take a chance in life and have a little fun when the opportunity presents itself. Hey, The Joint Commission is coming ready or not. So join in the games and stop taking yourself so seriously.
And by The Joint Commission, I mean life in general is coming ready or not. And by games, I mean laugh, cry, try, fail and join the rest of us. No matter the outcome, it'll be a lot less lonely.
I double dawg dare ya.
Image:http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2543/3854385682_95f6644d1c.jpg
1 comment:
i think I really needed to hear that today. life is coming, ready or not.
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