The Purple Pill

It's been so busy I haven't had a chance to gather my thoughts electronically. Working so many hours that, with my laptop and blackberry, I honestly feel like I'm working 24/7.

It was one of those days where I ran (okay, walked fast) between meetings as I was booked solid for 9 hours. I started out my day by pitching a stroke partnership to our group of Housebased docs and then led the two process improvement project meetings. To kick off the first meeting about process observation and perception, I showed them this video on perception. Try it yourself and don't read the text below the video. It will ruin it the fun! It was a *heck* of a conversation starter as we talked about process observation and mapping in the DMAIC model of process improvement.

Perception is a pretty central facet to human understanding. It's important to not focus so intently on one process that you miss the glaring 800 lb gorilla in the room.

After all that, I attended the executive President's council meeting we have weekly. Since I do not know when my tenure on the President's council will end, I have stopped tiptoeing around problems or issues. Might as well be myself and practice my candor! So I brought up a very touchy subject with one of the senior execs. I opened a huge can of worms and then asked some tough questions that increased the discomfort. Nurse Jackie, EVOO, and Sister Lourdes backed me on my questions and added their own. Agendas were challenged, perceptions changed, and the discussion escalated to uncomfortably high levels. I felt my production of stomach acid ramp up and thought I might have pushed it too far.

Turns out, I didn't.

Conversely, I was offered two jobs later in the day.

St. Fozzie's is giving me my pick of two jobs. Honestly, it's a little anti-climactic. I knew this would happen but yet I didn't, as they were scratching through the bureaucracy of job creation at a very tightly-staffed hospital. While I knew they wanted me, I wasn't sure if it could happen from a public relations standpoint. Why can Administration add a person when we're asking the nursing units to flex down to historic staffing lows? Alas, EVOO casually tossed the jobs my way this evening. Here I sit with three opportunities.

Oh, did I not mention the position at St. Gonzo's? I know I talked about it last week, in that I was going to visit, but I never told you how it went.

Yes, I'm sneaky like that. Actually, just too busy for my own darn good.

The interview at St. Gonzo's went very well. I think I interview well, as I am aware of body language and facial expressions and all the non-verbal cues like that. The job sounds interesting but the culture is so different; I cannot believe they're both Muppetville hospitals.

I'm going to let all three offers percolate in my head. Then I'll do extensive flow-charting, pro/con lists, and see if the logic backs up my gut instinct. I should be sure to take my Nexium before giving my gut any jurisdiction over my future!