Glass half empty, glass half full. That's this week's Grand Rounds theme according to Geek Nurse, our host from Auckland New Zealand. Hmm... In the world of the Medical Staff Service Professional:
Glass half empty:
No child ever says "I want to be a physician credentialer when I grow up."
ER, House, Scrubs, Chicago Hope, Emergency, Marcus Welby, M.D., Dr. Kildare. For years television has glorified skillful doctors, compassionate nurses, and intrepid paramedics. Never have we seen the behind-the-scenes drama of a Medical Staff Services Director firmly holding his or her ground while Doctor VIP shouts "My new partner needs to be in the OR tomorrow, I don't care about any stupid paperwork! Do you know who I am?!"
Just like other dedicated medical professionals, our days can be long. From the 6:30 a.m. meeting with the Department of Surgery to the 6:00 p.m. Medical Executive Committee session that drags on for two and a half hours. Toss in a couple of Joint Commission preparedness meetings in the middle just for fun.
Glass half full:
When we go home at the end of the day we know that what we do matters, that healthcare is better and safer thanks to our influence.
We get to hang out with people who have chosen the healing professions. Good neighbors.
We take on interesting projects, attend conferences with others who understand the challenges of what we do, grow professionally and personally through our work and our interactions with colleagues.
This profession has given me the opportunity to both learn from and teach doctors, nurses, physician assistants, lawyers, administrators, paramedics, patients, and others. Both those who walk the same hallways I do, and those who visit the international blogosphere.
Who would have ever thought that I'd get to chat with a doctor from Australia, a nurse from New Zealand, and a paramedic from London. How cool is that!
I'm a glass half-full kinda girl, personally. The days are long, the expectations often impossible to meet... but I can't imagine doing anything differently. Love your blog!
Posted by: Barbados Butterfly | March 14, 2006 at 01:42 AM
The is a great resource. Very much enjoy the podcasts.
Fabian Olesen
Posted by: recovery home | July 29, 2009 at 11:04 PM