Go Wild! Go GREAT! The Journey from Now to WOWTM

Hospital Best Practices: Patient Care

Rosemary on the Road to Recovery!

Recuperating in my bed from arthroscopic knee surgery at Clinica Biblica in San Jose, Costa Rica I have had plenty of time to think about my "Stay in Hospital".  First, do not fret and think of a pending tale of horror in a Third World Hospital.  Clinica Biblica is a first class medical facility in Latin America  with a reputation for state of the art medical care  and a highly trained staff of medical professionals. 

What creates a positive patient experience for surgical patients?  State of the art medical treatment of course.  Imagine getting a DVD of my entire surgical procedure?  Too much CSI for me, although impressive as was the expertise of my surgeon, Dr. Oscar Oeding who showed great insight into patient care and pain management by injecting my knee with a pain killing cocktail.  The result: Post-operative pain a mere 1 on a scale of 1 - 10!    

My  patient experience was also extraordinary due to the human touch of the nursing staff at Clinica Biblica.  I have found in my consulting with hospitals that indeed Nursing Care is the pivot point in patient evaluation.  After all, it's the nurses and nurses aids who calm us before surgery, gently welcome us back to the world of the living in the recovery room, see us at our worst and sets us on the road to wellness.  They deal with our demanding temperaments caused by our discomfort and even handle our sometimes difficult visitors who confuse nursing care with room service.

So What is the human touch of Patient care?  What are those Best Practices ?  As a consultant, I use precise patient metrics, but as patient, it's a whole lot easier to explain.  Outstanding Hospital Care is.....   

-A toasty, warm blanket wrapped around you by a caring nurse while waiting to be wheeled into surgery.  Suddenly a hospital feels strangely like a spa!

-It's the nurse who calls you by your name and gently touches your arm before running checks on your bodily equipment.  Trust me, I've had what I call the "airline pilot nurses" who slap on the blood pressure monitor without uttering word one.   People are not Planes.

-It's the smiling attendant who in the early evening, makes up a guest bed for your partner who is  staying with you overnight in the hospital and the nurse who then teases the two of you about your romantic getaway.

-It's knowing someone really comes right away when you push that button.  Why it's like having your own Red Phone!  The last time I was in what is considered a "more modern area hospital"  I waited 30 minutes and finally resorted to Shirley McClain theatrics as I dragged my I.V out to the nurses station and pleaded for a glass of juice.   The response at Clinica Biblica was mere seconds.  When you can't move and you're pretty much helpless, there is nothing more comforting than knowing help is on it's way.   

-Okay, I admit it.  It's a flat-screen TV with lots of channels to help pass the hours when you're flat on your back.  It's the rule of customer service in any business.  Take the Pain out of Wait Time!

- Finally, it's the beginning and end of an experience we most remember and patient care is no different.  The efficient and friendly admission and a trouble-free exit from my hospital framed my experience.  Some hospitals need to take pointers from the Hotel Industry on Friendly Guest Greetings and Express Check-outs.  Patients are Guests Too.

Thanks Dr. Oeding, and the Entire Staff at Clinica Biblica!  Thanks to you I'm on the road to recovery.

         

The Tale of the Wishbone!

    It was to be a fun filled “Big Chill” Thanksgiving Weekend, renting a house in Jaco with 2 other couples.  After all, what could be better than cooking a

Turkey

while watching a gorgeous, Costa Rican sunset?

  We 3 couples were also savvy residents—well prepared for resort town thievery.  You see, in prior years, the Pizotes had stolen our turkey right off the counter of the kitchen, as our group left the big bird cooling to say goodbye to the day.

What we were not prepared for was losing passport, money, license, etc…taken not by pizotes, but rather left behind on a chair in the flurry of our reunion at a funky, Jaco café called the “Wishbone”.   The thought of standing in line for hours to replace our Costa Rican License, Cedula and Credit Cards, was enough to turn a relaxing weekend into a “Lost Weekend”.    

   “It’s gone forever” my husband Barry said when he discovered that he had left his “man purse” behind and the restaurant had closed until the evening shift.

“Maybe not” I replied.  “After all, what self-respecting tico would be caught dead, with such a girly/metro-man accessory?”   “If we ever needed a wishbone, it’s today” we noted as we headed back to town, thinking the worst and hoping for the best.   

   For any who have uttered a generalization about the untrustworthy nature of the Costa Rican people due to incidents that can occur anywhere, read on….. 

