We caught up with CEO Ed Jimenez and asked him several questions for this edition of News+Notes. See how to submit your question at the bottom of the page!
Ed Jimenez visits with UF Health Shands Environmental Service workers
Caleb Smith (left) and Stonny Barnett during a National Hospital Week event last year.
Why is our Customer Service is the Key program so important?
When I talk to our staff, I’m always struck by how busy they are — busy taking care of patients, busy collaborating with each other, busy making a difference. So I love that each quarter, hundreds of employees take the time to write down something remarkable about a colleague. That is so cool to me. In their extremely busy work day, they find time to enter a CSK nomination about outstanding service they’ve observed by a co-worker. The patient CSK submissions are awesome, too, but I’m always struck by the number of staff that get involved in the process.
Turn to page 4 to read about our featured CSK nominees.
What do you admire most about our nurses?
I was shaped by growing up in a household with a mother who was a nurse — so I know that nurses are comforters, healers, confidants, cheerleaders and a shoulder to cry on. They have the best interests at heart for every one of our patients. Our nurses are spectacular. We clearly have a group that is not only clinically amazing, but also they are really good people. You put that all together and you have something that’s special and different here and I thank our chief nursing officer, Irene Alexaitis, D.N.P., R.N., NEA-BC, and her leadership team for guiding this skilled, talented and compassionate group. Turn to page 18 to learn about National Nurses Week, May 6-12.
What does National Hospital Week mean to you?
We have almost 9,500 UF Health Shands employees who make a difference here every day. National Hospital Week reminds me that it takes a village. It gives us a chance to reflect, acknowledge and celebrate how many people help our patients, families and colleagues. It’s so easy to take that for granted. National Hospital Week reminds us that everybody matters, everybody counts and everybody makes a difference. I hope all our faculty, staff, students and volunteers take part in this year’s National Hospital Week events. Our executive team and I will be serving food and treats to say thanks. I’ll see you there!
Turn to page 20 for information about our National Hospital Week events.
WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION?
Email taylt@shands.ufl.edu and we’ll consider it for an upcoming edition.
