no expense and let nothing
stand in her way. Take the
wheels on every piece of rolling
equipment, for example. When
pressure-washing stripped
away the natural lubrication
from the wheels on the case
carts and back tables, making
maneuvering them "like trying
to push the wheels through
mud," Ms. Plett battled and bar-
gained until she won approval
to replace all the wheels. The
cost: $30,000.
Staff notice such above-and-
beyond efforts. "People feel
like she listens to them and
actually gets things done for
them when they bring concerns forward," says OR Supervisor Pat
Sega, MSN, RN, CNOR. "She's good at pursuing important issues
and not letting them drop. She sticks with it and makes sure that
it gets done."
There's more. Much more. Ms. Plett bought 8 (one for each OR
and a spare just in case) closed fluid waste management systems
so staff didn't have to handle canisters and put themselves at risk
of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. She bought personalized
and fitted lead aprons for staff that work ortho and spine cases,
and ordered customized ergonomic chairs for her pre-operative
assessment nurses who spend most of their workdays seated,
either talking on the phone or staring into a computer. Then there
6 6
O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5
O R E X C E L L E N C E AWA R D S O R E X C E L L E N C E AWA R D S
z PERFECT POSTURE Ms. Plett
ordered customized ergonomic chairs
for staff who sit most of the day.
Pat
Plett,
BNRN,
MS-HSA,
CNOR