Tag Archives: career

Know someone interested in a nursing career?

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As National Nurses Week comes to an end, let’s continue to recognize the work nurses do in so many different settings each and every day. The theme for International Nurses Day 2022 is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in nursing and respect rights to secure global health”. And let’s encourage young people who are interested in a nursing career to learn more about the many paths they could take. I’m hoping my readers who are already established in their own careers will share this post with the young people they know who may be considering a nursing career.

I’ve worked in healthcare IT for 40 years now. During that time, I have been fortunate to work with amazing nurses in both leadership and staff roles. There are so many different paths a nurse can take in their career. Here are the stories of a few nurses I know well.

My favorite nurse and the one I am most proud of is my oldest daughter, Katie Killinger. She decided to go into nursing after she graduated from college with a degree in Hospitality Administration / Management. When she first mentioned that she was thinking of nursing, I was very supportive and told her she’d have many potential paths as her career progressed. She went to Regis College in the Boston area in a combined undergrad/grad program. After two years she earned her Bachelor of Nursing degree and sat for the nursing boards. After the third year she had her master’s degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Her early nursing experience included staff nurse positions on the cardiac surgery step-down unit and then the cardiac surgery ICU at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). One of her first nurse practitioner (NP) positions was supporting two division chiefs as the NP and Coordinator of the Atrial Fibrillation Program at Mass General Hospital. For the past 10 years she has been the Chief NP of the Orthopedic/Spine Surgery Service at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. Who knows what her future holds – I know from our many conversations that maintaining a balance between clinical and administrative time is something she considers for the long-term.

My second favorite nurse is my sister, Mary Sheehan. She and her husband, Tim, both attended a two-year associate degree nursing program and then went on to get their bachelors and advanced degrees. Continue reading →

Mentoring, role models and sometimes a little nudge

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What a pleasant surprise to be tagged in a LinkedIn post by my daughter as she shared with her network some great professional news. She just completed her Leadership & Management Certificate Program at Wharton online. I’m super proud of her! She tagged me to thank me for the “nudge”.

I remember well our “nudge” conversation back in August. I remember it more as a conversation where she asked for advice on how best to pursue her education given her current work and how her career is evolving. She has been at the same company for the past 8 years and been promoted several times – she is now Sr. Manager, Executive Communications and Administration, partnering with the CEO and executive leadership team. I would call it more of an ask for advice and get ideas/encouragement conversation.

Her discipline and persistence to get started and finish it in just 6 months is impressive – all while working full-time and as a mother of two young children. It reminds me of when I decided to get my MBA many years ago when she and her sister were young and I had a full-time management job.

I’ve talked about my two daughters in previous posts. I try to be a role model for them professionally.  I’ve given them advice as their careers have advanced and am proud to see their accomplishments. They both have a passion for their work and have received awards for leadership and innovation. As I counsel people early in their career – find your passion, be open to the possibilities, and never stop learning.

Many women describe their mothers and grandmothers as inspiring role models. Today would be my mother’s birthday. She died just shy of her 68th birthday after a short battle with cancer. She was only 42 when my father died, leaving her to raise four young children on her own. My mother was a role model for me – a strong and independent woman. Continue reading →

The “Great Resignation” at the micro level

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We hear a lot about the “Great Resignation” at a macro level. It is usually coupled with advice to employers on how to retain people and address the reasons people are resigning at such record levels. Behind the statistics are real people and everyone has their own, unique story. For some it just happens to be a good time to rethink their career options.

My LinkedIn newsfeed may be an indication of the talent shortage and the number of opportunities out there.  Several times a week I see a health IT leader posting about an open position and opportunity to join their organization.

I’ve recently been contacted by several individuals interested in making a career transition – looking for their next opportunity and challenge. People who have reached out include:

  • A physician who has worked largely in industry, most recently in Asia, but wants to return to the U.S. this year. He is looking for insights on the market and to understand the potential for someone like him moving into a hospital/health system CIO role eventually.
  • A well respected, former colleague who has been at a very successful health IT vendor for several years and is considering what his next level challenge might be. He is looking for advice and connections.
  • A consultant who a colleague introduced to me as he thinks I’ve been a great mentor and advisor for others. The consultant is starting to make a transition and wants to understand potential opportunities.

