Ep. 35 | Cherise Giddens, Chief Nursing Officer, SGMC Health

Transcript

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- Welcome to another episode of What Brings You In Today.

- I'm Erika Bennett.

- And I'm Taylor Fisher.

- And we just wanna thank all of our listeners for liking, subscribing and sharing our podcast with your friends and family.

- And if you have any topics or questions you'd like to submit, you can do that at sgmc.org/podcast.

- Alright. And today we are here with Cherice Giddens, who is a nurse at SGMC Health and is also our Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. So Cherice, what brings you in today?

- So I came today just to talk a little bit about nursing at SGMC Health.

- Alright. And I may not typically worry when we get doctors sitting in these chairs 'cause I'm like, they're gonna get calls, they're gonna need to get up. But I'm actually probably the most nervous about you sitting here because you are probably the most active person in this building, I think as far as getting phone calls and just staying on the go and and troubleshooting everything. But yeah, firefighter. Yes, firefighter. I feel like a firefighter some, some days. I like that. I like that. Well, tell us a little bit about your career. 'cause you've been here a long time, so just start us out. Give us your background history.

- So I have been here a long time. I feel like everybody's grandmother some days I've been here for 38 years. I started off in Women and Children, worked for Pat Miller. So she kind of grew me up in this organization. So started off in the nursery and then I went to pediatrics and that was where, where True, true Love was was in with the kids. I love kids. So then I went to a manager role was PCC, went to a manager role and just progressed over the years and say this is where I landed. Awesome.

- Well we love having you in this role. I think you're doing an awesome job. I've also got to kinda witness your transformation.

- Yeah.

- And it's certainly earned. 'cause you are a powerhouse, I feel like, in the nursing world.

- Well, thank you.

- But, and also tell us a little bit about your background. Where are you from?

- I'm from

- Adel, Georgia. Okay. Born and raised. All right. Small town, young. You let say I'm from Nashville, Georgia. So just we were Rivals.

- Rivals.

- That's right. Absolutely. Absolutely. But now we're on the same

- Team. That's

- Right, that's right. Well I'm from Lakeland. Okay. We have the trifecta here. You guys, small town girls right here. This is what it's representing the

- Rural

- Communities. Exactly.

- Hey,

- I like to

- Say showing em what we can

- Do. Yeah. I like to say some of those smartest and brightest people come out of rural communities. Yeah. A lot of our positions are even from smaller towns. And I think that's, so it's just awesome to see that it doesn't matter where you grow up, where you come from. If you have, that's the heart you can, you know, make big things happen. So. That's exactly right. All right, well tell us about nursing, gas, gm, C kind of what do you over, well tell us about the vast AR array. The role nursing plays at our health system.

- Oh gosh. So we have so many different avenues of nursing here. As we grow, you know, you can pretty much pick any field you want as far as nursing goes. We've got outpatient, inpatient, we've got the clinics. So anything that somebody, if they're, if they'll come here, we can find a fit for them. A nurse, whether it's a new grad or or an experienced nurse. So we, we just cover a lot of ground. There's over 900 nurses in our organization. And so we've got four different campuses. So you know, main campus. And then we have our three smaller hospitals who are growing and doing great things. So we've got lots of opportunities.

- And what about, tell us a little bit about the different levels of nursing because a lot of people, you know, just think nurse, they just hear nurse and, but there are different levels of nursing. You can have different roles. Kind of tell a little bit about what those are. Maybe for someone who might be interested in getting a career in healthcare, but they don't really know what all's available in that realm. Maybe starting from like the CNA, then moving up, kind of what does that look like?

- So we love that. We love when people come in and they want to just grow. They wanna learn at the very beginning, like at the basics and then just add to their skills. That makes a very strong nurse. So we love when people do that. You, we have opportunities as A CNA, which is a certified nursing assistant. Those are mostly over in our smaller campuses. Over here we have patient care techs. We have one, two, and three. So it really depends on what level you wanna be. One's typically are at the bedside, primarily at the bedside, two and threes. They have a little bit more responsibility, whether it's clerical or doing EKGs and that sort of stuff. So drawing labs. So as they progress in those, you know, they can do more things. We have LPNs here, we have RNs, our LPNs and RNs work side by side upstairs and inpatient. So, and then we have our, what we call our PCCs, which are our charge nurses. Everybody kinda looks at us crazy some days when we say PCC.

