Friday, December 11, 2009

Ppl hv 2 pass niceness tst 2 wk here, rt?

Ppl hv 2 pass niceness tst 2 wk here, rt?

This was a text message I received this morning from a grateful patient.

My reply, "Right!"

Here's an example, a note from a person in human resources to the head of our food services:

Good morning Nora,

I would like to applaud two of your wonderful employees, Odalis Lajara and Janaliz Figueroa from the Farr Cafeteria. This morning I went to the café and when I got to the bottom stairwell, I found an elderly woman who looked like she was about to pass out. I asked if she was okay. She stated, "No, I feel like I am going to get sick and I am diabetic." I called over to Odalis and Janaliz and told them in Spanish (the little I know) that she needed something to eat and orange juice to drink. We then had a team rescue going on. Odalis and Janaliz sat her down, I made her an english muffin and retrieved some orange juice for her. Odalis and Janaliz never left her side. We also gave her a banana and some peanut butter crackers.


We had a conversation with her and found out that she flew in from California, She is a patient of Dr. Chu at Joslin. We decided that Janaliz would escort the patient over to Joslin and I would return to work and contact Dr. Chu's office. I left my contact info for Dr. Chu to contact me with Shaka and she in turn would explain this situation to Dr. Chu. It was so wonderful of Odalis and Janaliz to come to the rescue of a grateful patient who in our conversation loves coming here to Boston for all her health care.


Please offer my sincere gratitude to both these employees for knowing that the patient comes first!


Thank you,

Michele

4 comments:

  1. > the patient comes first

    Methinks there are a few hundred people in Washington (and a few thousand lobbyists) who could stand to have a refresher in that!

    Well done, Odalis and Janaliz. Wonderful.

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  2. And you know, there is nothing better than taking the time to praise someone; as I was thinking this morning. I have found this out in my humble new work as a garden volunteer. I used to work for a supervisor who always praised my work (it was highly intellectual work, like pruning and raking and mulching). My new supervisor criticizes the depth and breadth of my mulch spreading, then just disappears halfway through my shift without saying goodbye. Which one do you think I prefer working for?!!
    Now you wouldn't think I would need praise at this stage of my life, but I've learned everyone likes it!! So good for the HR director as well! And everyone in the hospital, keep it up!

    nonlocal

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  3. Nonlocal,

    Outside of BIDMC, I know two very good team leaders whose most conspicuous trait is how often they praise. One, who organizes a big annual conference run entirely by volunteers, says that's the main thing she does: acknowledge contribution and achievement.

    (Funny, some people would skeptically ask "Uh, what's the ROI on that?")

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  4. it is so much easier to take two minutes and do something to lift people up than to take those same two minutes to tear them down.
    Having spent a fair amount of time in the Farr cafe, none of this is any surprise. Muy bien, Odalis & Janaliz!!

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