Thursday, May 7, 2015

Honoring our Nurses During National Nurses Week

Each year, GBMC celebrates National Nurses Week and National Nurses Day (celebrated this year on May 6th). During this week, we reflect on the tireless caring that our nurses demonstrate daily in their work with our patients. I often write in this blog about how we at GBMC are transforming to fix the main issues affecting our national healthcare system.  I can assure you that nursing is not one of those issues.  This country has the best prepared and hardest working nurses in the world.

Our nursing staff is a phenomenal group – well-trained, smart and resilient. In fact, the resiliency of our nursing staff never ceases to amaze me.  Nurses are at the bedside 24 hours per day, 365 days of the year. They deal with whatever problems come their way and are the face of our healthcare system to thousands of patients annually. Nursing requires self-sacrifice and dedication. Through major snowstorms and other calamities, our nurses are there for our patients, whether they have to sleep on cots in the hospital so that they don’t miss a shift, or come in early to make sure shifts are covered. We in the GBMC HealthCare system are blessed to have phenomenal nurses in our inpatient units, in our operating suites, in our outpatient areas, our physician practices and in our hospice.

One of the hallmarks of nursing is compassion but over the last 50 years nursing has become a very technologically and scientifically challenging field. During my time at GBMC, I have seen just how talented our nurses are and how good they are at problem-solving. Through Lean Daily Management (LDM), I have had the pleasure of getting to know many of our nurses and have observed directly their dedication to improving care and moving us closer to our vision.

Last evening, as part of our 50th Anniversary Celebration, we held a reception for all of our nurses who had served GBMC for 10 years or more. I addressed the group and reminded them how GBMC had always been known for outstanding physicians and outstanding nurses. I thanked them for their dedication to our patients and for their efforts to continually improve our care. This beautiful power point presentation (below), displayed during our event, clearly demonstrates the value of our nurses and what they mean to GBMC and our patients. http://www.gbmc.org/workfiles/NursesWeek.pptx

Our Board Chair, Bonnie Stein, told them of how GBMC had become her hospital and health system even though she lives some distance from our main campus. She had initially been referred to a prominent GBMC physician who treated her very well, but it was the nursing care that helped convince Bonnie that she should get all of her care at GBMC!

Our CNO, Dr. Jody Porter recognized each of the nurses in attendance and also thanked them for their commitment and excellence. It was then fitting for us to also recognize Jody for her outstanding leadership as she prepares for her retirement. It was a great occasion!

So during Nurses Week, please take a moment to thank our nurses for all of their care and caring.

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8 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 7, 2015 at 1:05 PM

    The slide show was beautiful - thank you for sharing it. Having been on the receiving end many times, I know how phenonmenal our nurses are.

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  2. AnonymousMay 7, 2015 at 1:15 PM

    My mom has been a nurse here for almost 40 years and was not invited last night. How did you decided which nurses to invite and which to exclude.

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    Replies
    1. John Chessare MDMay 8, 2015 at 12:23 PM

      Anonymous, the list was generated by Human Resources. If your mother had been here for at least the last 10 years, she would have been invited. Something is wrong. You should contact human resources.

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  3. AnonymousMay 7, 2015 at 1:40 PM

    Thank you, Dr. Chessare. It was an especially heartwarming gathering last night, and at a mere 18 years of service I was proud and humbled to be among the dedicated nurses who have given many, many more years to GBMC. Who can imagine being a nurse for 30-40 years at the same hospital? Yet we have several! I know nurses are the most trusted professionals; I just wish we were the most respected as well. Our focus on patient satisfaction and customer service has diminished our status. A friend who's not a nurse said it best: "There's a difference between service and servitude, and nurses are being treated as servants." Even so, if I could put a banner across Charles Street, it would read, "I am always glad to be a nurse, in spite of the sacrifices my family has made so I can take of your family. Thank you for your trust."

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    Replies
    1. John Chessare MDMay 8, 2015 at 12:24 PM

      Anonymous, "patient satisfaction and customer service" are about caring. I disagree with you and I don't believe that our nurses are being treated as servants. You should discuss this openly with your nurse manager. I am happy to discuss it with you as well if you want to meet with me.

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  4. AnonymousMay 16, 2015 at 2:00 PM

    I have been a GBMC nurse since 1976 (39 yrs!!) and I was also not invited to the 10yr dinner. I realized it only because I saw an announcement about that the dinner was being held that day. I did not receive an invitation by postal mail, nor were there any email notation about it prior to the date of the dinner. I am disappointed regarding the inaccuracy of the human resources list of employees. I called regarding the oversight and they said someone would get back to me and they never did!!!

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    1. John Chessare MDMay 26, 2015 at 6:09 AM

      Dear Anonymous
      We apologize that you were not invited to the 10 yr. dinner. The HR process was to invite all nurse employees celebrating 10 + years of service. We can assure you, that we seek to be inclusive to all appropriate staff during celebrations and in no way purposely overlook anyone. Currently, HR, our Nursing Department and our Philanthropy office are all working together to identify any nurses that missed the thank you dinner. Please be assured that we will be more attentive and careful in being sure we invite everyone who should be in attendance of events or celebrations. If you have any further concerns please contact HR. Thank you.

      Delete

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