- Yeah.

- But those are our charge nurses and those, those are our leaders. Whether whatever shift it is, they are here, they're leading the pack. So, and then we have our nurse managers. And our nurse managers are truly, they're the, they're work, they're the workhorses. I mean they are truly, you talk about me getting a lot of phone calls, a lot of texts. Those are the women and men who get the phone calls and the texts. It's all during the night putting out those fires. Providing guidance and support for their staff. So they do a phenomenal job. And then we have our directors and they do a great job as well running their service lines.

- I know you say putting out fires, but really you never know what a day in the life of a nurse is gonna look like. And so I really think it's like organizing chaos in some sense. Although it's, you know, not necessarily chaos, but it's just that you never know what's gonna happen. And so you are have to be very flexible and constantly adjusting this or assessing the situation and moving on the fly. So I think it's, tell us what a day of in nursing looks like. 'cause we don't know. 'cause we, we did not choose that build mainly. Taylor does not like blood and I'm probably not the best like person with patients

- There. I need a lot of training. There's a lot of things.

- It's a special person to become a

- Nurse. It is a special person to become a nurse. And it also is very hard for a nurse to be a patient. So just, I'll put that out there. It's very hard for us to do that. So, but really you have to be, to your point is constant change. Even in a day you may walk in and you think I've got, whether you're in ICU, whether you're a step down or whether you're in a med surg or women and children. But you, you're constantly, you may come in and you have your assignment, your patient leaves and then you get another patient and then another patient leaves and you get another. It's just constant turn over because we are moving really fast, trying to take care of the patients and make sure that their needs are met. So you have to think outside the box. There's always, to your point, patients, each patient, you have to have individualized care.

- Yeah. - So each patient requires something different. And a nurse has to be able to understand that, be able to read the patient sometimes when they can't speak and be able to just anticipate their needs.

- Yeah.

- And then be able to communicate that with the physicians or whatever ancillary department needs to be contacted. So it is constant movement. They are on their feet a lot. They are on the go a lot. But they strive to take care of their patients. They work really hard to do that.

- Yeah. And the families, that's another thing. Absolutely. Is, absolutely is communicating with the family. 'cause I know I haven't been a patient in the hospital, but a lot of my family members have. So being able to come in and communicate with the family member and making the family member feel safe, you know, and okay. Because we're always scared and you know, on edge. And I know that can be difficult to deal with.

- You're exactly right. You're exactly right. And we say that all the time. Communication, it's, it's vital because if you don't know, then your mind starts wondering, you know, and you don't know what to anticipate or you're anticipating the worst when really it, it probably isn't. But people just, you know, if you don't know, your mind just kind of goes everywhere. And if you don't know healthcare, it really does. So sometimes we forget that. And that's something that we try to make sure everybody remembers, is just to keep that family member informed. We invite and encourage people to visit, to stay. We love when families stay with their patients or with their families. And then also call us, you know, we're happy to talk to 'em on the telephone, give them updates, that sort of stuff. So we try to keep engaged with everyone.

- Yeah. I think I'm an annoying family member. There's probably different categories. Yeah. But I'm one of the ones who will call and, you know, stay and try to get answers every five minutes if I can. Hey,

- That's, that's fine. That is fine. At least you're engaged. That's right. That's right. You know, we know patients are being cared for when they leave. We know who that person is. If we need you, we know to call you. So that's great.

- What do you think makes a good nurse? I'm sure it depends maybe someone on what department they're in. 'cause different departments need different things maybe. But what do you think makes a good nurse?

- Heart? You have to have a heart. You have to have the love for it because it is very demanding. It's very hard. And if you love it, the day goes by. It's, it's very rewarding. But you have to have a heart for it. That caring component. Yeah. You won't last if you don't have that. No. 'cause it won't be worth it to you because you can endure those hard days a lot of times just because you know, you're doing the very best for that patient and what's needed. But if you don't have that heart, sometimes it's very difficult to stay in that profession. Yeah.

