Jocelyn Rosen (MHA '22): University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics - Support Service Operations
Hello from Coralville!
It’s hard to believe we are already nine weeks into our internships! This summer, I have had the pleasure of interning at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, working in support service operations.
Coming into this experience, I had very little knowledge of what goes into support services. Support services oversee non-clinical components that keep a hospital running; this includes engineering, food and nutrition, environmental services, supply chain, central sterilization services, accreditations, and more. Within this experience, I have been able to gain experience and knowledge in each of these areas while specifically focusing on three projects.
This summer, my primary project has been working with our central sterilization services (CSS) at the Integrated Services Center (ISC) to evaluate the current ordering and inventory processes for blue sterilization wrap and propose ideas to optimize and improve these processes. Sterilization wrap is used to ensure surgical case trays that hold supplies needed for surgeries are sterile until they are opened in the operating room. To do this, I have spent a lot of time working with our supply chain team at the main campus to see how they manage to order supplies from vendors, ensure there is enough inventory on hand, and host distributes these products. I have also spent time with our materials services team at the Logistics Management Center (LMC) to learn how the organization manages its inventory stores. The last team I worked with was the CSS team. While working with them, I learned how hospitals sterilize surgical instruments and ensure that providers have what they need to provide care. While working with CSS, I spent three weeks collecting data to identify utilization trends for sterilization wrap. I am currently preparing for my final proposal! 
My second project was related to OSHA regulations. Early this summer, OSHA released new standards relating to employee safety and COVID-19. This project consisted of identifying these new standards and identifying gaps between what OSHA requires and what we have done and are doing for our staff to ensure their safety. To do this, I developed a SharePoint page to keep records of all hospital communications and policies that were put in place to ensure both staff and patient safety. Additionally, I assisted in putting together the written COVID-19 plan that can be referenced if OSHA ever came to UIHC for a site visit.My third project was working with capital management to complete space surveys. This consisted of visiting ten different departments both within the main campus and off-site to evaluate how spaces were utilized and ensure that teams had enough space for their staff and see any unused space that could be reallocated. Engineering was my favorite!
Additionally, within the last two months, I had the opportunity to pursue one of my passions in healthcare, employee engagement! For this project, I reviewed comments provided by departmental leaders as they reflected on this last year and COVID-19 and reviewed Press Ganey portals to evaluate how the staff feels about working for UIHC. Within this project, I developed five core themes, identified both strengths and concerns for our teams, and proposed methods to improve employee satisfaction.Outside of work, I have enjoyed spending time with friends while finding fun new places with great food, soaking up the sun by the pool, baking, overseeing this blog, and even finding time to head back to Minnesota to spend time on the lake! This summer has been an excellent opportunity to grow as a future healthcare leader and learn more about an area in healthcare that is notoriously unseen. I am so grateful to UIHC for the experience!
I can’t wait to see everyone in just a few weeks, but until then, enjoy the sunshine and the last few weeks of summer!
*A Note From The Editor*
Comments
Post a Comment