This week has been so incredible.  I got to be in an amazing place with some amazing people and leaders, and know that I will leave with allies in changing the culture around patient safety.  When I reflect back, on some of our sessions there are small snipets of a much larger picture that really struck a cord with me, and I would love to share some of those below.

– We can’t be superficial around safety

– Follow your true North

– The best way to starve  a dog is to tell 2 people to feed it

– People think in their native tongue

– Quality and safety aren’t the same thing, and safety must be the bedrock

– Purposeful presence

– Mindfulness without action is stasis

– We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us

– Solving their problem is part of your… Continue reading →

Throughout today’s sessions, one thing that really hit home for me as a student was the last video we watched created by the MedStar team. Within the video, it brought up a point that I think we as students tend to forget – especially those within the first 2 years of medical school or those within the most book heavy, patient free part of their healthcare curriculum. In the video, the doctor mentioned that she had memorized all the muscles and bones within the body, and gone to school for x number of years in order to tae care of this particular patient; she had spent all this time and energy, sleepless nights, and damaged personal relationships in order to be a great caregiver for him.

This really resonated with me, especially with the recent completion of my first 2 years of schooling. I realized that within this… Continue reading →

Language is a fundamental piece of any culture, and within the healthcare culture it is no different.  In order to begin change within the healthcare culture we first need to adopt a change in our language; the language we use interprofessionally, the language we use to describe patients, and the language we use to interact with patients and families.  In changing, or perhaps rather evolving, our language we will not only better our communication, but better our understanding of the human nature we all possess.  I reflect back on a big movement within the special education teaching realm to change the language used to describe a patient with disabilities. Of course we have transitioned from  using the term mental redardation to intellecutally disabled, but more importantly there was a change in the sequence. It is no longer “that special needs kid” but rather “that kid who… Continue reading →