When we were bought out by University Hospitals it was a real transition for our small, rural hospital. We were used to getting what supplies we wanted, having good doctors that lived in our community and generally having a good working organization. After the buyout many of the department heads took early retirement and jumped ship. They knew what was going to happen. Corporate medicine is all about numbers and money. We get it, we understand "bottom lines". We just were naive to think we wouldn't change that much. But LPNS were let go, staffing cut short and the "bottom line" became stress and over work on many days. The last straw was getting rid of our old uniforms. Sounds silly to say we were not happy about a scrub change. But now we match the big house up north and if this color and the style is yucky..well, just deal with it. We're not "Greys' Anatomy". Our boss decided to have a mandatory staff meeting on Friday. After a little in service on some new IV tubing, we were introduced to the new music therapist group. In came drums, tambourines, rain sticks, cow bells and a very upbeat young man. He was facing a group of not so happy nurses at 6:30am who were about to bang the drum slowly and be expected to be happy about it. Music does have a way of getting into your soul if you let it. We grabbed our drums and other things and followed his lead;
We played along and soon there was more than drumming going on...there was laughter and participation.
Notice the green scrubs? Music couldn't cure them!
Can you find my BFF, Donna? She was having fun! Can you spot the nurse on her dang phone? She was a traveler that had her last day on Friday. She spent more time on her phone than doing work..but that's another blog for another day. Maybe it was the music therapy, or just plain luck but we had a really good work day after that. Never underestimate the power of music. I don't think the music had much to do with making our weather for the weekend as perfect as it was. But you never know! I got out and started cleaning out the flower beds:
You never know what you'll find hidden in there:
From Halloween perhaps?
Arnie was not a big help.
He spent most of the time looking at the back door hoping to go in for a treat.
Many of my daffodils are springing up! Love them!
Since Church was broadcast from Salt Lake City this weekend we had a brunch type meal this morning before it started on TV at noon. Steak, hashbrowns, french toast anyone? (Good old Ohio maple syrup too!)
Things are still pretty brown in the woods...no leaves yet but it made this guy stand out. His music is also a kind of therapy. Now let's have a good week!
7 comments:
Beating on the drums sounds like a lot of fun. I spotted Donna right away.
I don't blame the staff for being not so happy about the changes. I don't like changes either. Too bad the big corporations are buying all the smaller businesses. It's such a greedy world.
I'm glad your daffodils are blooming. The last snow storm just finished melting and we are back at it again. We are expecting another snow storm again. My beds are still a wet mess and it's too cold to work outside yet.
Have a great week. Hugs, Julia
Yummy looking breakfast! There is something definite with music. Both sides of being soothing and therapeutic as well as causing deep emotions within a person that may be good or bad. It does look like fun with your music therapy. Hubby was smart and saw the writing on the wall at a hospital he was working at and saw that it was possibly going to be bought by another bigger system. He started looking for a job, warned his employees to do the same, some listened, most didn't, and got another job before the buyout occurred. Others didn't listen and ended up unemployed. I'm sure when your present hospital was bought by the "bigger" one the medical transcription department changed and probably not for the better for those employed previously by it.
We're supposed to be 97 tomorrow. Spring really doesn't exist in Phoenix I think :)
betty
Hi, YaYa!
You don't need to convince me about the therapeutic value of music. How often are you and your co-workers expected to form a drum circle and beat those percussion instruments? Every morning before your shift? If you wound up having a good work day as a result of pounding those skins maybe there's something to it. Your new camera did a fine job of illustrating this post. I most certainly was able to spot my old friend Donna, who gave me a warm welcome here at The Pines years ago and told me she likes my sense of humor. It's great to see a green lawn and yellow daffodils on your property. Now you're in business. No more weather trickery from Mother Nature. I hope Arnie was rewarded for his patience waiting at the door for a treat and for all his hard work supervising your clean-up chores. Once again, your camera is a boon because it brings us great shots like the one of the red cardinal on a bare tree branch.
Have a wonderful week, dear friend YaYa!
I think it is happening with health care everywhere my sister in law got done a year ago she was an operating room nurse for years and said she just could not do it any more.
we got out a bit to clean the yard but we are not as far along in spring as you are.
Cathy
Guess what...I found a potato when I was digging the dirt out of my pots from last year. Guess it was from the potato vine I had planted:) The thing I hate most to discover though is those big ugly toads I always manage to dig up at least once or twice. They give me the creeps!!! The music therapy sounds fun. Crazy though these days what corporates are willing to spend money on but yet not spend on other things. But if the music helps the patients and/or the staff feel better, the that's a good thing!!!
You are correct about hospitals these days, it is all about money and the bottom line...it is all just business now, that's it. Very sad.
I love your cardinal. My Dad always called them "red birds". He loved them so. xx
pay music make us fun...
have a great weekend
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