   The kind and honest wait staff at Jaco’s Wishbone Cafe had indeed secured my husband’s man purse and despite our protest, would not accept a reward for doing the right thing.  Important to note, that the purse had been well stocked with colones for our holiday weekend and would have represented quite a bonus to a local salary.  

  This was also the second time we had left behind a valuable in JACO--the first time, my purse left on the beach at the Best Western in Jaco when we first moved to

Costa Rica

9 years ago.  That was also returned and again a reward not accepted.

      Is there petty and sometimes unfortunately even more violent crime in

Costa Rica

.  You bet.  Do you need to be street smart? Absolutely.  However, I travel 10 days a month teaching throughout the

United States

and you know what?  I often feel safer in

Costa Rica

than in most U.S. Cities. I also find that whether in the

United States

or

Costa Rica

, most people are genuinely honest and kind.  Unfortunately due to the nature of news, we hear most often about the bad and the ugly.  Let’s not forget the good in Costa Ricans and our fellow citizens everywhere.  Let’s think the best and not the worst of each other and let’s always believe in Wishbones!

PS:  The Pizotes again had their way with us and invaded our beach house—except this time they only got leftovers.

Rosemary Rein is an International Author, Speaker and Business Consultant who lives in Costa Rica and hosts business and personal retreats throughout the country. Sign up for Rosemary’s Blog and learn about life and learning in paradise at www.costaricatraining.com.

    

Costa Rica Black Eyed Peas & Lessons From Hip Hop

Likely the coldest night in memory for Costa Ricans, thousands lined up  last night outside a San Jose Stadium to catch the Hip Hop Music Magic of the Black Eyed Peas --  AKA "Let's Get it Started" fame.    Barry and I had VIP Tickets with our friends, which still meant a line longer than the one my husband remembers to see Frank Sinatra, but there  we were in the moment amidst the  frigid frenzy of an outdoor concert.
Yea! We might not have done it much in college, but at midlife, here we were at a Hip Hop Concert in  Costa Rica. So we complimented each other on still being young at heart.

A few things have changed since our concert days at Penn State and the University of Delaware.   Now, for example instead of lighting your bic lighter as a symbol of solidarity,  you click on the illumination from your cell phone.  Hey, I never knew an  outdoor stadium with moving cell phones could be so  moving,  but sure enough it was.

And some things stay the same--like the power and energy of music.
I watched  one young man in front of me , who was so  joyful and full of optimism, I wanted to bottle up his radiance.  If you have thought  the  new generation to be listless, lazy or  disenchanted, you would have changed your thinking in a heart beat, watching last night's youthful audience so filled with the vibrant energy, spirit and music of the Black Eyed Peas.

As a professional speaker and trainer, I also learned a great deal from watching the Black Eyed Peas in action.

*Brilliant in their stage presence, energy and audience interaction, The Black Eyed Peas know how to work a room by showcasing their individual talents and band diversity.
They are the "Non-Brand, Band"and their individual strengths all come together in remarkable band synergy.

*Mind-Body Connection with the Audience---Remarkable! 
Okay, I'm thinking to myself  how do I give a leadership keynote and simultaneously do a back flip?  Tricky business but I'm on it.

*The Black Eyed Peas work because of their diversity.  It works in bands, it works in teams.  Diversity works period.

*Finally, the importance of advance set-up and testing:  The only failing of the concert was a few sound problems that could have been easily avoided.  I see no reason for sound checks in front of a filled audience stadium, brimming with energy.  The Black Eyed Peas are  too good to suffer a black eye from lack of attention to the details.
Lesson:  If you are giving any presentation to a small group of 5 or a stadium of thousands, don't you or your team futz about in front of an audience with technical setup.  It takes the magical quality away from your performance.

So in closing, thank you Black Eyed Peas..........for your energy, your talent and making me feel like 18 again.  Costa Rica really is a warm country.  I imagine the cold snap came into the country because of how hot you are.

Keep Getting us Started!

A New Thanksgiving Tradition and Feast for the Soul

There's always room for new Thanksgiving Traditions.  Here's a great one!  Write down the names of 10 people you admire, respect, and/or love.  Sit down with a hot toddy by the fire or if you live in warmer environs, pour a mint ice tea and find a quiet place on the patio.  You're going to write these 10 people a list. 

