Reflection on being a patient

This past week I had the opportunity to have the experience of being a patient at one of our local hospitals.  Just thinking about having to go to the hospital makes me cringe for a variety of reasons - most of which have to do with my background in healthcare and “knowing enough to be dangerous”.  I grew up in healthcare beginning my career as a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit and then recovery room.  I moved into nursing management fairly quickly though maintained skills in clinical practice as a manager.  In my work in administration, (hospital, physician practice and healthplan) my clinical background and experience were an advantage giving me perspective and language that allowed for more complete understanding and communication.  This holds true today in my work as a coach and consultant.  I am connected and enjoy working within the healthcare arena. 

So this past week I experienced healthcare from the patient’s perspective.  I had some outpatient surgery.  Happy to report all is well and I was sent home a few hours after the surgery.  I’ve had a few surgeries over the course of my life experience and all have ended well though the experience and interaction with the hospital staff has not always been very pleasant.  Most of the time I had the “let me out of here before they hurt me” experience.  Some of my own anxiety and fear, knowing enough to be dangerous of course.  Along with this though, I found interactions a few years back with the nursing and support staff that were uncomfortable and left me wondering why these people were working in healthcare.

Fast forward to this experience - I found people working in the hospital this time who really seemed to care about the patient and there were systems to support their work.  I checked in at 7am and was given a pager - the kind you get at a restaurant when you have to wait awhile.  Rather than call your name into the crowded waiting room, your pager lights up.  My husband kept the pager while he waited so he could be located even if he was not in the immediate area.  My nurse was equipped with a portable telephone that allowed her to call directly to the waiting area when she needed additional information or to let the staff know to send my husband back to wait with me.  As a patient, I was happy to know he could wander a little bit and still be found so as not to miss being available when needed. 

I especially appreciate the nursing staff.  They were pleasant and supportive in their work and seemed to care not only about me, but about each patient in the area from what I could hear and see.  There were several nurses who took care of me that day who I learned had been at the bedside as a nurse for 25 - 30 years and this is where they wanted to stay.  One nurse told me of her mother who recently retired from nursing at the age of 70 after 50 years at the bedside.  How exciting!

Certainly it’s not easy working at the bedside for 20, 30 or 50 years.  My nurse mentioned that while she’d been tapped for management positions along the way, she never had a desire to get into that arena.  And there should not be a reason why anyone would think they have to move into management.  It’s a whole other area of expertise and experience that some enjoy and others do not.  Each is valued in its own right.

Johnson and Johnson launced a campaign a few years back in conjunction with the nursing associations for education and attention about nursing to encourage recruitment and retention into the profession  http://www.discovernursing.com/ .  The videos and stories are inspiring and acknowledge the value and contribution nurses make as professionals.  Worth watching if you’ve never seen and make sure you have some tissues handy.

It wasn’t so hard to be a patient this past week.  While I certainly don’t want to do this again, I very much appreciate and acknowledge the expertise, care and commitment of the nurses I met during this experience.  It is one experience and one hospital though my hope is that the work occurring here is occurring elsewhere and while we have a long way to go in improving healthcare in the US, committed, qualified and caring nurses provides a great foundation.

Florence Nightingale said it so eloquently:

“Nursing is an art; and if it is to be made an art,it requires as exclusive devotion, as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work;

for what is the having to do with dead canvas or cold marble,compared with having to do with the living body – the temple of God’s spirit?

It is one of the Fine Arts:I had almost said,The finest of the Fine Arts.”          - Florence Nightingale

(From Nursing: The Finest Art, An Illustrated History by M. Patricia Donahue, Ph.D., R.N.)

Welcome to 2008 and Resistance!

I can’t believe we are already into February of 2008.  Time really does go by quickly, particularly as we age

I started this blog quite awhile ago and haven’t really gotten into the process.  As I consider what stopped me from taking the plunge, I realize it’s all about me.  Imagine that, I’m in my own way!  I have lots of excuses - don’t have the time, don’t know enough about how this all works, might not be worthwhile or of interest to anyone.  I suspect some of you can identify and continue to fill a page of why nots.

