3 Things Healthcare Could Learn From March Madness

March 27, 2012

Many of you have a pool going at work right? For March Madness- the NCAA Basketball Tournament that consumes much of the nation every spring.

By now, you’re either cheering or throwing your crumpled brackets in the trash. How is it that the woman you work with that chose her teams according to her favorite colors is beating you?! She doesn’t even know what it means to set a pick. And yet somehow, that’s the beauty of this tournament. It’s just plain fun.

While watching the 4 Ohio teams in the Sweet 16 (just sayin) last week, it made me realize we could learn a lot from these players and from this game.

“We” meaning healthcare.

Not that we’re going to take hospitals and put them into brackets and see who’s best in the end. Although, that’s not far off from where healthcare is turning. Patients are going to have more and more information about hospital outcomes and be given more choices about which hospital to use based on that information. Uh-oh.

This is a whole new game.

And while it poses interesting challenges for those of us at the bedside, it’s also information we want as consumers of healthcare. Would you want to have surgery at the hospital with the highest infection rate in your city?

As I watched several basketball games in the past few weeks I was reminded of why sports are such a great analogy for life. In this case, life as healthcare.

3 Things Healthcare Could Learn from March Madness

Good Defense:

The primary goal of any defense is to prevent the other team from scoring. To protect the team from intrusion, to defend their end of the court, prevent anything from going into their basket.

What’s our defense in the NICU? How do we protect this infant I’ll call Charlie?

Hand washing. Sterile procedures. Incubators. Antibiotics. Hand washing. Avoiding exposure to direct bright light and loud noise. Single-family rooms. Hand washing. To name a few.

Sometimes, like in basketball, we do everything we can to play a great defensive game and the other team still scores. It happens. Sometimes Charlie has an infection or stress despite our best efforts.

And just like in basketball, we must work as a team to make sure that the trend is toward allowing fewer intrusions. Someone must be the coach, standing back and seeing the whole picture. Where did the defense break down? How can we regroup and play better next time?

But what we don’t do, if we’re a winning team, is to continue to do things the exact same way against every opponent and think we’re going to win.

We must strive for excellence. Even when we’re tired and a little beaten. Because in the end, fiercely protecting that space, and Charlie, is our job.

Good offense:

No one wins games without a good offense. There must be points on the scoreboard.

A good offense is a combination of many things- strategy, timing, the ability to read the defense, preparation, and the mindset that we’re moving forward, positively adding to what was already there.

In the NICU, our offense consists of anything that promotes health and normal development. Anything that puts more points on the board for Charlie. Skin to skin holding, breastmilk, developmental care, parental bonding, good nutrition, supportive oral feeding practice, neonatal therapy.

Much of our offense is perfected at the bedside. It’s up to us to teach the parents about skin to skin holding. Do we? Even when we’re busy or tired?

Is neonatal therapy part of the offense or does it occur just a few days or weeks prior to discharge?

Because here’s the thing – we won’t win with ONLY a good defense. We must execute our offense. Charlie needs all the points he can get.

Seamless Teamwork:

It’s obvious in any sport that no one player wins or loses a game. Unsupportive teammates break down the fabric of the team resulting in more losses and less passion.

And we’re no different.

NICUs often consist of hundreds of staff members. We can choose to find a way to be a team. We can choose to only look out for ourselves. But whatever we choose will show in our outcomes. Their outcomes. Charlie’s outcome.

And in the happiness and fulfillment we receive from our work – or not. It’s up to us.

True teamwork always feels better. Working toward a common goal is primary to our human experience. It inspires us.

And when we do it really well- offensively, defensively, and as a unified team, it’s a slam dunk.

Just ask Charlie.

He’s your biggest fan. He’s the reason you lace up and play the game.

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Thanks to our Sponsors!

We’d like to thank our NANT 365 Corporate Sponsors for their generous year round support. We appreciate the time, expertise and resources you bring to our members and the vital products and services you create for all NICU babies. Can’t wait to see you at the conference!