I am committed to helping next generation leaders so of course I make time to talk to people when I get these requests and introductions.

I listen to where they are at and what they are looking for next. I ask a few probing questions. Then I tailor my input/advice to their situation the best I can. I often suggest other people for them to talk to and offer to introduce them to recruiters if they don’t already have those relationships.

What do all job seekers have in common? Continue reading →

Considering a coach in 2022?

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It’s a new year. Time to reflect. Time to set new goals for yourself. If you have ever used a coach or considered doing so, you know the value of investing in yourself. I have provided leadership coaching and career coaching for many health IT leaders in recent years – all at different stages of their professional development and career. Over the years, I’ve written on the value of coaching and professional development. Here is a short list of posts worth revisiting:

When to use a career coach

Investing in you, the value of a coach

Confidence matters as much as competence

Being valued, doing meaningful work

Welcoming feedback

Note – I am taking a short break from writing new posts in January. With all the blog posts I’ve written over the past 7 plus years, I’m using this break to share some of my “classics”. Thank you for being a subscriber – I hope you will encourage your colleagues to subscribe in the coming year.

Leadership revisited

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It’s a new year. Time to reflect and look ahead. Whether you are a leader or an aspiring leader, there is always room to develop your own leadership skills and find ways to help others develop. Over the years, I’ve often written on leadership. Here is a short list of posts worth revisiting:

10 Tips for next generation leaders

7 Ways to develop the next generation of leaders

Leading through a crisis

What we should expect of leaders

Inspiring and developing new leaders – learning from the best

Lead by example

Leader as conductor

Note – I am taking a short break from writing new posts in January. With all the blog posts I’ve written over the past 7 plus years, I’m using this break to share some of my “classics”. Thank you for being a subscriber – I hope you will encourage your colleagues to subscribe in the coming year.

Developing next generation leaders (literally)

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Over the course of my 35+ year career in health IT management, I have led, coached, and mentored many IT professionals. And situationally I’ve mentored my adult daughters – meaning when they ask for advice. In doing so, I have found analogies with some of my mentees and coachees who are similar ages and at a similar stage in their career.

I am always happy and proud when I see any of them grow and develop, take on new opportunities, and progress in their career. And it’s nice to hear feedback on how I’ve helped on their journey as I continue to work with others.

Now we’re at the “literal” part in this blog post’s title – next generation leaders in my own family.  Both my daughters received awards this year from their employers recognizing their contributions and leadership. My oldest daughter, Katie Killinger, MSN, BSN, NP-C, is the Chief NP of Orthopedic/Spine Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. She received the second annual APP in Excellence Award which recognizes the important contributions Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) make to the hospital. My youngest daughter, Ann Ochiltree, works in the seafood industry and is the Sr. Manager, Executive Communications & Administration at Thai Union North America. She was recognized with the Big 6 Value Award – Innovation. I am very proud of both my daughters and love seeing the examples they are setting for their own young children.

To even mention my daughters here may be considered “parental bragging” as my husband calls it. But I mention them in a broader context of how leaders lead and influence in many different circumstances. Continue reading →

STEM or not, own your career

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Did you know that November 8th was national STEM day? I admit that I didn’t realize it until I was tagged in a comment on a LinkedIn post about national STEM day. Geeta Nayyar, SVP Executive Medical Director at Salesforce, shared some important but disappointing statistics on women and STEM in that post. While women make up about 47% of the total workforce, she notes that we are statistically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – STEM fields. Women make up only 29% of the STEM labor force, 19% of STEM company board members are women, and among STEM industry CEOs, only 3% are women. No wonder I so often am the only woman in the Zoom room when talking with technology firms. We can and must do better.

In her post, Geeta encouraged people to tag inspiring women leaders they know. I’m grateful and humbled that Linda Stotsky, Content Marketing Strategist at Boston Software Systems, tagged me and several other women in her comment.

I have long been a proponent of more women going into STEM fields and have willingly shared my own stories. I started out as a programmer in the early 1980s and then moved into health IT management for the rest of my career – a field that has been male dominated. I recall a long stretch in the late 1980s when I was the only woman on an all-male IT leadership team and the challenges I faced. Challenges I overcame and that I have helped other women overcome since then.

