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As part of BWH Bulletin’s series on what qualities define a leader, Dot Goulart, MS, RN, director of Performance Improvement for the Center for Clinical Excellence and recipient of the 2004 Thomson Leadership Award, discusses the importance of composure.
“Why couldn’t we…?”
These words often spoken by Dot Goulart have helped many staff understand situations from a different point of view and remain focused on patient care. Through these words and her underlying composure, Goulart is able to diffuse tension and refocus attention toward reaching a compromise.
“Maintaining composure in times of high stress is a very basic part of working with people,” Goulart said. “Whenever you are initiating or encouraging change, it is important to be objective and concentrate on establishing a common goal.”
Recently, Goulart was involved in project teamwork to refine a patient-centered initiative. When the group could not reach a consensus, Goulart encouraged them to be more open-minded. “Dot helped us see things through the patients’ eyes,” Katherine Santos, consultant in the Center for Clinical Excellence, said. “She helps everyone to be more flexible when facing a challenging situation.”
This composure characterizes Goulart’s 27 years at BWH, during which she has served as a clinical nurse specialist and case manager in Cardiac Surgery, and then in various positions in quality management, including her current position. Whatever her position, Goulart remains committed to showing her colleagues the importance of remaining calm when caring for patients and their families.
“We are here to provide the highest quality care to our patients and their families, and this often requires working through issues and reaching consensus,” she said.
The eighth annual Dennis Thomson Leadership Award and Compassionate Care Scholar Awards will be presented March 28, at 4 p.m., in the Bornstein Family Amphitheater. Matt Fishman, vice president for Community Health at Partners HealthCare, will be the keynote speaker.