Need a Reset Button?

Feeling overwhelmed, overburdened, foggy, indecisive? Do you like you’re floundering or maybe having a loss of focus?

You know it’s impossible to continue with the status quo.

Whether you’ve been in your position for many years or a just few months, times like this force us to evaluate.

We have to go back to the beginning, before things became murky and confusing.

We need a RESET.

Look at the word reset.

When we “set” something, we put it in place.

To reset is to set again…or to take both words, RESET means to “put in place again.”

We all, at times, need resets in our lives. And in our work.

We need a shakeup, a time for reevaluation. A time to go back to the basics to evaluate where we are, who we want to be, and where we want to go.

Having a reset is having a fresh start, and having new eyes.

Part of reset involves inspecting your foundation. You can’t reset unless you know what was originally “set.” Right?

Our foundations—or what is “set”—is most often established through professional standards.

In the medical world, we have many associations that establish standards.

We can find standards through the American Nursing Association, through AIUM, through AWHONN. Clinics can go back to the basics and develop safe standards by going through a credentialing process such as AAAHC.

I personally have been in my position as Nurse Manager for 10 years. So much time, so many women, so many babies, so many nurses, and a few wonderful bosses. My kids have grown and now I’m a grandma.

Time does fly.

At times, I feel more than overwhelmed with this position. I can wake up in the night thinking, “is everything as it should be? Are we safe? Are we legal?”

This fog pushed me to reset. It became my season to be proactive in defining the problem, determine the questions, find the answers and document them, and put my uneasiness to rest.

My process of reset may be different than yours. Here’s what mine looked like:

• Finish what needs to be finished: Set short time frames, make priorities and “get ‘er done!”
• Dump what needs to be dumped: Are there projects or areas of pursuit that are not in line with our mission? Are there projects or goals that are sapping energy and not even necessary?
• Finish things as quickly as possible: All the undone things can sap joy and purpose.
• Get focused like a laser beam.
• Define the problem, seek answers, and put it to bed.

Also I needed to KNOW the answers to the basic foundational questions of the medical part of my organization.

I need to be the EXPERT in my organization. If not me, then who? My goal is to have one document that answers those questions that wake me up at night.

Here are some of the questions:

• Are our basics sound and safe?
• Do we have the right credentials?
• Do our files have what we need?
• Do our policies match what we do?

So I started a Google doc and named it “Medical Legal Review.”

The stated goal for the document and project is: “To assure that CPC Phoenix is following existing state and applicable authoritative bodies regulations to provide safe and legal healthcare to our community.”

I started writing down all the questions, so that I would KNOW.

Admitting that I had questions is kind of exposing me…

You may be thinking— “How does she not KNOW already?”

Well, I came into my position blind. I learned as I went. Some of things I KNEW before, I didn’t know for sure now, or I couldn’t put my finger on why.

I personally needed to make sure that what I had assumed all these years was true and still was true. Things change, and they are changing faster all the time.

To be perfectly honest, it was also a time of some doubt.

• How could I not know some of these things?
• I am inept.
• I need to drive for Uber.
• But I can’t leave now, or they will really know how inept I am.

So I prayed. Lord, please help me. I can’t do this on my own. Please give me wisdom, please give me clarity, please give me answers. I talked myself off the ledge and kept on praying.

God hears and He responds.

Then I sought advice from experts.

I called our state. And I got some answers.

I called some similar clinics to ours in the area, I got different answers.

I called a national organization.

I called a friend who has a lot of experience.

I found the answers that are applicable to our situation in our state.

I came to conclusions regarding our organization.

I put all the input and our conclusions for CPC in our document; so that in 3 years when my mind starts twirling again I will have a starting point, a reference.

If you find you or your organization in need of a reset like we did, I encourage you to do the following process:

1. Define the problem.
2. Pray.
3. Ask, “What are the professional standards?”
4. Seek advice.
5. Document the question and answer.

Simple, right? Yes, simple but in the murky places, simple isn’t always clear.

So as you are defining the problems or things that keep you up at night, pray, seek advice and document the process- the questions and the answers.

At first your document may be just a list of questions. Mine was.

But as you go through the process the answers will become clear. Don’t isolate. Think. Verbalize. Ask for help.

At Sparrow Solutions Group, as the name implies, our job is to find solutions, we are here to help.

Michelle Tussing BSN, RN, RDMS
Nurse Manager, CPC of Greater Phoenix
Sparrow Solutions Consultant