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In This Issue:
Nominate a Colleague for the Thomson Leadership Award and the Thomson Compassionate Care Scholarships Profiles of Paula McNichols and Dorothy Goulart MS, RN
As we enter the 2005 nomination period for the Dennis Thomson Leadership and Compassionate Care Scholar Awards, BWH Bulletin took the opportunity to ask two previous Thomson Leadership Awardees, Dorothy Goulart MS, RN, director of Performance Improvement, Center for Clinical Excellence and Paula McNichols, executive director, Brookside Community Health Center (BCHC), to reflect on the leadership qualities that the award recognizes and fosters.
What has it meant to receive the Thomson Leadership Award? GOULART: It was an absolute thrill to receive the award. I knew Dennis Thomson and admired his phenomenal professional attributes. It has been incredibly humbling experience to receive an award in his name through the support of so many colleagues at BWH. McNICHOLS: Dennis was an exemplary leader, who had a sense of ethics and values that are essential. This award reminds us of what is essential to us as hospital leaders. I was simply astounded to be nominated for this award by the clinical leaders of BCHC.
How have you learned to lead others? GOULART: From my parents and every patient, colleague, manager and instructor I’ve ever had. I learned to take the best quality they had to offer. They have taught me to be a caring and compassionate caregiver and coach, to instill honesty and integrity in all professional goals, and the power of being a team. McNICHOLS: In community medicine, our entire effort is based on listening to those we serve. BCHC’s Community Policy Board still oversees the Center. Members represent the population we serve and provide great value in their counsel to us. Also, as a role model, Marian Wright Edelman, the founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, teaches us to question constantly and that one person can make a difference.
As a leader, what are some of the challenges you’re working on? McNICHOLS: Maintaining balance between a growing number of patient needs and supporting staff to meet them. Recent extensive renovations allowed us to reconfigure physical space to better support this balance. However, there remain external factors that consistently challenge our ability to meet competing demands. GOULART: I am working with staff on 16AB, 15CD and the Department of Orthopedic Surgery on a new initiative, Transforming Care at the Bedside. Its goals are to provide patient centered care, improve efficiency, and build effective care teams. While individual clinicians often are patient centered, most health care systems are designed around providers’ convenience. Describe an example of character in leadership. McNICHOLS: A close colleague of mine has the ability to be entirely objective, evaluate a difficult situation, allow those involved to feel heard and to model good leadership qualities for them. I continue to learn from her and others that demonstrate such respectful behavior. GOULART: Being a leader is fun when you celebrate positive results, but leadership also means making difficult decisions and addressing performance issues with staff not working to their potential.