Flexibility has its limitations, be fluid.
That’s excellent advice for today’s healthcare facilities professional and one of the many enjoyable nuggets of information offered in the latest episode of the High Reliability podcast.
Rick Sanders, Director of Plant Operations, Safety, Security, and Clinical Engineering at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff, MO, joined us. Rick has 24 years of healthcare facility management experience, after a 21-year Navy career.
Rick has worked for several large medical centers so we asked him, what is your approach when you begin a healthcare facilities management role with a new organization?
“Somebody once told me that in the first 100 days you really need to get a good feel for the organization, the climate of the people, what they are doing, and are there safety-related issues? And don’t make changes unless you really need to because of a safety issue.
“So I have tried to go by that as I have gone into an organization; get a good feel for the area. Sometimes that is great in concept but within a week and a half of being in charge, somebody has left or somebody has gone down, and now you are having more responsibility.
“It is always unique and different. You need to talk with staff that reports to you, the directors, the C-suite. Get the flavor for the organization and begin to identify opportunities to tackle as you get more time.
“I go to the shop meetings with supervisors and managers. They run the meeting, but I’m there just to listen and hear what is going on. Being approachable to staff is very important, spending time with department leadership and getting to know them. I let them know, I’m not here to do your job, but I am here to help you do your job.“
Great advice! Listen to our latest High Reliability episode “Healthcare today: Be fluid”.
G/MA Nuggets
1) Check out the Gosselin/Martin Associates Career Hub!
2) See the healthcare facilities roles we are recruiting for here.
3) Follow us on YouTube.
4) Read our latest blog Be true to yourself.