So let's get started.   At the top of the page address the letter "Dear Mary, at this time of year, I wanted to take a moment to write down those qualities, I most admire about you.  So often in our hectic world, we fail to express our gratitude and what better time than Thanksgiving" Now on that list, write at least 10 things you like or admire about that person.  Important: Be as specific as possible.--"I  love the way you love and care for our animals" for example"    Don't write you're a nice guy but do provide an example of a kindness you witnessed.

A friend recently asked me what she could do to celebrate her Dad's 75th birthday?  "Do you have 75 things you love, admire and or remember about your Dad in all of those years?" I asked her.

"Of course" my friend replied and off she went with her mission.   A few hours later she told me,  she found herself weeping at the little things she remembered about Dad "The cute way he sneezes with this little cachew"  she laughed.

So get going with your letters and lists of thanks and please don't send it by e.mail.  Trust me: this is a letter they will want to open like a fine wine and read over and over again!  Do  spring for nice paper, a nice font or calligraphy--that's a real show stopper, and seal with your genuine gratitude. 

This Thanksgiving Tradition represents  a true feast for the soul.

This Must Be My Brother

I am writing this while speaking in Iowa today--appropriate since our Authors begin their journey as two Iowa homemakers.  No, our two heroines are not self-indulgent "desperate housewives" but two women who thought beyond themselves,  beyond the comforts of their home and beyond the safety of U.S. borders in early April 1975.

This Must Be My Brother" by LeAnn Thieman and Carol Dey.....is the true account of a daring rescue of innocent children in the final desperate hours of the Vietnam War and "Operation Babylift"   

This book captures the crumbling chaos of falling Saigon, but with a zoom lense on a singular orphanage and the babies that would be left behind if not for a committed core of volunteers. 

When you read this book, you will be propelled to take a chance in your life, to get off the couch and  do something  bold and beyond the safety of your comfort zone. You will be propelled to   do something for others and to take an "Adventure in Volunteerism."   

"This must be my brother" captures a pivot point in two women's lives and the lives of the 150 children and infants who "would not be left behind" as a result of a brave, volunteer effort.  Bravo LeAnn and Carol for not only the work that you did so many years ago, but for sharing and motivating the spirit of volunteerism with your account in this incredible story.

On a personal note, I was teaching in Vietnam last year, and fell in love with the Vietnamese people.  Signs of war are still very much   evident in the physcial handicaps that you see amidst the people of old  Saigon.  Yet there is a smile that Le Ann and Carol speak of in a  baby they called "personality".

I saw this smile in many of the faces of the people of Vietnam-----a people who despite  tremendous loss and ongoing daily struggles have not lost their hope and heart.

www.LeAnnThieman.com

*This OPeration Babylift  story was featured in Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul.  LeAnn is also co-author of Chicken Soup for the Nurses Soul, The Christain Woman's Soul and the Caregiver's Soul.

   

Is Your Company "Heard Above the Noise?"

    These days, it seems like everywhere you turn, you hear about the need to “brand” your company and/or product.   When I first starting hearing this marketing buzzword, I thought to myself….what am I a cow being led to slaughter? Just another way for some marketing guy to earn a paycheck.   After all, I know I’m different and unique!  Just ask my husband who says my mouth can’t possibly be replicated.   It was therefore with trepidation, that I enlisted the support and spent the cold, hard, cash for coaching by an official “branding expert” to define the brand that would symbolize the solutions that I provide to companies in the areas of customer service and leadership. 

      I listened to taped presentations by branding experts, researched track-records and finally settled on my very own branding guy, the one I thought  might actually  “get me” “understand what I do” and most importantly be able to “give it a name”

      That man was /is Dick Bruso and his is company is  “Heard Above the Noise”.  For two days, I left the world of helping other companies achieve their goals to the more difficult journey of

turning inward.  I have found there is nothing more awe-inspiring than the creative process especially when you’re locked away in a Colorado Home—surrounded by Aspen Trees. Dick’s Branding Sanctuary is a creative space where the only intrusion is a family of deer, who seem to check in at the window every few hours and say “so what have you guys come up with?”

       I’ve learned that a creative branding session isn’t all fun and games…There are push through periods—requiring both patience to wait and the belief in your coach that indeed your train will arrive at “Brand Central Station”.   I’ve learned that a Brand storming Session is a holistic process that goes far beyond clever wordsmithing.  It’s about digging deep into you, your product and your customers to insure there is no disconnect.  Finally, I’ve learned that a new perspective and focus is everything and sometimes we all need a coach to get there.

