I have been really nervous about my next blog and have delayed writing for quite a few weeks, why you may ask? Well if truth be known my last blog caused quite a stir (in a good way) that I’m not sure I can live up to the expectations and I have been waiting for some inspiration.
This week I have purposely spent more time walking around the hospital, speaking to patients, staff and visitors. That’s when I got an “ear worm” or a tune in my head that I couldn’t get rid of, it was “what have you done today to make you feel proud”. So there it is the mantra we should all ask ourselves every day.
Last Friday I spent the afternoon with a group of staff from the Women’s and Children Division, we looked at the future of the services and what we could do to make improvements and be even better. Creative juices flowed and the clinicians and managers involved went off with enthusiasm and belief that things could be even better in the future. After a challenging year in our maternity services the future looks bright and I was PROUD of the work being done.
This Monday I received a phone call from my governance and nursing senior team, asking me to go up to the office, why? Because they were PROUD of the work being done in readiness for our CQC inspection in January, a huge amount of work only just started but really taking form with “mission control” board and a programme of events. I’m PROUD that I have senior leaders that put their heart and soul into everything they do, they are even coming in to work in their own time this weekend to continue work.
On Tuesday I had my “shiny purple” meeting, shine as in shine a light on the good stuff but also look in ever nook and cranny and shine a light to find things to do better. The purple bit is reference to the uniforms, the House Keepers. I called the “purple police” (as they want to be known) to a meeting, it was standing room only and the atmosphere in the room was electrical. A PROUDER bunch of staff I’ve never seen and why? They are absolutely committed to the hospital and are focusing on being champions for the CQC inspections and at the same time looking for waste and sharing ideas to save money. Did you know that on a ward we pay £1.09 for a bag of sugar, yet the same size bag can be bought in most supermarkets for 80p? I also tasked my newly formed Purple police with getting rid of any un laminated / out of date signs, we’ve even turned it into a competition. I thought my 2005 A3 sign found in radiology was a winner but nope, as of now, 1989 is winning, found in paediatrics!
Wednesday I walked the wards and did what I love to do the most, talked and talked. To patients, staff and visitors. It was nice to be out and about a meeting people and guess what, I felt PROUD, I could hold my head up high and see all the work we’ve been doing over the last few years paying off. Staff, in the main, happy to see me with the time to show me what they are PROUD of, everything from notice boards, thank you cards to lovely patient stories and staff feeling valued.
But….. What was the inspiration for the blog? My infection control team who have been working tirelessly with coms over the last few weeks on an innovatative new way to share the infection prevention and control agenda. I’m PROUD with the finished product and the team should be very PROUD of what they have achieved and so here it is ……… Jetting ahead with infection control ……. enjoy!
And don’t forget, I hope you get my “ear worm” – What have you done today to make you feel PROUD?
karendawber 