Northwest

I’ve worked at Kaiser Permanente for 42 years. I’m a patient registration representative and have been working as a greeter since COVID-19 hit. Most everyone I have encountered has been fabulous, but I had a particular situation when a member was very upset about answering the screening questions and wearing a mask. He was aggressive and verbally abusive. I had to remind myself that the person in front of me might be dealing with fear or medical issues and that he was just trying to get through the day. I explained the safety precautions as calmly and empathetically as I could and the member calmed down and complied with the rules. I work hard to be positive and helpful with our members; If I can make their encounter positive, I’ve done a good thing.

Knowing that I am backed by the LMP and having a good working relationship with management has enabled me to speak freely about my feelings and ideas. For example, when too many visitors entered the building, I was very comfortable talking with my manager about the current visitation policy which she took to the building manager. We are now informing patients before they arrive about the number of visitors they may bring. I really and truly enjoy my job and the people I work with. Every morning, the midwife and I pull a card from a deck called 'Empowering Questions and Affirmation Cards.' It helps us start our day on the right foot.

Joy in work is about being engaged and fulfilled in the work we do. Before I came to Kaiser Permanente, I had the preconceived notion that people just did the bare minimum. I have come to learn that, for the most part, staff are here because they want to be. They have a passion for their patients, and they value KP. It’s been a surprising and welcome learning. I want to support the team to make their day smoother so that we are one united team for our patients. Working with our team and improving things for our patients and employees brings me joy at work.

The one thing that surprised me when COVID-19 first hit was that everybody was onboard to do what was needed. In the beginning we were collecting PPE from closed clinics, moving it to be sorted and redistributed. Even though it wasn’t a normal part of our work, people did what needed to be done.  It is concerning sending our drivers into clinics to collect labs and deliver mail — and it’s different to wear gloves and masks — but they do it without issue. Even our sick calls are down. People really want to help. We’re a close-knit, high-functioning unit-based team. I’ve been blown away by our team’s commitment during this time.

Our goal is the same: to keep everyone safe. Managers and employees from the nurse treatment room, lab, radiology and pharmacy worked together and kept making refinements to meet our patients’ needs. For example, we moved COVID-19 testing into the nurse treatment room when it became apparent that patients needed additional services from lab, pharmacy and radiology. It helped that we had a strong foundation in the Partnership and the tools of unit-based teams. We all faced the challenge from a different perspective, and we came up with a resolution pretty quickly. It was the epitome of collaboration; it was fantastic! Joy in work for me is my motivation to turn a patient visit into a better experience through empathy and connecting with the patient.

I’ve been very proud of how well the Airport Way Regional Lab has handled this situation, and how all the departments are doing their part. My group is preparing totes for the EMTs to do onsite testing in nursing homes. I feel safe that my health is not jeopardized, and Kaiser Permanente is doing everything it can do to maintain safety. When this first started up, the director walked around and asked if people were feeling good and safe. I do miss seeing my grandkids, going out in society and going to church, but I stay optimistic. This country has been through a lot of tough times, and we will get on the other side of this.

Our staff has had some real fears. The communication that the staff was receiving was not being delivered in a way that resonated with them, so we turned our break room into a mini-command center. We broke down some of the information and clarified processes by mapping them out on a white board.  We are also setting up a ‘thank you’ board so we can recognize each other. We learned the correct way to don a mask — it’s these little details that were contributing to the fear. Our team has been cross-training prior to this, and they’ve really stepped up and covered where they’ve been needed. I’m really proud of all of our staff.

I have been surprised by some people’s reactions to the pandemic. I have been on the phone with people who have cried, who were angry, fearful, or annoyed I was calling them. I have had myriad emotions. I’ve had moments when I’ve been proud, and crappy moments that I’ve had to ‘put it in my pocket.’ At the end of the day we wrap around each other and move forward. One of the lessons I learned was to work earlier with labor leaders to find solutions as we worked together to redeploy staff. I believe some of the best Partnership collaboration has come out of this.

I’m OK with the chaos and change of this situation — that’s the environment I thrive in. With all the changes that have come, we’re doing a great job. People are adjusting in the moment and really showing up for our patients. When you know that, you can’t be mad at anybody for a decision that’s made or a change that happens. Managing through the fear has been the biggest challenge. Some of our non-clinical staff rely on information from the media, and it’s confusing and has mixed messages. The best I can do is help alleviate the fear with the facts we receive from trusted sources in health care. I’m really proud of the way our staff have stepped up.