- And to stay

- In that

- Job. And speaking of nursing profession as a career, what kind of opportunities, I know we kind of mentioned it that we like to see our nurses grow or do different things to retain them because we want them to stay within our health system. I know we interviewed several nurses a couple years ago and when we asked them their story, a lot of them had like, started in different departments but ended up in different areas. And I thought that was unique because it's like you can go into a career of nursing and then you have so many options of like what type of nursing you choose to do. Which I think is a benefit because if you don't necessarily like something, you can choose something else. But what, what do we do specifically here at SGMC to kind of cultivate that put, making sure their nurses are in the right place and cultivating their kind of journey through their career.

- Yeah. And and it's very hard to come outta nursing school and really understand what you wanna be. You think you know, until you get there.

- Yeah.

- Some of them have their mind made and it's perfect. It, that's, that's their goal. That's their dream. They've got it covered. And then some get to your point, they get up there and they're like, wait a minute, this is not what I thought it was gonna be. Hey, I think I'd rather be over here. So we do have some movement.

- Yeah,

- We do. One of the biggest things that we have is the residency program That Suge Plus. Yeah. Leads who is just phenomenal. I think she's been on your show. Yes. So she's great. But she has a residency program and it's a a 12 month program and it helps the nurses grow not only to understand what their role is, but just in general give them the support that they need. And she happens to be in my office. She's got a across the hall from me. And it is amazing the staff, the the new nurses that come in and talk to her just to get a word of advice. So I think that's probably our biggest, we have a lot of other programs. We have a skills residency and that's really to, to give them more of the hands on that they may have missed and in school because it is, you know, you have two or three days here or two or three days there.

- Yeah. - So it's kind of hard to capture everything that you need to be on the job and doing what you need to do. So,

- So Shook is kind of like the career counselor, like at a college or advisor, you know, she how when you're in college you have an advisor that kind of helps you navigate the

- System. She is a lot of of that and, and a lot more.

- Yes. A lot more.

- She's, there's a lot of love there. Yeah. She loves that part. She loves nursing.

- You can see that. That's awesome that we have that And that, I mean that you have that support. She's a nurturer for sure. And I love having, we, we've had Ms. Shirley Garland on our podcast before who's on our board, who is also a nurse. And I think having people in our leadership team that, and in our, on our board that have been bedside nurses that understand that role and they can advocate for what we do as a organization for our nurses, I think is truly important. 'cause it is a special and dynamic. It's changing every day. Yeah. Every day. Every day. And

- That as we grow, it's just changing every day.

- And that kinda leads me to virtual nursing. That's a new program that we just launched. You wanna tell us a little

- Bit about that? Yeah, we are super excited about that. We feel like that that's gonna really help the nurses as far as like giving them a little time back so that they can communicate more with the staff that or patient. And that just gives them the support that they need. So yeah, so we've got several nurses hired. We have our own virtual program now. So we're very excited. And their role will be basically to go in and help with admissions discharges help with that medication reconciliation, which is huge. It's a safety issue

- And

- It's very time consuming for staff. So we're excited about that. They help with care planning, which is also very time consuming. So, and just another set of eyes in that chart too, to help catch things that they may see that maybe the nurse missed was doing something, got distracted with patient care need to come back. So it's just a really great program and and I, it's something that a lot of hospitals around us are not offering right now. So we're very proud of that.

- Yeah.

- We tried to make sure it was right before we launched it

- Out. Yes. 'cause it's been in the, the works for it has a

- While now.

- It has about a year. When I first heard it, I thought virtual nursing, now how is that gonna work? That cannot work. That does not sound safe. That does not sound right. Yeah. So not to be confused with like telehealth right. Visits. Right. So this is a nurse that actually is in our facility, is familiar with our facility, familiar with the staff, but they're not necessarily in the room with the patient. So we they can, they're pulled in the the nurse or

- The primary

- Nurse. Yeah. The primary nurse for the patient who's physically there pulls the virtual nurse in and makes introductions and they start having conversations while the other nurse is doing like physical examination still there. So it's not a replacement. Yeah. AB be started all of that stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Not a replacement of the physical nurse. I don't want that to get confused, but more so just an added person that's there that has time to sit and have those critical conversations with the patient and don't have to feel rushed

- Through the process. Yeah. And discharge is very important 'cause you've got all the medications, their post-op care appointments, all of that. So they have the time to take it and just make sure that the patient understands their medications, when their doctor's appointment is and then just, just the follow up care in general. And so, and any questions. So, and then if they find something that they feel like the primary nurse needs to know about or follow up with, whether it's with the patient or with the family, then she'll follow up with the primary nurse and say Hey, can you follow back up with them? This is what they're asking for. Or she'll even call the doctor herself and and ask the doctor questions for 'em. Yeah. So it is really, so you basic basically get two nurses for one basic, it's an extra nurse, it's not a replacement of a nurse, it's extra nurse. No it's not any replacement for the bedside. It's just helping them. And the bedside nurses are loving that. Right. Absolutely. It's just enhancing the care. Yeah, very good.

