Monday, April 23, 2007

Which gets me wondering...

...who are my readers in the hospital?

Please post an anonymous (or not) comment if you work at BIDMC and let us know what you do, where you do it, and how long you have worked here. Please make suggestions for anything you would like covered in future posts on this blog.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

PACU-RN~ West campus -Happily working here since 1987

Anonymous said...

I've worked at BIDMC for over 10 years. I came just after the merger. I'm an analyst, and when I worked at BWH, I always kept hearing that BI was a great place to work. I think since you've been here it is.
I'm finishing management classes at NEU, and I've been struck at the 'theory' of good management versus the actual, not such good, management, especially in non-clinical areas.
I've worked in clinical and non-clinical areas, and changing practice is like trying to change the course of a very, very large ship. I like good communication skills which you have, and I wish we could encourage that in all levels of the hospital. I learned of your blog from a former BIDMC employee now at MGH, so keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

I am a RN working the ED at BID.

I had been working in the ISHIFT program at BID (an innovative program for RN's who are looking to explore and find there niche- if you live in the Boston area and are a searching RN you should really check it out!) https://bidmc.bidshift.com/

Basically, I was able to work on all the different floors at the hospital creating my own schedule. It has been a fascinating experience. Great nurses are everywhere doing great things.

Here is something I learned. The floors complain about the ED all the time! "The patients come up when they shouldn't", "they come up at the wrong time". This totally sparked my curiosity.

How could a whole department of the hospital be this misunderstood?

So down to the ED I went to work in one of the less acute areas to see what was going on. What did I find?

An AMAZING group of people.

They are driven, caring, intelligent, and team oriented. They simply have a different system that manifests to the floors in a way that doesn't seem to transfer well. I wasn't surprised to hear the ED complain about the floors: "They aren't taking the patient quick enough" "they don't understand"

There must be a way to build a better bridge between these two areas?

A solution:

What if all RN's had to train in different areas of the hospital as part of their orientation process (ED,floors,units ect)? The program would help the RN’s to develop a global understanding of our institution. The residents do this now as part of their training, but RN's are basically stuck to the localities of their floor without a way to see "the big picture".

It is easy to write off an outside group if you don't understand them...it is human nature I suppose. Now when I have a patient I send to a specific floor, I don't just hear a voice when I call to give report to the receiving RN. I remember a great place where I worked and that makes all the difference.

Jon said...

I'm an almost-graduate from medical school and just matched in emergency medicine at BIDMC and will be coming to work there in June.

Want to write an advice for moving to Boston column? Just kidding, I'm sure I'll think of something once I'm actually working for you;)

MN said...

I, like Jon above, am an almost-graduate from med school too. I will be starting an IM residency at BIDMC this June. I've been reading your blog since before match lists came out, and realized that I had made the right decision by choosing BIDMC as a place to train. A very forward thinking hospital, amazing educators, and fellow BIDMC staff who seem to truly care about the welfare of the patients is definitely a place I want to be. Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

General Surgery Resident (anything more would not be so "anonymous")

Anonymous said...

Paul, I used to work at your fine establishment and after moving on to other hospitals I have frequently questioned my decision to leave. I left BIDMC shortly after you came on board...pure coincidence. I'm leaving this anonymous, but you can probably figure out who I am by checking your StatCounter.

Anonymous said...

Physical Therapist currently on my first rotation on the West Campus....I have been an employee for 2 months....so far so good!!

Anonymous said...

I work in research finance. I've been at BIDMC for just over a year. I am very facinated in hospital management.

Unknown said...

incoming medicine resident

Anonymous said...

Sween,

Rapidly approaching 38 years! Your writing facinates me both in the logical intelligent content and the self effacing humor.

Keep it up Paul.

Jonathan Vafai said...

3rd year BIDMC internal medicine resident

Anonymous said...

I am a primary care doc here. Arrived at the old Deaconess as an intern in 1986 and have been here since.

Anonymous said...

Surgical RN ~ West Campus ~ 17 years and counting!

Anonymous said...

I started working as a new grad RN in February. I read your blog while I was in nursing school! I had a clinical rotation through BIDMC and I loved it. I've been loving my new job here, too.

Anonymous said...

RN, 7 Stoneman, almost two years!!

Anonymous said...

I'm an RN, on west campus Acute Surgical Trauma. It will be 2 years in August, and I have no plans on leaving because I love it!

Anonymous said...

Former RN, 15 years, started at BI. Went through the good, the bad and the ugly, to see the new institution emerge on the upswing after your arrival. Only left last year. I miss BIDMC almost every day, but left for a chance at development that I could not find there. Seeing age 50 fast approaching, and never having worked as an RN anywhere else, I felt it was time for a career move.
I love the blog, it keeps me connected, who knows, maybe someday I will be back?

Anonymous said...

Started in the Deaconness Hematology Lab under the iconic Joanne Casella - moved to I.S. after the merge. 25 years and still counting...

Anonymous said...

I came to BIDMC in 1998 from Partners at the beginning of the implosion. Celebrated the end of the turnaround plan 9/30/04 with the great leadership team who executed the plan. Took the CEO's advice in 2006 when he said everyone should live in Manhattan once in their lives. Sitting in midtown Manhattan grateful for the lessons learned from Paul. I share the good topics on the blog with my NY colleagues who find the transparency enlightening!
Thanks for the good advice on NYC Paul...BIDMC remains in my heart and on my charitable contribution list!

Anonymous said...

Paul- Why not post a link to your blog on our caregroup home page to encourage in house involvement? I am always telling staff about the blog- not everyone is aware of it.

Anonymous said...

It's more fun to see how it spreads virally.

Anonymous said...

I have been part of the department medicine at BIDMC as a resident and as an attending physician since 1998. I now also do administrative work at affiliated hospitals. I recently had an honor and pleasure to interact with Paul as part of the Harvard Leadership course. I am proud of what Paul and BIDMC are doing in terms of patient care and their vision for the future. I am glad that I can be part of it.

Anonymous said...

I am the Program Manager for Research in the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care. I have been at BIDMC since 1998 and lived through the post-merger financial hard times. Things really turned around after you joined BIDMC - something for which I am very thankful. BIDMC is a great place to work and grow. Thank you for your leadership. The blog is a great way to address important problems and get a variety of perspectives. It's also nice that you post lighter topics as well, nothing should be "all business" without some chance to share who we are as individuals. Personal connections are meaningful, even via the Internet.

Anonymous said...

RN, medical floor, west campus. here since 9/01 so I arrived just before you did. Have been reading your blog since it started and enjoy and am amazed at your range of interest/comments. Keep up the good work

Anonymous said...

Northeastern nursing co-op student-- on my second co-op at BIDMC!

Anonymous said...

RN, T-SICU

Make the elevators bigger!!!