Update on HCA Effort to Aid Haitain Earthquake Victims

As a follow up to an earlier post on the HCA Response to the Haiti Earthquake, our company announced this week that our relief effort has topped $1.2 million!  This exceeds our original goal of $1million by nearly 25%.  This is a combination of employee donations, in-kind contributions of supplies and equipment, patient care and [...]

Green Initiatives @ HCA West Florida / HCA Ranked Top Ethical Company!

I’ve got plenty to talk about today! First & foremost, I’d like to point out that HCA, Inc. has been recognized as one of the world’s most ethical companies according to Ethisphere Institute! This is the very first time HCA receives such designation! Great job to all who work so diligently to provide the best patient care!

Secondly, here’s an update on the Green initiatives across our facilities & Division: for one, all HCA, Inc. employees are now receiving electronic pay stubs! Pay stubs are available to us online the day before payday & we’ll receive email notifications as well – it makes for easy viewing in a timely fashion & saves tons of paper & money, of course!

Electronic health record keeping has been around longer than e-stubs & has a significant green impact as well! I’ll continue to research local & nationwide initiatives & be sure to update you on a regular basis!

Here’s an update on Blake’s Green initiatives within their facility: I’ve learned that in addition to their plastic bottle & aluminum can recycling, the facility now installed water filtration systems throughout! For example, their ER used to receive several cases of water per week & nowadays receiving none to a very few only! Blake’s paramedics are known to consume a lot of water & were given non-disposable water containers by their Marketing department to use instead of bottled water! At catering events, old fashioned water pitchers & glasses are provided instead of anything plastic! All in all, great efforts!

Cheers,

Does Happily Ever After Really Exist?

My three year-old daughter has recently developed an infatuation with princesses.  The fancy clothes, the lovely hair, the charming prince and most definitely the fairy tale ending.  As I watch her imagination soar, I’ve realized that her love of happy endings and princess perfection is pretty indicative of where most of us are these days.  [...]

Try Going Temp To Perm

I wanted to share this article from the online edition of the Tampa Tribune.  It talks about utilizing the strategy of finding a temporary position to then move into a full time job.  Although it may be challenging to take a job without as much stability, it is a practice that works.  I’ve secured two [...]

Confession of an Ex Smoker

It has been 8 months since my last cigarette……..
Probably two of the more significant moments of my life were the lighting of my first and the butting of my last. Sounds sad.

But neither is really relevant. I smoked for more than 30 years. That dates me into the last generation that saw tobacco use as commonplace and a norm. Everyone smoked everywhere. Neither of my parents did. But everyone else did. We smoked in elevators, we smoked in shopping malls, we smoked at work, and we even smoked in hospitals. Doctors and Nurses smoked at the Nursing Stations!

Cigarettes were a common bond, a way to meet people, and a way to share. We smoked at every opportunity and made more and more smoking friends.

It was a right that became a habit which transformed into an addiction over time. All the while we were relaxed, cool. The Marlborough Man looked down on us and smiled. It has been 8 months since my last cigarette, sounds very much like a Catholic confessional.

That is not to say that these 8 months have been a piece of cake. I have inhaled quite deeply as I passed those poor souls restricted to smoking in certain outdoor areas. As they huddle in the rain under a cloudier sky I envy and pity them. The store shelves of neatly packaged 20 packs beacon me like an old friend I have not seen in years. The urges have not subsided but the control of them gets better. I now understand the meaning of addiction, why controlled substances need be controlled and why alcoholics need a program. Push me too hard and I might light up.

I am even unsure of what finally flagged in my head to say quit. It truly wasn’t health, cost or anything else quite so definable. Society making smoking less desirable has helped, my chiropractor giving me an anti smoking lecture at just the right moment in my life, a cousin quitting and following his progress on Face book, encouragement from an old friend I met outside of history class by asking her for a light, also helped. Anti smoking Drugs, well they helped too.

Incidentally, I am neither richer, nor do I weigh more nor does food taste better since I quit. But I do like the feeling that I am more in control. I do imagine as the Priest is giving me last rights I might like one more.

It has been 8 months since my last cigarette……..

Scrubs, uniforms & work @ HCA West Florida

Historic Nursing Uniforms: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Nursing Link

I enjoyed reading this article on historic nursing uniforms & had to share it! There is a lot of talk going on these days around nursing uniforms @ our facilities. For me, I’d love not having to worry about what I am going to wear for the day! On the other hand, I can’t imagine a summer without open toe shoes @ work! The color white has certainly earned it’s spot in my opinion, but whereas we’re going to adopt a policy on scrub colors by department or to highlight roles within, has yet to be decided. Stay tuned - more to come soon!

Cheers,