The Healthcare Initiative was asked by a Not for Profit system-based hospital to help with providing Interim Nursing Leadership for their 200 bed Medical Center in the Pacific NW. The Hospital offers emergency services, stroke care, cardiac and vascular care, birth center, total joint replacement and spine health programs, robotic surgery, pain management services, and one of the most comprehensive rehabilitation programs. They perform 8,500+ Surgical Inpatient and Outpatient Cases annually.

The Challenge

Our practice has been working with this hospital for the past 18 months. We placed the CNO there over a year ago. Within 4 months of starting her position as CNO, she realized that the Surgical Services department was not meeting the expectations and Mission of the System or the Hospital. She was able to determine that evaluations across the entire Surgical Services department had been backed up for 10 months needed to be done. don’t understand this sentence) Deep-seeded issues with key staff needed to be addressed. Managers needed to be hired. Union contracts had been in mediation for 10 months. The department needed a Leader who was a Change Agent to come in and provide stability.

We recognize candidates and clients have choices. It’s a responsibility we take seriously.

‘Our Interims through The HealthCare Initiative have represented themselves as part of our organization, not as an ‘interim consultant’. They have been excellent role models for our current leaders. Rather than joining in the complaining and resisting changes, they chose to raise others up.’
– CNO/Hiring Authority

‘When I work with your firm I know you are putting me in a position where I will be able to have the trust and support of the people I’m working with. The organization’s wants and needs are clearly established on the initial interview and followed up on throughout the assignment.’
– Interim Leader

The Partnership

The CNO, who has worked with us as a candidate and as a client in a previous search, chose to reach out to The HealthCare Initiative to find an Interim Surgical Services Director. She was seeking an Interim Surgical Services director who could provide stability, evaluate the immediate needs, assess the staff, make process improvements and be the change agent for the entire department all while the search for a permanent leader was in full swing. The Healthcare Initiative is focused on finding the right candidate for the right hospital at the right point in time. The CNO knew we could deliver the type of person she needed.

‘I know YOU understand the Interims coming here need to be experienced and industry experts in their roles. They are able to quickly assess the operations of the units, determine areas of weaknesses and improvements needed, and engage others in implementing the process improvements’.
– CNO/Hiring Authority

The Solution

Our practice here at The Healthcare Initiative went to work scouring the United States and within 3 days had three Interim Nursing leaders for Maria to Interview after they had been fully vetted. The CNO chose to hire a seasoned, change agent INTERIM Leader who was willing to step into this INTERIM assignment for a period of 12 months. We are now at the 6 -month mark and see evidence that she is turning the department around. She herself has now brought in three more Surgical Interim leaders for other areas of the department that were lacking. The evaluations are done. Staffing issues have been addressed. She also has stepped in to help with Union negotiations with the CNO.

‘For the first 30 days I began to build the trust of the staff (overall culture). By day 30, I could tell what their core measures were and began qualifying what the issues are. By month 2 we started to see change. We are now seeing the trends going upward. By the time I leave, they will love me and want me to stay. However, from day one I gave the message that ‘together we will improve so when the permanent person comes in upward momentum will continue.’
– Interim Leader

Results

This CNO would be the first to tell you it has been money well spent. In this case, this hospital is beginning to see the fruits of a good Interim and have become a believer in the groundwork/hardwiring they can provide. She has asked again for a several additional Interims to develop NEW programs within the hospital that will be key to their future success.

If this Case Study has resonated with you and you and/or your organization
are experiencing similar challenges either with Interim or Permanent positions, please call. We’ve done good work with this CNO and would like to do the same for you.

-Amy Jensen, Sr. Managing Partner, The HealthCare Initiative
303-799-8188 x123

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