A Message of Greater Understanding

Dear Team,

One of the things I have been most grateful for recently is the chance to get out from behind the desk and spend more time with teams across GBMC. It is easy, in executive roles, to spend a lot of time in meetings, looking at data, reviewing plans, and talking about the work. All of that is important, but it is not the same as being close to the work itself.

That is why I have so appreciated the ways our executive team has been getting out into the organization more intentionally. Through snack cart rounding, we have had the chance to stop by units and departments for a quick hello, offer a small treat, and simply check in. Those few minutes to show gratitude to our staff matter.

I have also especially enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to shadow teams outside my own area of expertise. Recently, I spent time with teams in Central Sterile, the Print Shop, and Materials Management. Each experience helped expand my situational knowledge and gave me a deeper appreciation for just how much happens behind the scenes to keep GBMC functioning safely and reliably.

These are small and mighty teams whose work touches nearly every corner of the organization. Central Sterile supports safe surgical and procedural care in ways that are absolutely essential. Materials Management helps ensure our teams have the supplies they need to care for patients. The Print Shop supports communication and operations in ways many of us depend on without always realizing it – just think about all the forms (and more) we use in our daily work! Spending time in these areas reminded me that no part of our health system works in isolation. We are all connected.

I also want to thank the teams who have welcomed me so graciously. I know it can be unnerving to have an executive follow you around for a few hours. But these visits are not about judgment, critique, or catching anyone doing something wrong. They are about learning. When teams see us as colleagues and allow us in, we are able to better understand barriers, ask better questions, and become one more source of support and escalation when problems need to be solved. Shadowing gives us an opportunity to hear what is going well, what is hard, and what our teams are experiencing in real time. I always leave those conversations with a better understanding of the pride, pressure, teamwork, and resilience that show up in so many places every day.

As you read this month’s newsletter, with updates on our work to reduce surgical site infections, APP leadership, nursing advocacy, patient experience, workplace violence prevention, and celebrations of our Art of Nursing, DAISY, and other honorees, I hope you see the same thread I do: every role matters. Thank you for the work you do, at the bedside or behind the scenes, to care for our patients and for one another.

Sincerely,

Angela "Angie" Feurer, DNP, RN, NEA-BC 
Chief Nursing Officer
GBMC