Yet Another Heckofacrazyweek

So I just came home from the gym, where I took a very intense Spinning class. At one point, I felt hypnotized by the thumping bass and seeing myself in the mirror, I couldn't believe those were my legs pumping up and down, up and down, up and...where am I? I'm so tired from working almost non-stop this week, that I'm about to hallucinate, too. Hey, can you please move that bunny that's sitting in the corner of the living room?

I'll try and do a quick recap. On Tuesday, I sat in on four interviews for the position of Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Service line. I even got to ask a couple questions. It was interesting to see how even regionally-known cardiologists squirm during interviews. Then I worked on the posters some more, attended a three-hour budget meeting, and went downtown in the evening for a Women's Health Executive Network dinner and lecture. My eyes were involuntarily crossing by the time I got home, as the budget stuff is really the intense part. It's kind of like a session of Congress, where Administration cannot take a recess until the hospital budget is balanced. In previous weeks, we've interviewed each director and manager, picking through individual budgets with fine-tooth combs. Since we still have a multi-million dollar budget shortfall, it's crunch time.

The budget meetings are actually a great experience. They meet from 4-7pm (when everyone's brains are NICE and fresh), for about 2 weeks, and anything goes. It's an "out of the box" atmosphere and the administrators take turns bringing candy, trail mix (hurray!), and even pastry items. Some genius put me in charge of the budget workbooks and I've been chewing away on numbers until the wee hours. Good thing I have a comfy couch and blankie at home.

Between meetings on Wednesday, I spent my time slaving away on those two storyboards for the conferences' submission deadlines that are quickly approaching. I've found at St. Fozzie's, that projects get started. But once they hit 60-70%, people are dropping the ball. So I'm stepping in and have already been able to see a few things to completion. These storyboards are an example. At one point, I called up to one of the nursing units and asked if we could take pictures for one storyboard, of nurses scanning meds, of high-alert co-signing, etc. EVERY nurse in the unit participated and I was able to capture those nurses' faces in the pictures. When this goes out nationally, I hope those nurses feel proud of themselves because they are awesome!

The meetings on Wednesday mostly revolved around physician and resident recruitment. The opportunities are endless and St. Fozzie's hasn't really owned the educational piece of the medical residency program. I argue that any good resident should be groomed in the pipeline and then we should get to keep them when they graduate! The weird part about Wednesday was that I was often double and triple-booked. I actually had to delegate my calendar management to my secretary. I've always done my own calendar, but it's just getting too hard to coordinate everything. If you have docs attending your meetings, you have to call them the morning of, and remind them of their RSVP. So now that my secretary is taking care of this, well, I'm not as forgetful. :)

Today was one of my best days yet at St. Fozzie's. I went in early (duh) and finished one of the storyboard. I emailed it to Sister Lourdes for the final approval. I made good progress on the other storyboard. Then, because I'm considered hospital leadership (scary, I know), I have to take disaster planning classes online through FEMA. So that was this morning, too. Right after the class concluded and 20 minutes before our huge governing Board meeting, Sister runs into my office, tells me the poster went to the publisher (yay!), and asked me if I would present the storyboard to the Board members. Seriously!? 20 minutes to prepare a presentation for the Board? Being the masochist that I am, I agreed. I actually did it, without practicing, without an outline, and it came off coherently. Then, she put me on the spot again and asked me to explain the Illinois Dept of Public Health stroke designation to the Board! If anything, I learned that I can talk to the Board without swallowing my tongue or verbally tripping over mental lint.

I guess the best part of this week is that I'm really starting to feel a part of St. Fozzie's. I'm becoming invested; I'm giving my heart and soul (and probably my sanity) over to the hospital and want to see it succeed. Every time I walk out to the parking garage and glance over my shoulder at the towering red brick building behind me, I feel a swell of pride rising in my chest. I love this place. It's taking YEARS OFF MY LIFESPAN, but I love this place!