Medical rounds just ended for the day.
You head to a conference room to present your portion of resident orientation. Your NICU takes multidisciplinary practice seriously, so you’re glad to pitch in and make sure the new residents understand how and why to access neonatal therapy.
Once in the conference room, how do you introduce yourself? Like a technician or an expert? (I had never thought about it like this before!)
Check out what I mean here:
That’s a brief clip from Brian Hull’s presentation at the 2014 NANT Conference, a not-to-be-missed factual dive into what neonatal therapists must know in the new age of healthcare.
The thing is, what you say to colleagues and parents makes a huge difference in how they perceive your worth. In fact, every time you report the findings of your assessment or communicate and execute a treatment plan, the same is true.
Because perception is reality.
The value of your unique perspective, expertise, background and education are fully realized only when your colleagues and administrators comprehend it.
Here’s a great first step:
Sit down with your neonatal therapy team (or by yourself if you’re a lone ranger like I was for so many years!) and craft a clear, concise and accurate description of your role in the NICU.
For example, when you walk into that conference room you could quickly run through WHO YOU SEE in the NICU i.e. referral criteria, and forget to identify YOUR ROLE.
So instead of saying, “I see all infants
Consider saying what Brian says in this clip instead. THEN you can list referral criteria and other vital info.
Statements like the CREED Brian mentions make your role clear and your value evident. When your boss or an administrator goes to bat for more (or existing) FTEs in the NICU, what 2 sentences should they communicate about what you do and why your services are absolutely necessary?
Write them down. Share them.
Be them.You are a highly skilled member of the NICU team.
Be prepared to articulate your unique significance.
(To learn more about the NANT Conference, click here.)
