Summer Internship: UChicago Medicine

By: Nicole Vershaw (MHA '20)

Hello from Chicago!
This summer I’ve had the incredible opportunity of interning at UChicago Medicine, a not-for-profit academic medical health system based on the campus of the University of Chicago in Hyde Park, with hospitals, outpatient clinics, and physician practices throughout Chicago, its suburbs, and Northwest Indiana. During my time at UCM I’ve had the absolute privilege of having Debi Albert, CNO and Senior VP of Patient Care Services, as my preceptor. Debi oversees all inpatient care including nursing, lab, pharmacy, therapy, business continuity, patient logistics, nursing excellence, patient experience, the ED, and the new Level 1 Trauma Center.
Throughout my internship I’ve been able to work various projects. At UCM, patient falls are the largest category of reported safety events, with the injury resulting in increased costs, increased length of stay, decreased reimbursement and a negative impact on a patient’s quality of life. My main project has been focused on standardizing Nursing Support Assistant workflows and tools in order to support prioritization of high impact activities to decrease unassisted falls and increase the safety of patients during their stay at UCM.
Outside of my project work, I’ve participated in weekly meetings with two consulting firms regard APP operating models and compensation plans, union negotiations, workforce disruption planning, UCM’s foundational leadership training, a joint commission survey, and much more. Additionally, each week the 4 fellows and 7 interns attend a Lunch and Learn with various senior leaders, where we hear about their careers and ask questions. 
From beaches, baseball games, street festivals, concerts, and trying new restaurants around the city, I’ve officially confirmed what everyone has told me about nothing beating Chicago in the summer. I’ve been very fortunate to have co-interns, a few Iowa MHA-ers, and lots of visitors who are always up for exploring. I will definitely miss being in Chicago and the friends I’ve made, but I’m looking forward to reuniting with my cohort for our last year in the MHA program. 

 Go Hawks!

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