Summer Internship: Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

By: Jordan Brelje

Greetings from Chi-Town! At the time of this post, I have completed nine of my 12 weeks as an administrative intern at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (Lurie Children’s). The organization has been serving pediatric patients for 130 years and cares for more children than any other pediatric hospital or system in the state of Illinois. Lurie Children’s was recently named the top children’s hospital in Illinois and 6^th in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital boasts 288 all-private rooms and emphasizes its commitment to the patient-family experience with spaces such as the Crown Sky Garden, Family Learning Center, and even an in-hospital salon. There are also child-friendly elements woven into the design of the facility, such as the 12^th-floor fire truck cab (see picture), which was donated by Piece Manufacturing Company.

I feel very fortunate to have been given a diverse set of projects to work on throughout my summer here. One of my most time-intensive projects involves conducting a time study in the Medical Imaging department. The goal of the time study is to develop a staffing model that best matches patient demand and ensures that the technologists can be as efficient in their work as possible. I am also conducting observations on inpatient units to identify opportunities for improving family-centered rounds and hospital sitter utilization. In addition, I’m working on projects involving maternal fetal medicine, advanced practice nursing, provider scheduling, pain management and primary care strategy. In short, I’ve been keeping pretty busy.

Aside from project work, I’ve also had the opportunity to participate in several unique experiences and to sit in on a number of high-level meetings. Fortunately, my preceptor made it a point to set up meetings between myself and each of the members of the executive leadership team. Those conversations have been incredibly beneficial, as I’ve been able to learn about these individuals’ career paths and to ask them what they feel will be the greatest challenges facing children’s health care in the coming years. I’ve also been able to shadow an ED charge nurse, visit an Almost Home Kids site, sit in on Joint Commission survey preparation sessions, and will soon be visiting one of Lurie Children’s partner hospitals in a neighboring community. I have thoroughly enjoyed each of these experiences, and I know that they have all contributed to my professional development in some way.

Outside of work, I’ve been able to take advantage of just a few of the endless activities that Chicago has to offer. One of the great things about living in a major metropolitan area is that friends and family suddenly get very excited to visit you. During such visits, I’ve toured museums, taken an architectural river boat tour, explored Navy Pier, and walked through some of the city’s many unique neighborhoods. Of course, the highlight of my experiences has been the food. I’ve sampled all the Chicago classics - deep dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef - but I’ve also had some incredible Thai food, deli sandwiches and ice cream, to name a few. It is truly a foodie’s paradise, and though my bank account and waistline may protest, my culinary adventures have been well worth the cost.

 I am so thankful for everything that Lurie Children’s and the city of Chicago has given me this summer. I’ve learned lessons that will benefit not only my professional career, but my personal life as well. Though I’ll be sad to leave in three short weeks, I’m looking forward to a brief vacation and some family time before reuniting with my classmates in Iowa City to begin our second year!