A little kindness can go a long way. While that’s true anywhere, it’s especially true when it comes to working in healthcare. Sometimes, the simplest gesture can mean so much to a patient or a co-worker.

That’s why we’ve decided to start a “Kindness Revolution” at Northside Hospital Forsyth, because we want to recognize and celebrate the tenderness and caring of all the members of the Northside Family.

Our “Caught in the Act of Kindness” campaign allows employees to single out and salute those who routinely go above and beyond every day and make working here more than just a job.

The nominees will get a special certificate, a T-shirt and a pin as they are honored by their supervisors. The certificates will be placed on each department’s “Kindness Bulletin Board” and their names also will be featured on the TV screens near the cafeteria. As a finale, our kindness winners will be recognized at the Patient Experience Awards in May.

Nurse Sarah H. was “caught in the act” of helping a patient celebrate her 96th birthday. Sarah had balloons sent to the room and helped lead the staff in singing “Happy Birthday” for the patient, who tearfully clapped along. It was an amazing moment of kindness.

Dr. Wayne A. of the GI Lab singled out the kindness and compassion of Dacella R., calling her “an amazing asset to the team,” while Jae B. singled out co-worker Buddy C. for not only noticing that her car license plate was about to fall off, but fixing it for her, too!

The acts of kindness aren’t limited to one unit. Oncology Nurse Bailey R. asked some of her teacher friends to have students make Valentine’s Day cards for our Oncology patients. The kids did an amazing job and we had enough cards for every patient – all of whom were touched by the sweet gesture. The cards really brightened their day.

We are aware that kindness is a choice, and we’re proud to know that so many Northsiders make it their first choice in almost any situation. It’s one of the fundamental things that sets members of the Northside family apart every day – and one of the main reasons we’ve chosen them to be on the front lines of our Kindness Revolution.

For Patricia T., working at Northside Hospital means excelling at innovating.

Patricia, administrative director of our Heart and Vascular Institute, is an integral part of the Northside team that was recently honored with the TCAR Award, recognizing us as a center of excellence for the revolutionary transcarotid artery revascularization technique (TCAR).

This state-of-the-art, minimally invasive procedure helps treat plaque in the carotid artery, which could cause a stroke if left alone. TCAR also allows for the treatment of more patients, including those that previously would have been deemed too risky for surgical intervention.

“You don’t have to have an open surgical procedure, you can help patients avoid stroke without even being under anesthesia, and they can go home the next day,” says Patricia. “Older, sicker patients can actually be treated safer, and with fewer complications. We couldn’t even imagine this years ago!”

Patricia says that at Northside, medical innovations are quickly incorporated into patient treatment, thanks to forward-thinking doctors, nurses and hospital leadership. She credits Dr. Siddharth Patel with being a particular champion of TCAR.

“He had the insight to see that this technique had a huge potential for older and/or high-risk patients,” she said. “He was the one who led our calling to it, and he has been the one out educating the public and primary care physicians about the benefits of this procedure.”

Patricia says one reason Northside earned the award was because of the high number of patients it has treated using TCAR – and the high quality of their outcomes.

“What’s so nice about this technique is that previously, not all patients could have a carotid procedure because they were at high risk for stroke,” Patricia said. “In the past, the answer was surgery, and the next innovation was stent placement via the femoral artery. But for older patients, it was still high risk. TCAR allows us to do this without even putting some patients under general anesthesia.”

Making such an innovative approach commonplace is just one more way Northside sets itself apart from many other health systems. It also showcases how teamwork focused on patient care continually drives us forward, and makes Northside such a special place to build a career.

“What you see on our social media pages is true about the environment here – there is a huge sense of collaboration at Northside,” Patricia says. “The focus on the quality of patient care and patient experience makes it a great culture. We can grow our program and focus on patient care and experience, which makes it a unique place to work. As a consultant in my past jobs, I experienced many different health systems across the country. When I came to Northside, I immediately noticed a difference in the environment.”

For Patricia, collaboration, empowerment and a willingness to listen to team members are all hallmarks of the “Northside Difference.”

“It is a culture that is focused on quality of care and patient experience. It really makes you proud,” she said. “The sense of family, too…if you have ever walked the halls here, there really is a sense of teamwork. When I first came here, it was noticeable – everyone was smiling, and happy, people were helping families and going out of their way – it was like, ‘is this for real?’ But six years later, I can tell you, it’s real!”

Giving employees the tools, training, and technology they need to succeed helps Northside build a strong foundation of support. For Patricia, however, that combination really works because of the team of people we’ve assembled here.

“The employees who work at the heart and vascular institute are genuinely great individuals, they care for their patients, they’re highly trained,” she said. “I know that patients are getting great care, I know our operations are being run well, I know our staff members are caring to patients and their families. It allows me to focus on the growth of the program.”

As she focuses on the growth of her programs, Patricia also is focusing on the growth of her career. It has her excited about what’s on the horizon because she’ll be “continually looking for what is next in cardiovascular patient care, and the procedures that we will offer to our patients. These techniques are innovative, and we’ll keep preparing ourselves for the next ones that will provide expert care for our patients in the future.”

From compassionate coworkers to supportive leadership, the Northside Difference means many things to experienced Oncology Nurse Megan McCoy. And it has since she began her career with us.

“Northside is where I started as a nurse, it’s where I’ve grown and developed into the nurse I am today,” Megan said. “It really is a home for me to be a part of my unit and continue working there and developing the staff around me, so we can have a really awesome team.”