Resistance is a funny thing, and our own resistance which is usually about fear or doubt, keeps us from doing what we want and being our best self.  So, in the spirit of coaching, where we break through the barrier, which in this case is self-imposed, I’m committing to action.  I’m going to experiment with the blog for the next month.  You’ll see some info from me at least weekly.  Hmmm, when I look at this action from an objective perspective - stepping out of my own personal perspective where I have that knot in my gut about blogging - posting at least once a week during the next month is only 4 times!  Funny how something that seems big to us can be broken down into something manageable.  I am actually getting excited about this.  I think it’s possible and I suspect I’ll learn in the process.

Question for your consideration:  What have you been avoiding?  Notice what comes to mind immediately.  Don’t look deep into the ‘why’ you’re not doing something.  Decide what you’d like to do about this.  Perhaps it’s no longer important and it can be off your plate.

If it is still something you’d like to see complete, determine the action you want to take.  If it feels overwhelming, look at how you might break the action into small steps.  Make the commitment to take action - even if it is a small step each day.  Notice where you are at the end of the week.  Remember rule #1 - no judging or blaming allowed.  Notice if/when you find yourself judging or blaming and replace this with learning.  Ask yourself, “What am I learning here or what might I learn from this experience?”  There is always a learning and it is a lot more fun!

Best regards,
Diane

Online Coaching Group

Hi Everyone,

I want to let you know about a new service coaching service I’m offering.  Since January of this year I’ve been teaching with the Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, CA www.fielding.edu in the Evidence Based Coaching Program.  The program is a combination of online learning, tele conference and face-to-face programs.  My experience with online learning began last summer when I completed the Evidence Based Coaching Certificate Prgram.  I’m now in the process of completing the Online Learning Facilitator Certificate with Fielding.  I have been amazed at the depth of conversation and learning that occurs in online programs.  Well - enough about my experience, here’s what I’m offering to you:

New Program - Group Coaching Online with Coach Diane

The program is geared to groups with similar work responsibilities such as a group of Medical Practice Managers, Business Office Supervisors, Clinical Supervisors, Nurses, and others.  The maximium group size is 6 so space is limited.  This is an opportunity to experience coaching and online discussion with others on topics that effect your practice and ultimately your life on a daily basis.  Cost for this 6 week program is $225 per person.  You will be working in a secure online environment for this program.  I invite you to come and participate with me and learn strategies to maximize your success and have fun in work and in life.  Contact me at diane@coachdiane.com for more information.  Include “Online Group” in the heading of your email.  You can also reach me at 520-797-6645.

Best,

Diane

PS - as an online group coaching participant you’ll be eligible for special rates for individual coaching as well.

Back to School & Work!

Well, it’s back to school for everyone here in Arizona.  Growing up back east we never started school before September 1st but out west school starts mid-August and ends before Memorial Day.  Something about the heat I suppose.

The new school year signals the end of Summer for most of us.  It’s the end of one season and the beginning of another.  Excitement about the new year, fear of the unknown and wondering how it will be (for me).

Sounds familiar doesn’t it?  Any new venture, whether school year, job, relationship, friendship, etc. has excitement and uncertainty.  We don’t know how it will all work.  We can prepare and plan but there’s no guarantee everything will all go as we expect.  That said it is still worth our preparation.  By this I mean, doing a little thinking about what it is we want in this new venture or adventure as I like to say (even if it seems like it won’t be).  Take a few moments and reflect on your strengths.  Acknowledge the special qualities you bring to the table - these might be courage, commitment, humor, dedication, spirituality, fairness, fun, freedom or others.  Pick one or two of these qualities/values and decide to have it be your anchor for the week.  If you notice yourself drifting away or feeling uncertain, remember to focus on your strengths.  When you bring your best, others will be there with you.

Enjoy being back to school & Work!

Diane

Welcome to Diane Brennan’s Blog

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to my blog!  I’ll be using this space to provide you with tips, tools and insights you might find useful in your professional or personal life.  I’ll also share some of my experience and learnings in this section.  I’m experimenting with the blog so for now it is not interactive which means you won’t be able to respond directly onto the blog itself.  If you do have additional insights or information you want to share with me, you can email me at diane@coachdiane.com 

Best,

Diane