No Respect

[davidds91]

I've only been a CRCST for about a year now, but I have been in Central Service for about 4 years, and I have noticed that Central Service personnel get very little respect fron the nursing staffs art the hopsitals I have worked for. Am I the only one who feels this way, or does this happen elsewhere? :confused:

[Harvey Johnson]

Instead of a pity party, is your Manager (or really anyone in your SP area) marketing your Department's integral role in the patient safety and successful outcomes for the Hospital's customer's on a day to day basis?
I participate daily in O.R. morning reports to be sure no complaint goes unanswered.
I asked to be included in O.R, OB, ER and other department meetings as an agenda item, making sure everyone sees the IAHCSMM video at least once a quarter to reinforce our role.
I am in constant contact with the O.R. Manager to address issues as they arise, not the next day when all the blame has ran downhill to our department. 90% of the time it's O.R.'s own fault and if I am there to point it out, we stop the "other bodies in the basement" talk before it starts.
I am able to schedule my technicians to assist in the surgical core for a half day once per quarter to get to know faces instead of "voices on the phone".
Most important, I am also in constant contact with the hospital's infection control officer, reinforcing to her our role in making her look good and helping her address concerns about infections in the surgical suites.
So I guess it's mostly how you market yourself to others you interact with. The choice is up to your department, you can become the professional people who work as a team with your O.R. and other Hospital customer's for successful patient safety or you can remain the "glorified dishwashers" ideal so many old line nurses hold onto because they remain "uneducated".
Best wishes,
Harv

[davidds91]

Dear Harv,
You sound like a very proactive SPD supervisor. Most of the time in our dept, the technicians are left out of the loop. Our management seldom holds meetings with us, there is no training, and whenever somthing goes wrong, it is simply ignored. In the last 7 months I have been in this SPD, the AC has broken down almost weekly. The temp in our Decon hits 90 degrees regularly. I finally got so mad that I sent a rather strongly worded email to our department head who tried to ignore the problem. Only when I threatened to go to the director was any corrective action taken. I am not a supervisor and I should not have to deal with issues like these, but the expression around here is SPD "Stupid People Downstairs." I would very much like to fix all of the ills with my department, but when management is not proactive and does not care, what is a simply Tech suppoed to do?

[Harvey Johnson]

Hi David,
I am sorry to hear the problems with your department.
Having unresponsive management makes it a real uphill battle.
How does the rest of your team feel about SPD issues, there is more strength in numbers!
My suggestion, when you address department concerns with your manager, let them know if after a set period of time if you do not see improvement, you plan to take your concerns to the next level.
That way you have given them the opportunity to act and also eliminated the "I didn't know" response when their director questions them.
Believe me, going to the Director is the last thing your Manager wants as his/her Director hired them to take care of these problems before they reach Director level.
I think people above Department level will respond to positive attitudes and suggestions with the goal of improving conditions within SPD which in turn will impact the Hospital overall.
Don't give up the battle!
Hope things improve for you.
Harv

[davidds91]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I have gone to higher managemenet, but it seems that that's the only way any gets done around here. My main concern is retaliation. You know how some supervisors get mad when you go over their heads. EVeryone here in this SPD is just as frustrated, but strength in numbers? There is no chance of a colation here. Too many of these employees are close to retirement and simply don't care either. Myself, I have 20 years before retirement.