- Yeah. And I got a chance to talk to some of the team, the virtual nurses that piloted it and the staff and they did say that the staff are loving it. The patients, you know, some of the pilot patients were a little apprehensive but then they like it because you know, they do have that access there all the time. And also one cool thing I thought the virtual nurses can even call the family. If the family is not able to be there, they can call the family and explain to the family, you know, everything that they've explained to the patient. So they get to be kept in the loop as well.

- Right. And we're working on trying to merge that so when we do the discharge or even the admission, whatever it may be, they can call in and we can merge them into that call. So we're excited about the possibility of being able to do that.

- Yeah. So make a difference. But ultimately it's gonna enhance patient care. Yeah. It enhances nurses satisfaction. It gives our nurses a little bit more time back on the floor to do the things that they need to do. So very cool to see that. And I'm interested to see, you know, what even evolves from that. But very shout out to those teams for taking that on and and launching that. 'cause I'm sure, I mean anytime it's something new like that can always be a little challenging 'cause you have your habits that are kind of set. Yeah. And, but being open to always evolve, make things better. I think that's really cool.

- And we have a great team. I mean it's really a diverse team. We've got a few that was, that actually worked here that decided they wanted to move into that role that has years of experience. And then the nurses that were hired, hired outside the building, they've got a lot of experience actually. One was, I think was a virtual nurse.

- So - That's very, a very cool program to add to our

- Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I think, so my background was in education, so I was kind of curious about the, you know, we have a great pipeline for new nurses right here in our community with wiregrass, Georgia Technical College, BOA State University. So they both have RN programs. I think WIREGRASS has LPN and RN and then VSU has RN where you get your bachelor's degree. So how do we work with those two institutions?

- We actually, and we have aac we work mostly with as well

- And Tifton.

- So Suge plays a big role in that. She is really the liaison between us and the schools has really close look relationship with those instructors. Mm. So, but basically that's, she's a big player in that.

- Yeah. Because you, you start developing those relationships. Oh absolutely. While they're in school, obviously. Absolutely. Becausecause, they're here doing clinicals and rotations and

- Things of that sort matter Fact, SU's been going to the graduations and helping with Pennins doing some of the awards and stuff that we give out during graduation. So she's,

- Let me ask you this. What, because I forgot I wanted to do it before, but what inspired you to become a nurse? What was your, what's, what's the history there?

- Actually I come from a long line of nurses in my family. I have cousins that are nurses and then I have two sisters.

- Okay.

- So I actually, and I have a sister who is a banker. So, or was, so when I decided I wanted to come outta school, I went that route. I thought accounting. Oh no. Oh. So my other two nur, two sisters really encouraged me to, to look into nursing and it was just a perfect fit. So that's where, that's kind of my inspiration was my sisters.

- Yeah. And what's the most gratifying thing you ha about your job as it is today, would you say as

- It is today? I think just being able to be that firefighter and to be able to help break down any barriers that the staff may have or nursing leadership has. It's as we grow and I'm so excited about all the growth that we have and the different innovations that we're bringing into the building. So I think just being able to be that voice for them is probably most rewarding thing.

- And it's so important because the organization is so dynamic and we start wanting to make things happen, wanna make decisions and oftentimes you can make decisions in silos, not thinking about how it impacts all the other things. So I know there's been several times you've been like, hold up, wait a minute, this, this. And we're like, oh yeah. 'cause I mean it is important to have all of those perspectives at the table because it matters. So I think you do a good job of that. But

- Like Mr. Dean says, we are a nursing organization. That's

- Right. Absolutely. We could not, we could not do it without our nurses. So we certainly thank them for all that they do each and every day. Yep. Agreed.

- Is there anything about, you know, the future of the direction we're going that particularly excites you as far as nursing is concerned? Any opportunities that you see?

