Summer Internship: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC)



By: Christian Cota

Greetings from the mothership (Iowa City)!  

This summer, I'm interning at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics under Cindy Dawson, Chief Nurse Executive. In just five weeks, I have learned so very much from Cindy, her team, and other leaders at Iowa's only academic medical center.

One of my larger projects is a research evaluation on nurse staffing improvements at UIHC – specifically, conducting data analysis on each unit's staffing levels and if they are meeting their budgeted hours per patient day (HPPDs). This has required extensive secondary research, meeting with nurse leaders/directors, and even the opportunity for me to conduct my own survey and focus groups. I plan to enter all my survey data into a handy, dandy little Excel file and make some wild visuals – shout out to Dan Shane. Another large project is the creation of an LOS dashboard to promote more engagement among medical/nurse leaders in Stead Family Children's hospital. If all goes as planned, we hope to pilot this in the children's hospital and extend its use hospital-wide.

Aside from my larger projects, I've had the pleasure of sitting in on daily operations meetings with the executive staff, helping out with the labor pool initiative, and working with the finance team on admission, discharge & transfer (ADT) improvement projects.

I'm still residing in Coralville at 7 Redtail Court (feel free to send a casserole if you're bored) - with my 3 best friends – Connor, Ben, and Alex. Can't forget my loyal pup, Rufus, who just celebrated his second birthday! I've also enjoyed the time spent with my co-interns during lunches and rounding sessions. We've helped each other out a ton along the way, and I don't know where I'd be without them! I hope they don't read this! Since COVID is ruining everything, there really isn't much to do. I've been running a lot more (some mornings at 5 AM... shocker, I know), staying up to date with the news, and prepping for fellowship applications!


That's it for now. Until next time, I am signing off. I miss you all very much and I hope your summers are just as rewarding and exciting as mine has been.   

Christian  

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