Business and Bedside: The Role of Professional Organizations

When I first started working as a clinical consultant last summer, I was consistently exposed to new programs, skills, and concepts. One day I was learning about Smartsheets (a project management tool) and the next day uploading documents to a Dropbox folder…meanwhile I was still learning basic foundational knowledge on how to be an asset to my team….WHEW!! I was confident that I was a great bedside nurse in the ICU with lots of clinical experience, but now I had to gain the leadership, technical, and business skills to become an effective clinical consultant. What I needed was some guidance on how to adjunct my efforts…luckily the principals in my organization gave me just that-they advised me to start by joining professional organizations like the Georgia Association of Healthcare Executives (GAHE).

I was no stranger to being involved in professional organizations, as I am an ambassador and volunteer for the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and I served on multiple committees while working at Northside Hospital. However, if I am being honest, the thought of joining GAHE was a bit intimidating….was I out of my league with so many experienced and inspiring leaders? The answer is YES…and that is okay…better than okay-that is where I needed to be! I fought my “imposter syndrome” and reminded myself that not only could I gain incredible knowledge from this crowd…but I too belonged and could already help lead others.

After attending a few Face-to-Face Lunch and Learns for GAHE, I felt more comfortable connecting with other people in the field, learning about best practices in consulting and being a healthcare executive…describing the vision and projects we had been working on, and starting to get a grasp on some public speaking skills. The panel discussions were insightful and truly helped me learn about the healthcare delivery experience, the challenges and opportunities executives are facing, and what kind of skills I needed to gain to be successful. Everyone I met at the GAHE events were so encouraging and freely shared their perspectives about the current industry trends.

After a few months of attending meetings, I was inspired to volunteer for the GAHE Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee where I have had the opportunity to be actively involved in promoting diversity and inclusion for Healthcare Executives in Georgia. I have also been matched with an amazing mentor through the GAHE Mentorship Program…we meet consistently and work on shared goals and discuss our perspectives on a consulting book we are reading called Patients Come Second.

For me, GAHE has been an integral part of the beginning of my clinical consulting journey and I am appreciative of having this valuable resource. I love that I feel like I am actively pursuing my personal growth and can also contribute to the growth of a professional organization. Next up on building my resume…PUBLIC SPEAKING! Stay tuned for my adventures as I join the next cohort of the GAHE Toastmasters Club!