Teamwork is one of the foundations that Northside Hospital careers are built on. For Megan, it’s something that sets us apart from many other health systems. Collaboration makes a big difference for her every day and keeps her engaged and empowered.

“I really love the people that I work with,” she said. “That’s a big part of why I’ve never tried to leave my floor or work anywhere else – the people are awesome! It’s an awesome team environment, being around them is awesome, even on the bad days.”

“Bad days” can come with the territory when you work in Oncology, Megan says. The distinguished cancer programs at Northside are first rate and change lives for our patients, but the disease is still a formidable enemy.

“Anyone wanting to work in the field of oncology needs to know that it takes special people,” says Megan. “You have to have a really big heart, and there are really challenging days. But the people I work with know how to make you laugh even when you want to cry, and can put a smile on your face. It can be heartbreaking at times, but the fulfillment of working in oncology is worth any bad days.”

Career fulfillment is another key component of the Northside Difference. We’re working hard to build the kind of inclusive workplace that allows our diverse team to flourish. That’s one of the reasons feedback from Northside employees helped land us on the 2018 Glassdoor Best Places To Work list and Comparably’s 2018 list of Best Companies for Women.

For Megan, the support provided by her supervisors and colleagues has helped shape a career path she is proud of.

“From being in a residency as a young nurse, they have helped develop me into becoming a preceptor, training new staff members, they’ve given me opportunities to learn about my specialty,” Megan said. “Anytime I’m looking for a new challenge, they’ve provided me with opportunities with different teams and ways to get involved or be engaged. You’re never bored, and there are lots of opportunities to grow and learn. I recently became a supervisor with my unit, which I have been with since I started at Northside. That really is a tribute to the leadership and opportunities here.”

For those who are looking to starting the new year with a new career at Northside, Megan has some advice.

“Northside has high expectations, so you have to be willing to be on your A-game,” she said. “Everyone is there for you and wants you to grow as an individual, but they also expect the best – that is why we have the reputation we do.”

For those who get called in for an interview with a recruiter or hiring manager, Megan advises that a little enthusiasm can go a long way.

“Just showcase that it’s a place that you really want to be!” she said. “You know that Northside’s reputation precedes itself, and if you can show that you’re an employee who will work hard and build up your team members, then you will fit right in and do well.”

Who wouldn’t do well at Northside? Based on her experience, Megan has some ideas about that, too.

“I think anyone can succeed, but you have to have the right attitude and be flexible and willing to adapt to different challenges,” she said. “Healthcare can be a challenging field, but Northside provides all the resources you need to be successful.”

Those resources will support Megan as she moves forward in her Northside career, something she is already excited about.

“I’m looking forward to my development as a leader for my unit and within the hospital,” she said. “Helping to empower our team on the oncology unit, and continue to see the growth and positive change that I’ve seen over the last four years and make our unit a place that everyone wants to be.”

A place everyone wants to be. A place where employees are valued and empowered. A place where opportunity is everywhere. That’s the Northside Difference.

As 2019 begins, many of us at Northside Hospital are focused on opportunities to improve our skills and our careers. Continuous growth is always encouraged here and everyone is empowered to develop their abilities so they can improve life for our patients as they fulfill their own potential.

With that in mind, some of our team members have set down some career-related resolutions for the coming year with an emphasis on getting better at what they do.

Brieyana M., who works in pre-registration, plans to improve her networking skills and become a Certified Professional Coder. Eboni R., who also works in pre-registration, is setting her sights on continuing to “learn and grow in my new position.”

Like Brieyana, many others are aiming to bolster their professional education. Northside Nurse Dorothy U. wants to keep working on her nursing Ph.D., while her colleague Diana N. wants to become an Oncology Certified Nurse.

Operations Coordinator Tracy W. plans to complete a Ph.D. this year, and Nicole L., who works in the front office, says she wants to finish her “bachelors in Healthcare Administration and hopefully advance my career to a Coordinator.”

Beside education, the Northside community spirit also is evident in the resolutions of our team members.

Markeia W. from radiology pre-registration says her goal this year is simply to “help others,” and Front Office Coordinator Euwonna J.’s resolution includes “volunteering at community events.”

Because caring for patients is the foundation of everything we do, several Northsiders have made that the focal point of their 2019 goals, with Manager Melissa S. saying that she simply wants to “improve patient experience.”

Whether it’s learning new skills, getting a sought-after certification or doing more volunteer work, the Northside Family is excited about the all the opportunities they will have in 2019 to build their careers while working to make our community a better, healthier place.

This has been a great holiday season so far for all of us at Northside Hospital! First came the news that we ended up making the 2018 Glassdoor list of Best Places to Work. Now, we’ve learned that Northside Hospital has just made the 2018 list of Best Companies for Women as compiled by Comparably, a culture, compensation and career monitoring website.

We’re humbled by both honors, even more so because they are based on feedback from our team members. Landing on the Comparably list is especially gratifying because Northside has for years been a leader in creating a supportive culture where women can grow, thrive and advance to leadership positions.

The Comparably list took into account the roles occupied by women in companies, said Comparably CEO Jason Nazar.

“The single biggest thing that’s driving inclusiveness for women is having more women in positions of management and leadership,” Nazar told USA Today in an article about the award.

Compensation for women was another key factor in putting the list together. Nazar said Comparably looked for companies whose employees believe “spend the time and effort to make sure they are closing the gender pay gap.”

As proud as we all are of the recent honors, our employees know that Northside is not a health system that will rest on its laurels. Instead, we’ll use these awards as springboards to build an even more inclusive and dynamic workplace that gives all our team members the chance to reach their full potentials and build the best careers possible!