On really busy days - 50-plus procedures, which are a lot for our four ORs and one procedure room - I sometimes treat the staff to breakfast and lunch. In the morning, we'll have something simple like bagels, and for lunch we might have salad, pizza or Chinese and dessert, depending on what the nurses are in the mood for. Because we don't order out each time we have a huge caseload, it's still viewed as a treat, the staff feels rewarded and it engenders staff togetherness. Doing this also lets us stay on schedule: With everyone remaining on site for lunch, we can coordinate break times better. As an added bonus, when doctors in our building find out the nurses are having food, they'll stop by, which enhances communication between physicians and the rest of the staff.

Thomas E. Mulhern, MBA
writeMail("tmulhern@limestonemed.com")