Former Nurse Manager for Specialty Surgical Services at Barnes Jewish Hospital, Mike Tucker, has an eye for talent. The following is his story of how a daily interaction with a kind cashier led to the birth of a natural nurse.
“As healthcare professionals, we should all be open to finding and developing high-quality nursing talent.” — Mike Tucker
Visiting the Barnes Jewish Hospital coffee shop literally every day, I encounter this delightful individual named Michelle. With a chipper smile, and extremely consistent customer service, she knew exactly what I wanted before I even ordered — this kind of interaction automatically brightens your day.
I approached Michelle and asked if she had ever thought about being a patient care technician, since she had such an amazing personality.
She said, “Mike, I am honored that you would ask me that but I could never do that.”
I asked her not to close the door on this thought, and to come find me if at any point this was a career she wanted to pursue.
Two months later, there was a knock on my door. There stood Michelle.
She asked if I remembered the day I suggested she become a patient care technician. I told her I did and she replied, “I think I am ready to try it.”
It just so happened that I had an open position. Michelle applied and was hired a few weeks later.
She soon became my number one employee. I consistently received letters from both patients and families about Michelle’s kindness and high level of care.
Fast-forward a year.
One day while on the floor I asked Michelle if she’d ever thought about becoming a nurse? Michelle explained that as a single parent with two children, there was no way she could keep up with the rigors of nursing school.
I told her that if this was something that she wanted to pursue, I would work with her schedule so she could attend classes. Michelle decided to give it a shot.
Having never gone to college, Michelle began with general studies and worked her way up from there.
While Michelle was still in school, I left Barnes-Jewish Hospital and lost touch with her. I never knew if she became a nurse — that is, until I was hospitalized several years later.
I was lying in bed one day and someone walked into my room. I looked up and it was Michelle.
“I heard you were here and I just had to come see you. You’ll probably not believe this, but I am a nurse now,” she said with a huge smile.
I was so proud of her, my eyes filled with tears of joy. I told her that I was sure her boys were proud of her too.
To this, her reply was, “My boys are all grown now. this is all for me,” she said.
As I’ve said before, nurses need to support one another; leaders must consistently be seeking talent and developing for the future through that talent. Michelle lived in Illinois and had a long commute. She also had children to take care of — many times arriving at the day care before they opened to get them situated and then drive to work and complete a 12-hour shift. Her colleagues were there for her and supported her career growth.
Nursing is a demanding career, but also an incredibly rewarding one. When we support each other and cultivate talent, we all reap the benefits.
Today, Mike serves as a Senior Search Consultant, focused on healthcare leadership and physician recruitment with Enterprise Medical Recruitment. Through this portion of his career, on which he reflects with a strange sense of amazement given how his 15 years in the business has marched forward, each day he approaches his work with the same philosophy; as part of his candidate interview process, he is always keeping an eye out for those individuals with the same principles. Those who work collaboratively to build a healthier and stronger healthcare environment to ensure care that is provided is done so at its best.