      Now after all this, you’re thinking….  so Rosemary what did you come up with already?  After all of that, please tell us, what’s your brand?  Sorry, you’ll have to wait.  I also learned the importance of intellectual trademark protection.  The one thing you can count on with a “brand new idea” is someone will want to copy it.

      For information on Branding your Company/Product to Being Heard Above the Noise…email  dickbruso@heardabove.com

On Meeting a Humor Being!

      I had the pleasure of attending a workshop and listening to Steve Rizzo---the Official “Humor Being”. I felt instantly at home with Steve, a native New Yorker, who like my husband , Barry,  carries that resilient “New York Attitude” that I find so real and endearing.

      Steve reminded the Colorado Audience of Authors and Speakers in attendance, “not to put off our happiness or it will always be a couple of steps ahead of us”.  Yes, despite the fact that we speakers teach balance and a positive mental attitude to our clients, sometimes we are teaching what we most need to learn and practice ourselves!

       I recently experienced the importance of Steve’s message  while hosting a Go Wild Retreat in

Costa Rica

!  Here amidst the throaty roar of  Howler Monkeys, and the squeaky wheel Toucans—distinctive for their bird call that screams WD40,  The Rainforest was free to work her magic.  Yes, free of my author/speaker crackberry habits, I was not putting off happiness, not for a minute!  Rather, I was enjoying the journey.

     Steve Rizzo—the Humor Being gives great advice on  Morning Rituals to improve the quality of each day.  Give them a try.  I know I will.

1)      Begin the first 15 minutes---thinking of something that just makes you laugh…  He recommends if you’re struggling just look in the mirror at yourself naked!  That should do it.

2)      Think of One thing you are profoundly grateful for.

3)      While I have always practiced not looking at the news for the first 15 minutes and reading something inspirational instead…Steve recommends that when we do turn it on, look for some humor in the news.  And look for the humor in other negatives in your daily life.  Humor is a coping strategy.

 

My Humor Being often comes to my rescue while traveling.

Recently I had one of those 14 hour journeys from hell where everything goes wrong.   As I dragged my sorry butt to my rental car, complaining about my pitiful existence (I could be at home in my bed right now—to hell with motivating other people), I looked up and saw a sign that the airline has posted as part of its Halloween Décor.

The Dancing Skeleton’s Message”  “If you’re above ground it’s a good day”

Well it’s true, but what type of sign is that for an airline?

Thank you Steve Rizzo for reminding me to “Laugh it Off” when “It Sucks to be me”

   

The Jack Bauer Guide to Leadership--10 Lessons for Leaders from “24”

I’m a confessed “24 Fanatic”. Given the choice between going out on the town and watching Chloe’s Personality Disorder - I’ll take Chloe and CTU hands down.

As the 24 seasons have unfolded I have thought more than once about the lessons that 24 has for today’s business leaders running their own CTU. (Competitive Tactical Units). 

If only every business, had a Jack Bauer they could call, to get the mission accomplished and lead field operations! 

#1: Successful Missions begin with Good Intel”. Jack never goes into a mission blind. The analysts at CTU send him the latest satellite updates and intel so he knows exactly what he’s getting into and can develop his entry strategy. If only your sales team, had that intel before talking to a prospect.

#2: Field Operations need Communication and Support from Command. Jack is never out there alone. He is backed up by a team that provides constant tactical support. Does operations support your team in the field? 

#3: To get things done—you need a direct line to the President. Jack has on more than one occasion had to call the big guy to remove a road block and so will you when things get messy! Do you have quick access to your President when and if you need it?

#4: People with Personality Disorders sometimes have the greatest talent---Put up with it. Your business may depend having the best person for the job. Chloe and Edgar won’t win you over with their communication skills, but that’s not what their there for, they are the best at what they do .

#5: Every organization needs protocols—Rules of the Road for what to do in those worst case scenarios and when to call Division. How familiar is your team with the rules that provide the playbook for problem solving.

# 6: Good Leadership entails a calm, non-emotional response to crisis. We saw it in President Palmer but in later episodes, when Air Force One went down, I didn’t feel too safe with President Keeler at the helm. Did you? Remember that when we’re angry or emotional our IQ drops a whopping 50%. Good decisions never happen at 50% brainpower.

