Transcription:

Scott Webb: This is Mission In Action, a podcast from St. Mary's Healthcare in Athens, Georgia, focusing on patient-centered care under our mission to be a transforming healing presence within our communities. Hi, I'm Julie Carter, Vice President for Mission Services. And I'm happy to bring you another installment of Word Indeed, where we visit with colleagues from around St. Mary's Healthcare System to hear their experience working within our ministry. Tyler Davidson is the nurse manager in the Emergency Department at St. Mary's Sacred Heart Hospital. Tyler talks about the importance to him of making a human connection with each patient. And how that enables him to support each patient on a higher level. That human connection really is the first step to healing. It's really what each of us hopes for, to be seen, to be more than just the next patient or the next diagnosis. I hope you enjoy.

Tyler Davidson (Guest): My name's Tyler Davidson. I'm the ED Nurse Manager at St. Mary's Sacred Heart Lavonia. in this position for a little over four years now. I started my career at this hospital and St. Mary's took over in I believe. So, I was a staff nurse in the emergency department Sacred Heart for two years prior to getting my manager position in the ED.

Host: And what's for you the difference between being in the management level and just the team level?

Tyler: I . Enjoyed the team level. had gone back to school because I knew that I didn't necessarily want to stay in a staff position. And I felt like I had a little bit more to offer. being from this community and feeling as though I had the ability to offer more. felt like this was the next step for me to be able to, to make a difference in the community I grew up in.

Host: Yeah. that's one of the things I hear a lot about Sacred Heart, because it is situated in a smaller community. And so many colleagues who've been here for so long and grew up in this community, that it has an exceptional level of kind of close knit ties. Is that sometimes hard though, if you know people coming through the ED? Was it hard during COVID?

Tyler: Oh, everything about COVID was I think certain instances can be hard depending on the situation and what the patient comes in for in the emergency department. also think it gives me a leg up as well, I feel as though I'm able to connect a little bit better with the people that, that are here and it puts me in a position to offer more support to people that I do know. So I think it's special being able to work at a place like this in a community like this.

Host: So what motivated you to go into nursing?

Tyler: wanted to be in healthcare. I've always enjoyed interacting with people on a personal level and being able to offer them, assistance with their health. I didn't necessarily think I'd always be a nurse, but I think I was just kind of, everything fell into place and it kind of fit and I've enjoyed it ever since so.

Host: Are there any instances that stand out in your mind where you feel there was that special connection in terms just knowing something about the person in front of you, you were able to add some additional support or reassurance or able to console a family member in a way, because you had a connection with them?

you know,

Tyler: I remember when my father came in.

Host: That would stand out. Yeah.

Tyler: Anybody. I mean, I don't necessarily have to know them. Like we talked about before able to make a connection with the patient, knowing where they're from, knowing certain things to be able to connect with them, it makes it a whole lot easier to be able to care for a patient like that. And it puts them at ease. One of the first questions I ask is so where are y'all from? So, I mean, it's, usually able to make a connection with them that way and kind of puts them at ease regardless of the situation. So, yeah, that's just one of the things that I've found that have been helpful in my career.

Host: It sounds like you start with them as a person first, as opposed to whatever presentation, clinical presentation they have, which is kind of a nice way to be more than just your present, like urgent care issue. Yeah. you feel that there is anything different about working in an environment that has a foundation of, you know, particular mission to be a healing presence or that, you know, really promotes certain values like reverence? Does that make a difference in how in the work environment for you and how you come to work, how you show up at work or in feeling supported in

Tyler: I think that the, fact that this organization has those mission and values is a great thing. I do. But I think that the way that I was raised is kind of has more of an impact on how I practice and how I live my everyday life. And that does match the core values of St. Mary's as well. it's interesting because the things that we talk a lot about is this misconception because we teach certain core values inter or, you know, explain certain core values that are organizational guides for us, that doesn't mean we're asking people to espouse a certain faith or, you know, to be conformed in some way to that. Really, it's more of an invitation to say we really value stewardship, integrity, justice, and in the world you're coming from, how can you connect your, you know, lifetime values with those so that they make sense and there's some alignment. So it's not, it's more a matter of inviting people in to bring their own sense of priorities and see how they can be intertwined with what the organizational principles are and what the organization tries to stand for. So that's not inconsistent at all.

Yeah.

Host: And in terms of what the values you grew up with, what are the primary ones that inform your clinical care?

Tyler: No, I guess reverence would fall into that. So, I mean, for others the way that you care for your family. Honest, respectful. I think it all falls in line with those, so.

Host: You know, it's interesting in doing these conversations with people. I think the, if I had to pick one word that I hear repeated over and over and over and over again in all different settings, is this word family, you know, which really that's kind of the most important unit, human unit we have. So I think that is a beautiful descriptor to bring to work. Yeah. Well, I, I would just want to say, I appreciate you. I appreciate, what this hospital in particular has done and has risen to the occasion for during this last year. It, you know, it has been extraordinary, you know, for a rural hospital in the level of the volumes that you've had to deal with and the severity levels and kind of in the midst of a lot of, especially in the early months, uncertainty about what was going it's, it's been extraordinary.

Tyler: It's It's pretty fortunate to have St Mary's come in here and take this hospital too. That was, pretty big deal. I don't know if St. Mary's didn't come in here that this hospital would even been here. So, a big relief for me because this is what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be.

Host: you know, I think it speaks to wanting to ensure that rural populations have really excellent care. You don't have to travel an hour to get to wherever Athens or Gainesville or wherever, you know, to, to be able to get good care. So, I'm glad that y'all are here too. That's a good thing. It's a good thing

I appreciate it.