- Well, the most obvious thing would be our new tower. That's exciting. The growth that we'll see, you know, being able to keep our babies here and they won't have to be transferred out. That's, that's gonna be amazing for the families. Yeah. Because that is some, for some families that's, you don't, you wanna stay close to home and some are just not able to make that trip to wherever their babies are transferred to. So being able to do that and and increasing that level of care that we give in the nicu, that would be great. And then looking at the ED being able to expand the number of beds, the capacity and then the care that we're gonna provide there. So all of that is very exciting to me. Very awesome things

- Happen in there. And we'll see that opening up here and just I, hey, in a blink of an eye, a year and a half and a blink eye, we'll absolutely be a blinking eye the way it goes. Well Taylor, you wanna ask the last question?

- Well, I think, or did

- You have something else?

- No, we have, I had another one before we wrap up. Well we have, we talked a little bit about recruitment and all that stuff, but that's good. What about, you know, I'm sure we have a lot of open positions, feel like we're always hiring nurses, we always need more nurses. So what would you say to encourage someone who's looking for a nursing position to come apply here at one of our locations?

- So I think the growth that we have and the opportunities is endless. So the compassion that we show to people, not just our patients but within our, just each other. We're our family here. So I would say I would encourage them to come here because you are, once you walk in the door, you're family. And I think that we could just, we nurture our pat where our nurses I think is one of the biggest things that we do.

- Yeah. Our, this past year we formally introduced a strategic priority to be unparalleled place to work. And I think we're making great strides and because we know that people have choices in where they decide to work, especially in nursing and there's a nursing shortage nationwide. And I hear absolutely often here, well they need more nurses. They need more nurses. And yes, we always need more nurses. Yeah. But it's not from a lack of like wanting to hire them. Yeah. We're, we're we, we will, if you're a good

- Nurse, I wanna come work here. Absolutely. Absolutely. Come. Absolutely. And I think we can have most anything, you know, they're, they're interested

- In, but we also want good nurses.

- Yep. And

- We want that for our patients. Our patients deserve their very best. So it's not just about having any nurse. We want the best nurses. That's the one who have that heart that you talked about earlier. So if you've got heart and you're looking for a career in nursing, join our team. I think with all the shots

- We're making, they'll be fulfilled. I think that if they've got the drive and the heart for it, this will be a place that they will enjoy being. And there's a lot of opportunities and

- Appreciate it. I mean we have four campuses. I don't know how many clinics you could work in clinic. I think nearly 40 clinics.

- Yeah. - Yeah. So you don't have to be at the bedside. You know, you could be at a clinic or you know,

- Never a boring moment. Yeah. It was always something. There's a lot, a lot of different shift availabilities too as far as if you wanna do different, we're be flexible with that as well. Offering different options as far as work schedules and stuff. Yeah. Yeah.

- Very good. So now I'll ask

- My,

- My last question. I'm glad you added that other one in. It's probably the hardest

- But is it? No, no not Bri. You probably know this one.

- What is your favorite meal to eat here? Either in the cafeteria or the All spice

- Recently? I'm trying to be a little bit more healthy. So I'm gonna say the salad bar and the spice

- And the salad bar and the spice is phenomenal.

- It is. It really is. So what's your guilty pleasure

- Meal

- If you weren't being french fries? Hey, if I'm having a, a stressful day, that's comfort food. Yeah. So I'm gonna go and say, are the french fries hot? Yes they are. Okay. Load me up. Yeah. So

- I totally can get behind that.

- Yeah. But that salad bar is amazing because there's so many, there's like 20 options of things you can fall onto your salad so you can make it the colorful

- Treat and different types of lettuce.

- I mean I'm like Yes, I love that too. 'cause I don't just like the regular iceberg lettuce.

- Yep. - We need spinach or romaine or the leaf, the leafy

- Stuff. This does not excite me at all.

- Aw. The

- Salad doesn't. No.

- Now I'm picky about what goes on it, but I do like it. Alright, well Cherise, we thank you so much for coming on. I know this is not your favorite thing to do to get on the airwaves. That is so true. But we appreciate, but thank you doing that,

- You for inviting me and it's been a pleasure to be here.

- So thank y'all. Bye. Yes, thank you. And thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in. And please do like, subscribe, follow us and if you have any questions, you can submit those to sgmc.org/podcast.