#7: Watch out for Traitors on your own Team. They are doing the most damage to your operations. Do you have Nina or Mrs. Palmer on your team sabotaging your mission? Sometimes covert and sometimes not, these ‘inside terrorists” are diverting your resources and attention and are most likely at the root of your unit’s negativity and team morale issues. Root them out. It’s not okay to be a traitor.

#8: Sometimes Leaders just never get a life! Poor Jack. Hero yes, but we never see this guy eat let alone have any kind of life. Even Heroes are Human. Just one time, wouldn’t you love to see Jack at home with nothing to do, his shoes kicked off, eating popcorn and watching TV? It’ll never happen but make sure it happens to you.

#9: Know the Enemy: Be they Terrorists or Competitors. They’ve got plans, technology and they don’t follow rules , which make them extremely dangerous.

#10: A good agent like Jack Bauer is a problem solver with diverse competencies. He or she is loyal, confident, calm in crisis, and knows protocols. A good agent like Jack Bauer, gets dirty and sometimes does break the rules in order to accomplish the mission but they are always guided by core values and a commitment to do what’s best for the country!

So, maybe you have more in common with Jack Bauer than you thought? In which case, take 24 hours just for you and for your family. Your Country, Your Organization needs you well rested for the next mission.

 

Gone Wild, Got Better, Going On

October 27, 2006

In the Words of Scarlet Howler:

Gone Wild, Got Better, Going On

September 2006, Go to a spa! I do not think so! I am so proud of my decision to come to Costa Rica on the “Go Wild” retreat. I solely attribute my discovery of this trip to a higher being! There were so many options ranging from week long spa trips to Holistic healing resorts, but my attraction to this trip was based on thing “It Sucks to Be Me” an article written by our own Rosemary AKA Dr. Know. I read that statement and knew the connection was there for me!

Day One - One mind, open heart, take it home! 

I am excited to take all of this home and start over. “Some People Aren’t Lucky like Us” (Lee Ann Rhymes) Some people just give up! I have always believed everything has a reason or purpose. I believe who we are is a result of where we have been and all we encounter is a step towards the next chapter of our lives.

I came to Costa Rica to relax, to breathe normal, to rekindle my lost spirit. A spirit I decided I did not need anymore. I was a self appointed hard heart permanent. My intentions were to find time alone with my thoughts, without interruptions of the constant revolution of day to day life and responsibilities. I wanted to make decisions about my next 30 years! The activities and scenery were simply an added bonus! Much to my delight I got so much more going wild in Costa Rica! I made some incredible lifetime friends who will never know the impact they have made for me.

What have I learned?

I learned the power of the pause, and how to replace my emotions!

I learned the importance of awareness; awareness of surroundings, awareness of me, and much more than myself, awareness of other people. I especially learned to be aware of all the great things I have missing.

I learned adaptability and the sheer joy of adapting-adapting to be free of the “necessities” of life. “Improvising, flexible thinking, opposite perspectives, adapting as needed...”

I learned that when joined the skills of a group create an awesome force and that my skills matter and can count more when given the benefit of others to compliment my own.

I learned that conservation of energy is essential to ride the waves and be resilient. It is essential to endurance, sustainability and survival!

Above all else I learned that a positive mental attitude is a must and my glass will be half full forever!

I learned to size up any situation, as undo haste makes waste and while realizing where I am I can vanquish fear and panic, improvise to obtain the value of life and while acting like the natives, I can live fully by my wits!

Finally, Scarlet Howler learned the howler monkey is the loudest mammal known to man and it is OK to be me! I learned I am adaptable! I learned to be complete I do not need 15 pairs of shoes, makeup, blow-dryers or even electricity!

What will I do differently? 

I will live each day with a new found spirit. I will spend time alone and with positive people. I will manage my stress with new techniques. I will spend time with my children and enjoy it!

What are my favorite memories?

My favorite memories are of the travel time we spent together, the laughter and the fun. Arenal volcano, Tabacon Springs, white water rafting, arrival at the tent camp, canopying in the jungle and watching the dolphins are all great memories.

In closing, as compared to my past, “I am Looking Pretty Good!” For the rest of my life I will come back here over and over and again in my mind to remember and for that I am so thankful!

Janelle Callahan

AKA

Tribal Member Scarlet Howler

Recent “Go Wild” Retreat Participant