orm_january-2024 - 9

Leadership
and burnout that impacted nurses
across the world during the COVID-19
pandemic was certainly felt at Trinity,
and the experience emphasized for her
the importance of being hands-on and
available to her team.
In fact, she says, the pandemic did
not really change how she practiced;
it just added significantly more work
and scheduling issues. " During COVID,
we had to shut down the OR, furlough
people. We were meeting every day to
go through the schedule and look at
the week ahead-which cases need to
move forward, which are elective. It was
a lot of additional stress, and it gave
me a greater appreciation of the normal
flow of how things used to work. "
While she says they are still seeing
some COVID-19 cases among their patients
and determining when it is safe
for them to proceed if the surgical procedures
in question are elective,
not nearly as disruptive as during the
height of the pandemic.
Maintaining hands-on approach
Regardless of whether there is an
added crisis underway, Rosencrans
says being open, involved, and consistent
as a manager has been crucial to
her ability to keep the OR suite running
smoothly.
" I've always been a hands-on manager, "
she says. " I still take calls and
work in the rooms. " She says that her
many years working in various nursing
roles in the OR has given her important
insights into what the team needs. And,
she adds, they respect that the person
managing them has walked in their
shoes.
It is important for nurses considering
manager roles to " stay in that working
role a little bit, " Rosencrans notes. It is
important to know how the equipment
works, she says, adding, " Staff respect
when they see you can do a case, work
the equipment, take care of the patient,
and know how the flow goes. "
And even when leaders transition
www.ormanager.com
Reference
Care for the common good: Addressing
healthcare workforce Challenges.
Trinity Health. July 2023.
More to come
This year, OR Manager will continue
with the " A day in the life " series
of interviews. Look for the following
interviews in future issues: with a
postanesthesia care unit leader in
April, an ambulatory surgery center
administrator in July, and supply
and/or business manager in October.
into
more senior roles, she says, it is
important to still provide hands-on support.
She says that she dedicates time
on a regular basis to taking calls, generally
on a Saturday or during a lunch
break.
Leading with consistency
The biggest lesson she has learned-
and one that she has seen derail managers
in other hospital departments-is
that nothing is more important than consistency.
" My biggest key for success is
to be consistent with everybody, " Rosencrans
says. " Don't make an exception
for someone, be fair, and be a good
listener. I see it so often in other departments.
If you are consistent, there's
never any question. "
it is
Rosencrans says she always maintains
an open-door policy and never requires
her staff to make an appointment.
She wants her team members
to know they can come talk to her and
share their frustrations, and that she is
ready to listen. " Sometimes, they just
want to vent. They just need someone
to listen. " ORM
-Brita Belli is an award-winning writer
and PR professional with published
stories in the New York Times, National
Geographic, MSN.com, and Alternet.
SAVE
THE
DATE
OCTOBER
28-30,
2024
MGM GRAND * LAS VEGAS
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OR Manager | January 2024
9
https://www.ORManagerConference.com http://www.MSN.com https://www.trinity-health.org/assets/documents/advocacy/comments-on-policy/2023/addressinghealthcareworkforcechallenges.pdf http://www.ormanager.com
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