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40 Fast and Future Leaders of Surgical Services – Britta DeVolder

January 21, 2020

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40 Fast and Future Leaders of Surgical Services – Britta DeVolder

I know it’s time to go home when I could live at work like we all can. I know it’s time to go home when I’ve reached a good stopping point in whatever task I’m engaged in or when my meetings finish up. At that time I press myself to make a conscious decision to wrap up, pack up, and head home.

Sometimes it’s not what you know, it’s It’s a willingness to say I don’t know, find out the answer and circle back. We’re so often expected to have all the answers all the time that it’s needed to step back and think or investigate before responding.

One little thing I pay attention to is Two things really- the first is the regulatory one- environment of care. It’s so easy in a Perioperative environment to get complacent about storage or small issues that over time become the norm. I try to go in with fresh eyes and ask ’why’ to help educate/ see things through a different lens. The second is to try to see small changes in people. Either helping to identify those dealing with traumas or something in the work or home life and connecting those who need a listening ear and/ or to appropriate resources.

Best advice I ever received Leaders who refuse to listen will eventually be surrounded by people with nothing to say- Andy Stanley

My mentors are Many and varied! Some of my mentors are professional, others are academic, and others are in different fields unrelated to my day to day. I’ve found that having a range of mentors allows me to find the ‘perfect’ person to bounce ideas, issues, vent or celebrate!

I am here for First and foremost, I’m here for my team. We spend so much time with our work families that I want to make their day as smooth as possible. My goal is to take as much of the administrative tasks/ battles off their plate so they can focus on the excellent care and advocacy that they give our patients every day.

The future of surgical services is Rooted in nursing education. Nursing students need more exposure to perioperative services throughout their education, not just a few standard shadow days to visit the OR.

The dumbest thing I ever did I didn’t prioritize taking care of myself. By not making my own health, mental health and self-care a priority, I was unable to be as present in all aspects of my life.

The smartest thing I ever did Become an OR nurse! Nursing, in general, is a great and flexible field, but I was so lucky to find my passion in perioperative services and be able to grow within this awesome field of nursing and leadership.

It is Whitman Partners’ honor and mission to support and advance the surgical services industry by facilitating the dissemination of new ideas in leadership, technology, and best practices. Identifying and sharing the achievements, inspirational stories, and insight of emerging leaders is key to driving effectiveness, efficiency, and patient satisfaction for OR departments of all sizes and scope.

If you are aware of a person, event, or industry topic that you’d like Whitman Partners to research and report on please email marketing@whitmanpartners.com