5 (+1) Questions
Good morning!
Today is the first Friday in May so I’ll respond to some of the questions you’ve sent in through the VC Notes inbox.
First, though, I want to mention the employee engagement survey that you will receive via email later this month. This survey is an important tool for us to hear your opinions, feelings and feedback on your job and your professional life as a member of the People of the U family. Your responses to this survey – which are confidential – can provide needed information for Medical Center leadership at all levels to build a roadmap for the future to address workplace areas of concern and learn about what makes you feel most connected. We need to hear from you! Please, when given the opportunity, take a few minutes to respond to the survey.
Now, on to your questions. Just as a reminder, I read all of your questions and comments and enjoy hearing from you. I’m only able to respond to some of them in this space, but I pass the rest along to senior administrators for their review and possible follow up.
— — —
Q:There are so many supply chain issues/national shortages. This is not a new problem, but who is responsible for letting health care providers know how to appropriately adjust to the shortages. For example, when we were out of sterile urine cups there was no guidance on how to appropriately collect a sterile urine. We were able to collect non-sterile urines in plastic drinking cups, but this would not be appropriate for sterile specimens. Is there somewhere we could look for guidance in situations like this?
A: I don’t think there’s a completely accurate way to express how many challenges have come up over the past couple of years related to supply chain shortages. I know Rick McFee, chief of supply chain management, and his team have overcome a lot of issues to either keep us stocked with items we use the most or identify other options in cases when we just can’t get what we normally use. Their diligence and collaboration with leaders from Infection Prevention, Pharmacy, Pathology, Nursing and other areas has had a positive impact on this unprecedented situation that has impacted hospitals across the county.
Because what is and isn’t available changes frequently, and when substitutes need to quickly be identified, procured and put into use, it’s not always possible to send a mass communication. However, you can always reach out to Rick and leaders on his team in cases where you’ve run out of an item and learn that resupply isn’t possible for suggestions of other options. Those items may be available in another unit that could share some of their stock or a handy alternative may be available. Supply Chain Management can let you know if either of those are options.
In cases when a specimen collection item is out of stock, the Department of Pathology should be consulted on appropriate alternate options that maintain integrity.
— — —
Q:What is going on with tenure? Does UMMC have an official statement? New policy? How can faculty give feedback?
A: Our offices of Faculty Affairs and Academic Affairs have reviewed the updates to IHL’s policy (starting on page 81 of the minutes from the April 21, 2022 meeting found here) on faculty promotions and tenure and, at this time, it’s been determined that not much changes for us. Much of what the IHL Board of Trustees updated is already covered by existing UMMC policies. For instance, our existing Policy and Guidelines for Personal Use of Social Media and areas outlined in the annual Faculty and Staff Handbook.
The one major update to the IHL policy is that final approval of tenure decisions for faculty of the member institutions of the Mississippi Public University system no longer rests with the IHL Board. The leader of each institution has authority on decisions of tenure and promotion. Again, this isn’t a major change for us because we were always making recommendations to the board in these cases, but now what is decided through our process is final. Any appeals are still routed to the IHL Board for review.
— — —
Q:This morning, (4/11/22) when the traffic lights were not working on State Street or Woodrow Wilson, Security/Campus Police were NOT present to assist employees with traffic when attempting to cross from the stadium parking lot onto campus. The weather was horrible, and shuttle services took longer than usual. It was very dangerous trying to walk (in the crosswalks) across the street onto campus, and most vehicles were NOT stopping for pedestrians. There were multiple police officers riding around, dry and warm, in their cars in the parking lot.
A: Several questions and comments came in about this same situation. I checked with UMMC Police Chief Mary Paradis, and we do not have jurisdiction over traffic on State Street. That road as well as others surrounding the main campus are the responsibility of the Jackson Police Department. Also, the streets surrounding the stadium (just the roads, not the parking lots) fall under the jurisdiction of the Mississippi State Capitol Police.
On the morning of April 11, UMMC Police contacted JPD to ask for assistance with traffic control, but they responded that they had no officers available. While not under our jurisdiction, and with the potential that we could be bringing on liability issues as well as having to pull officers from other areas of campus, Chief Paradis directed officers to help with traffic/pedestrian flow until power was restored around 10 a.m. It sounds like, in your question, that officers must have arrived after you crossed.
This situation (traffic light outage around campus) again came up the following week and a repeat of the above process was done. UMMC Police officers were assigned to help with traffic flow. We hope, though, that recent repairs on traffic lights around campus will help prevent such frequent outages in the future.
— — —
Q:Is there any plan in place for float pay for ambulatory LPNs, RNs, CMAs who are now being required to float to different locations due to staff shortage? When we were hired into our positions, we were specific to one clinic. We were not told that traveling to different locations would be part of the requirements of our jobs. Part of working in a clinic is to have strictly one location. It would be nice if we were able to receive float pay to offset driving back and forth to different locations each day.
A: I reached out to Dr. Kris Cherry, chief nursing executive, and Dr. George Russell, CEO of University Physicians, on this and found out that timing of your question is perfect.
A plan for ambulatory staff pull pay (sometimes referred to as float pay, but we are using pull pay to distinguish it from the new float pool I’ll mention in a bit) for when clinical staff are asked to cover other areas is in the final stages and will be implemented later next month. The new plan will first roll out in the Department of Medicine, where demand for this has been highest. Once any bugs have been worked out with that department, it will be presented to other clinical departments.
Additionally, an Ambulatory Float Pool will again be available soon and position recruitment is already underway. The pool will be made up of about 12 full-time staff of a combination of CMAs, LPNs, RNs, MOAs and CCRs.
The goal is for these two new ambulatory-specific initiatives to lessen some staffing challenges as well as incentivize our ambulatory clinical staff.
— — —
Q:On a previous question regarding the skywalk from Wiser to Parking garage B, it's interesting that UMMC will look into the "feasibility and cost" with again using it. Didn't UMMC pay for this nice and needed feature? Are we just going to not use it anymore?
A: Yes, we have already built the skywalk. But we need to do some repairs and enhancements to open it back up – access controls, security cameras, etc. Evaluating a construction/capital improvement project for feasibility and cost is always necessary before it can be approved. And in this case, it helped identify the best and most cost-efficient way to safely provide access between Wiser Hospital and Garage B.
A team representing UMMC Police, Facilities Services and Environmental Health and Safety are moving forward with the needed repairs and equipment – including access controls and security cameras – to make those doors accessible with a UMMC ID badge. The work is already underway and the skywalk should be ready for use in the coming weeks as soon as all needed equipment has come in and installed.
— — —
Here’s a bonus question today with an update on a topic that I covered in a previous VC Notes 5 Questions column.
Q:Can we get an update on increasing access to water fountains? Although we have access to some water stations, some areas of the hospital (and especially UMMC clinics) only have the "traditional" fountains nearby that are still closed off.
A: New bottle filler stations, which is the preferred option of our Infection Control team, are already being installed with high traffic areas and places where patients are present getting priority. Two new bottle fillers have recently been installed with more on the way.
— — —
Thanks for your questions and keep them coming!
Before I end today’s column, I’d like to remind you that next week we will recognize Employee and Nurses Weeks. Many fun, engaging activities are scheduled for next week, and I hope you get a chance to take part. Nurses Week events can be found here and the schedule of Employee Appreciation Week activities can be found here. Thanks to all of the sponsors and coordinators who make everything on those two calendars possible. I’m excited about celebrating YOU and the many contributions you make to the Medical Center, our patients and all Mississippians. Next week – really, any week – is a great opportunity to celebrate being #UMMCStrong.