In preparation for the upcoming Communicate With H.E.A.R.T.® training that all 2500-plus Shore Regional Health team members will experience between now and April 30, 2017, Compass is including articles focus on our value definitions and the ways those values are translated in our day-to-day work as we care for our patients and serve the overall health needs of our five-county region.
Last week’s Value was respect. this week’s value is INTEGRITY. Here is how UM SRH team members have defined integrity:
Integrity: Always Doing the Right thing, Especially When No One is Looking
- We are who we say we are.
- We keep our promises.
- We are honest in our actions.
- We are true to our word.
- We are reliable.
- We hold high standards.
Captain Tom Gray, UM SRH, manager, Security at UM Shore Medical Center at Dorchester, provided this example of Integrity in action:
“We had a patient at Dorchester on 2 East who was very aggressive and difficult to deal with. Security was called on the unit frequently during her stay because she was not responsive to the the nurses’ and other staff members’ efforts to calm her down. But no matter how badly she acted up, around the clock they kept right on giving her excellent care and talking to her calmly and respectfully. Then when it was her birthday, they gave her a party on the unit, they had even gone out and bought her some clothes she needed to give her as birthday presents. It really impressed us Security officers that the staff maintained their high standards for care even with a patient who was too aggressive and resistant to show appreciation.”
Lori Baker, radiology specialist at UM SMC at Dorchester, shared a very different but equally compelling example of Integrity in action:
“Integrity can be as simple as checking and disposing of expired items — not only the Radiology Department but the Emergency Departments, Tele, etc. I often have a hard time disposing of certain items that I never knew expired –for example, tape??! Who knew tape expires? I have a problem with throwing anything away, but even more when I know that it still can serve a purpose. However, even though no one is looking and the patients certainly wouldn’t know the difference, we (providers) still screen and dispose of expired items each and every month as to maintain the integrity of our department and the safety of our patients. “