A Note from the Instructors: Connecting with coworkers
By Laurie Prescott, RN- MSN, CCDS, CDIP
As many of you know, working remotely has its advantages: the commute to work is easy, you can attend meetings in your jammies, and who cares if you have a bad hair day? But it also has its disadvantages: you don’t get to see your coworkers’ smiles, give those hugs, or engage in laughter. That disconnect is one that we must work hard to eliminate, and that takes effort.
Earlier this month, the ACDIS team spent two days in our Danvers office making plans for 2016 and beyond (join us on Twitter for photos and other fun spur-of-the-moment notices). We are excited about what is up and coming. But perhaps the most valuable piece of the retreat was welcoming new team members, further getting to know each other, and appreciating our similarities and differences. We worked hard, and celebrated with good food and drink and fun. As I completed my “commute” home to Virginia, I was exhausted, but smiling thinking of the joy and energy we shared.
When work is joyful and fun, I believe it is at its most productive and creative state. I very much appreciate that I work for a company that understands this essential element for success and invests in providing an environment that fosters teamwork and creativity. So, I challenge you—especially those who work remotely—to make an effort to connect with a coworker today, learn something new about them, and identify ways in which your talents combined can better achieve the tasks at hand.
CDI has always been a profession in which we must creatively address issues and think outside the box— you can’t achieve success unless you work as a team, and everyone’s combined skills will achieve your goals. And you might experience a little joy in the process!
Editor’s Note: Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CDIP, AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer, is the CDI Education Director at HCPro in Danvers, Massachusetts. Contact her at lprescott@hcpro.com. For information regarding CDI Boot Camps visit http://hcmarketplace.com/clinical-doc-improvement-boot-camp-1.