SPOTLIGHT
Rad idea BY TRACI FOSTER, CRA, MSRA, RT(R) ARRT PROGRAM DIRECTOR CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL SYSTEM
O
rganization, efficiency, knowledge and team recognition are just a few of the myriad of things leaders must contend with on a daily basis. No matter the size of the department one is leading, success is tied to each of these items in some form or fashion. In today’s ever-changing world of COVID-19, staffing shortages, supply chain backorders, medication shortages, etc., we are busier than ever before. We have more changes and challenges bombarding us daily that require us to be in-the-know and as flexible as ever. During COVID, my leadership team decided to meet every Friday to help each of us be organized and deliberate in our actions, work as efficiently as possible, and help boost morale by making conscious efforts to recognize and praise team members. We decided to call this meeting “Campfire” as it reminded us of an evening by a campfire sitting together, reminiscing about the past, talking about the now and planning for the future. During Campfire, each of us take turns to discuss the previous week including the good, the bad and the ugly. What were our wins? What challenges did we face and 14
ICEMAGAZINE | AUGUST 2022
how did we overcome them? What opportunities did we have that are still on-going? Who made a positive difference? No matter how much one would like to be everywhere at once and no matter how hard one may try, it is impossible to be everywhere and see everything going on in a department. We discovered that this open conversation about the week-in-review, allows each of us to learn about different events or situations that happened, that we might not have known about otherwise. It helps us better manage and make more informed decisions in the future. Also during this week-in-review, we discuss those who made an impact regardless of the perceived size of that impact; whether to a patient, a family member or a co-worker. Again, this proves to be invaluable as many stories are brought to light that otherwise would stay hidden. An example is an early morning technologist allowing a later technologist go to lunch first because the later technologist had an important phone call regarding his child. Another example is a nurse going out of her way to make sure recovery was stocked with Sprite and Goldfish crackers once she ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL
