Working for Medtronic (coming on 10 years now), patient focus is and remains number one. I spent seven years on the manufacturing floor, where every split second decision impacted the patient. Now, I articulate that message almost daily to our supplier partners.
There are multiple situations where you have the patient on the forefront of your mind. But how do we make it a more regular practice? How do we learn from medical practitioners that see at least 20 patients per day?
For those of you who may not know, I spent the bulk of 2019 reacting to and assessing multiple heart issues. It all started with multiple fainting spells in the spring and summer and led to receiving one to two cardiac tests per month. I praise my doctor- for more than one reason- but for his methodological approach to figuring out what’s wrong.
Not once did he jump to conclusions and just prescribe a medicine or procedure. He thought each decision through with the data he had in front of him. This process of his led to my catheterization on Dec 19, 2019.
Pre-check
Prior to my procedure, I underwent standard pre-op activities: Fasting, blood work, vitals check and even an ECG. Yes all of this is normal but what surprised me was how each time a nurse walked into my room, they knew my story.
I shouldn’t be surprised, or should I? It meant that each person knew my conditions, my procedure I was going in for, and critical information to keep me safe during the process. I had my dedicated nurse who spent the most at my bedside and let me wear her Christmas headband to make me feel better. If that wasn’t reassuring enough, it was nice to know that all the nurses shared common values and had enough information about me to get me through the day.
Imagine you are on a project and you have the goal led by the project leader. But what if every person who had a role on your project had the same vested interest and knew enough about the problem, goal, and risks to keep it moving? How successful would that make the project?
Entering Twilight
If you have ever been administered anesthesia, you know that you go from being wide awake to entering a different world. Sometimes your eyes close and re-open in ‘seconds’ and sometimes the medicine takes over your body but your mind keeps working.
In my case, I was administered a ‘twilight anesthesia’ where I was given just enough sedation to be comfortable but depending on my mind, was left somewhat awake.
They say your memory is fuzzy and you are not to make critical decisions for the next 24 hours afterwards.
Even so, I was alert enough to be amazed by the team dynamic. I cannot tell you exactly how many people were in that room but I can guess- four cath techs/nurses, two doctors, one equipment tech, one anesthesiologist, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Nonetheless, it was one entity. As the clock struck 12:30, they did a ‘time out.’ Everyone stopped in their place, and a Team Lead (I think she was the anesthesiologist) stated my name, birthdate, condition and procedure. Everyone stopped. They stopped mid-sentence when she said ‘Time Out.’ The focus and attention was on her to ensure MY safety.
I assume lots happened that I missed. I kept trying to sleep but my scientific brain was picking up on key medical terms and actions that were being taken. But just as they inserted the cath, they found what they were going in for. They found what we have been seeing consistently for over a year. And they found something else.
To wrap up this segment, I will touch on two things: teamwork and staying focus. The doctor acknowledged the new finding. They were already in my heart with the catheter, and the tools to correct were laid out perfectly on the table. He stopped, arms crossed, to ask a few questions and get concurring thoughts from his peers. And he accomplished what he went in for.
After ensuring safety, they didn’t get distracted by the new finding. They didn’t waste time. There was a patient with an open catheter through the femoral artery. Quality decisions had to be made.
Once they completed their objective of addressing the primary issue, they all huddled into their back room. Multiple people came by to ensure my comfort. “Are you okay?” - a simple question that meant so much in those moments.
The doctor and his team walked back to my entry point, almost in synchrony, and continued. Alignment. Focus. Care.
Some of that time felt like forever but when they rolled me back to my room, I felt like I had just left. I can admit I was in a daze. But it was so well orchestrated- every step, every update, and every interaction with me. Each person knew their role and knew the common goal.
Post-Op
I was stuck on bedrest for what felt like an eternity. It was five hours of me lying completely still (seven if you count it from the moment I was rolled into my procedure). I was feeling okay.
My thoughts were still on the team dynamic. If each time we interacted with our peers with a common intent, how much more effective can we be? What about responsibilities- one tech was responsible for just padding down my entry point for 20 minutes prior to dressing it. What if she lost focus for a moment? That would lead to an infection.
My recovery is going well and I’m motivated more than ever to take this experience and apply it in my everyday job. The patient safety and comfort shall always be number one. I strive to live out the Medtronic Mission, and this particular case that I underwent, was a hands-on example of what it means.
You can keep me still for seven hours and put me in twilight for two but my passion for supporting our patients was number one. Even though I was the patient, this experience only gave me more fuel to work for “Alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life.”
