Not Rain nor Shine....

Merrainiacs: Hats off to the "Merrainiacs." Nothing will stop our Nurses on their way to work. Not rain, nor shine, nor falling debris. Indeed, this story out of Detroit was one of ours. Happened yesterday as one of our Interim Directors of Nursing was on her way to work. We're all thanking G-d today for her miraculous journey. Although it was a most frightening experience and did quite a bit of damage to the car, everyone was fine and arrived without injury. Truth be told, our Interim Directors take their roles very seriously. Our interim assignments generally run between thirty days and two years, and they cover all healthcare disciplines from nursing and allied health to finance and the executive suite. Our interim team knows they are being counted on and as a general rule, we're filling interim leadership roles in a matter of days. Most of these dedicated folks are traveling across the country or far from home for several months at a time to ensure deadlines are met, conflicts are avoided, inspections & audits go well and patient care doesn't miss a beat. It remains the one of the fastest growing segments of our business due in large part to the dedication of our team. We're grateful that everyone was allright and thanking our team members for the work they do day in and day out. Bless you! Merrainiac

To Degree or Not to Degree

Merrainiacs: One of the questions many candidates ask us these days is whether or not to seek another degree. This can mean a bachelor's, a master's (or perhaps a second master's) a PhD depending upon where one is holding in their educational acquisition. For the most part, our firm has very few clients remaining that will look at leadership candidates that do not have a bachelor's degree. Most of these hospitals strongly prefer a master's degree. As a general rule, our answer is "Yes - (a degree) an additional degree can only help. It can never hurt." As you assume a leadership position in the healthcare world, you will be looked at as a mentor. The RN's, Technicians, Manager's or Director's that report to you want to know you are more educated, more skilled and have more experience than they do. Online degrees through programs such as the University of Phoenix make obtaining your next degree much easier than previously thought. However, one must be wary of UDP's and other programs still existing on the internet. If the process sounds simpler than it ought to be, there could be a problem. Case in point: Warren National University, formerly known as Kennedy Western. The good news is tuition reimbursement programs are in abundance today so your options may very well be afforable and some of the best schools may very well be in your local town or even affiliated with your medical center. It's exciting to see folks in the "public eye" embracing continued education as well. Tyra Banks' decision to return to the Executive Education Program at Harvard University has made the headlines and is a great example of a star taking control of her own destiny as opposed to letting her advisor's manage all of her major financial decisions. Even if you have an advanced degree, you may want to consider a second advanced degree or a return to an Executive Management program. Our Managing Director here at the firm attended two such certificate programs at Columbia University's Business School, one in marketing management and one in sales management. His feedback: "It'll keep you current and introduce you to some real up-and-comers." In summary, I think I need to consider going back to school nights. It can only help your career, exercise your brain and continue your swim upstream. Merrainiac

Help Wanted!

Merrainiacs:

I thought maybe I'd take this opportunity to let you know about a few of our critical needs right now. If you know anyone that might be a fit, please let me know. I can be reached at: info@merraine.com.

Here's the deal. If you refer someone to us that is hired by one of our clients, we will give you your choice of a ski weekend away (two people - Waterville Valley, NY - three nights), a family weekend away (four people - Orlando - two nights) or a weekend in the bay (two people - Coronado Island, off San Diego - three nights) including round-trip transportation and your hotel stay so if you know of someone that might be a fit.....hey, send them our way.......

For a full listing of our open positions check out www.merraine.com but here are a few highlights:

• Emergency Services Manager and/or Director - Washington state, TX, VA
• Director of Surgical Services - North Carolina, VA, WI
• Director, Human Resources - New York or Connecticut (must have hospital exp)
• Director, Telemetry - West Virginia, CA
• Director, Case Management - FL, TN, NC
• Director, CVICU - FL (pediatric experience helpful)
• Director, Lab - NC, VA, WI, IL
• Supervisor, Lab - NY, CA
• Practice Manager - KY
• Physical Therapist - NY, NM, VA
• Director, CV Services - AZ, NY, FL
• Director, Homecase - VA
• Director, ICU - NY, WI, FL, CA
• CNO - WI, FL
• Director, Nursing - MD, WI, FL
• Director, HIM - CO, OR

And this is only a partial list......so c'mon....we've got your hotel booked. All you need to do is refer a friend. We'll take it from there! Happy travels -

Merrainiac

All This Stress is Getting me Down!

Merrainiacs:

So far today I've "tweeted" about:

1) How a "Bad Job" can get you down
2) How health-care (hospital) workers have a high rate of depression and now.....
3) The Stress of Hospital Employment

Frankly, I need a drink.....or two....maybe three....I'll stop at four.

OK, I'll admit it. Nobody knows this better than we do. Working in a hospital is high stress. However, I'd like to see some more articles out there about how rewarding the profession is. Patient advocacy, longer life expectancy, the miracles of modern science, heathcare tourism, cures for cancer, how healthcare workers are still held in such high regard etc.

There's a lot to be happy about, and it's not all bad news. We have nobody but ourselves to blame for the shortage of qualified healthcare workers when all we do is "rap" our profession. As a matter of record, several former "Merrainiacs" that have left our firm have gone into nursing and/or medical related fields.

So let's cheer up and start sharing some of the good news. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling better already!

Merrainiac

Bad Job v. No Job

Merrainiacs:

I'm back from vacation. Please forgive my absence from Cyberspace :>)

I actually enjoy coming back to work. Seeing my friends, catching up on their lives. I guess I'm fortunate in that regard. A lot of people dread Mondays. So it was no surprise to see this article the other day about the toll a bad job can take on one's health: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/03/14/unemployment.health/?iref=obinsite. Personally, I think it's better to have a "bad job" than no job. Even a "bad job" has redeeming features, but I understand the toll it can take on someone's mental health, particularly if the "bad job" comes along with a "bad boss."

According to a survey done in Australia of 7,000 people, those that were unemployed felt "calmer, happier and less depressed." Yeah, I'll bet. They also felt impoverished and took longer to find employment when they finally returned to work. We all know it's easier to find a job when you're working. Kind of like it's easier to find a date when you're married. By the way, please don't tell anyone I said that :>)

Anyway, it's great to be back to my "good job." I hope you're enjoying yours as well!

Merrainiac