Synergy - November/December 2012 - 17

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put in establishing review processes and creating templates. “We’ve done so well we’ve worked ourselves out of a job!” she said. She will continue on as liaison to the NAMSS Board in case a bylaws issue arises. Graham is currently the medical staff coordinator at McLaren – Macomb. The “twin,” as the office calls the wooden model, now sits in the corner of Graham’s office, where she continues to “startle people who are not familiar,” Graham said. Even though the committee is dissolved, Graham and her twin will surely be teaching others the importance of bylaws for years to come. ■ Graham didn’t know it at the time, but one other surprise was waiting for her at the meeting. “There was this thing draped in black at the front of the auditorium, and I just assumed they were presenting my outgoing chief with something, so I really didn’t react to [it],” she said. Upon its unveiling, everyone immediately knew what this “thing” was: a life-size wooden model of Graham, complete with a staff bylaws book in hand. Graham’s past chief of staff, Dr. Al Przybylski, had been stealthy in his planning and construction of the model, going so far as to fib about why he was snapping photos of Graham with his cellphone. Ever a stickler for structure, Graham was quick to point out that “we actually did get some business done [at the meeting], and I actually did get back to the agenda,” she said. “But I was flying high for some time to come.” continually improve and take pride in the services that we provide in the name of patient safety.” As for the Bylaws Committee, Graham is ending her term as vice-chair and NAMSS is adjourning the committee because of the work Graham and the rest of the committee

Alexa Schlosser is the assistant editor of NAMSS SYNERGY. Know of a fellow NAMSS member who should be profiled in an upcoming issue? Contact her at aschlosser@namss.org.

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NAMSS and the Future
Life-size wooden models aside, Graham is thankful to be a recognized member of a field and organization such as NAMSS that is so focused on helping others. “[NAMSS is] about collaborating among peers to help us to improve in our professional development and remind us that our positions truly impact patient safety,” she said. “I think MSPs still struggle to be recognized within a healthcare profession that doesn’t understand the role they play in patient safety. Also, this is a career choice and not just a job. The responsibilities that MSPs assume continues to evolve … in an industry that is faced with economic challenges. It’s through our state and national organizations that we can help each other to learn,

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SYNERGY

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Synergy - November/December 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Synergy - November/December 2012