Happy New Year! Others outside an academic medical center are probably confused by this, but, if you know you know. Like every other July, our hospital and clinics are now home to a new class of residents and many new employees.
I’m pleased to share that almost 100 of our new employees this month are nurses. About half of these are new grad RNs who will be joining us on July 19, and the other half are new employees who will begin orientation on Monday. This group includes about 40 RNs and about 10 APRNs along with three other nursing positions.
Combined with routine turnover, this all adds up to a lot of new faces. We are grateful to have each and every one. Please welcome the new employees on your team and take time to show them around. Think back to how many questions you had when you started your UAMS career and try to answer as many as you can without overwhelming them.
We are still looking for more RNs to fill openings, and the good news is we are beginning to see more applications than in recent months. If you know a good nurse, please direct him or her to our job postings. We are working closely with our Division of People and Culture partners to make sure jobs are posted as soon as possible and to improve the efficiency of the hiring process.
As you interact with our new team members, please ask for their ideas. Just because we’ve always done something a certain way doesn’t mean it’s the best way. With healthcare institutions all over the country looking for every opportunity to save money, we may be able to gain valuable insights from the cost-saving efforts done elsewhere.
Every summer I have to remind myself how important patience is when the weather gets hot. The crankiness meter goes up for most people along with the temperature, and it’s easier on all of us if we give a little grace. That’s even more important when you’re in a new job at a huge institution like UAMS.
Like I said last week, health care is a team sport – please be patient with your patients and your new team members. Click here to send me an email to share your thoughts.