I was honored to be one of the first women interviewed for the new podcast series, The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare, produced by The Krinsky Company. In this interview I share stories and lessons from my career, give career advice, and provide tips for developing next generation leaders.

As I always say, you have to own your own career and be open to the possibilities. Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace and the possibilities are unlimited. If a STEM career is right for you, go for it. Be sure to find role models and mentors who can support you and help you overcome the challenges you may face.

Related Posts:

Make career choices right for you

10 tips for next generation leaders

Career advice revisited

When to use a career coach

Time to pass the baton

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It has been an honor to serve Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) as their interim SVP and Chief Information Officer for the past 7 months. At the start of 2021, I told myself I wasn’t going to do another interim CIO engagement. But how can you say no to the #1 children’s hospital in the country? While they tell me they are grateful for what I have accomplished during this period, I too am grateful. Grateful for the opportunity to work with such fine people and be part of such an incredible mission – as they say, “Until every child is well”. I’m proud to have been part of an organization with a culture that values their staff and is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.

From the start, BCH leadership knew I didn’t want the interim engagement to be prolonged. One of my priorities was to assist the search firm in finding the best candidate to be the next SVP and CIO. Goal accomplished! Heather Nelson starts on October 11. She has served as CIO at UChicago Medicine since 2017.

This last week before the official handoff begins, I focused on annual performance reviews for my leadership team, finishing up my work on the EHR strategy so Heather can move forward with the next phase, and compiling everything I will go over with her in our one-week transition/handoff.

Why would an interim do performance reviews? I strongly believe that people should not miss a review cycle because of a leadership transition above them that they have no control over. Collecting input from others in an informal 360 manner along with my experience working together for seven months is enough to have a constructive conversation and provide guidance on future development opportunities. Of course, Heather will need to work with each of them on specific goals for the coming year.

The EHR “path for the future” as we’ve called it has been the primary focus of my time at BCH. Continue reading →

HIMSS21 – ready or not

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According to HIMSS there are over 18,000 people registered for the big event next week – either in-person in Las Vegas or virtual/digital. It’s not clear what the split looks like. With the current surge in COVID cases, I assume many registrants may decide to convert to virtual and not travel to Vegas in the next few days. I saw last week some people calling for HIMSS21 to be cancelled. I remember well the days leading up to the HIMSS20 cancellation in March last year. Who would have thought we’d be here again 17 months later? HIMSS appears to be taking all the necessary precautions with vaccine proof required of attendees and now adding a mask requirement while there.

I decided months ago to forego in person HIMSS this year. HIMSS20 registrants did not receive refunds but could apply it to HIMSS21. The conversion value from a full registration to a digital one was not a good one given the significant price difference but there wasn’t another choice as far as I knew.

In past years, I’ve written tips on attending HIMSS and how to make the most of it. Those general tips on education, networking, and vendors still hold true whether in-person or virtual. The education opportunities are probably what digital attendees can get the most from though I’m hoping there are also opportunities to learn about new vendors from a distance.

I’m usually a last-minute planner when it comes to HIMSS. I don’t usually look closely at the schedule and make my specific plans until close to the event. As a digital attendee, I tried to keep my calendar flexible next week so I could attend as many digital sessions as possible. But as busy as I am these days, that didn’t work out so well.

So, I’m down to spending some time this weekend figuring out what is available for the digital attendees, deciding what is of most value to me given my current work and focus, and what’s even possible given my calendar. I’m open to any recommendations on digital sessions from those among you who have mapped out your plans. And any general tips on making the most of a digital registration.

Bill Russell has an interesting plan for his HIMSS time next week which will be virtual after he recently assessed his own personal risk level. Continue reading →

Remote work – writing chapter three

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In my blog post late May, “Remote work – what next?”, I commented on the balance needed as organizations begin to bring people back to the office. Balancing the organization’s needs with the individual’s preferences and choices. I concluded that the organizations that are thoughtful in their plans and supportive of their workforce during this transition time will be most successful in retaining and attracting talent. I noted that chapter three of remote work was just beginning to be written.

I continue to hear from colleagues on their approaches and see many articles on the subject. That includes a rather concerning one, “The Great Resignation…..by Remote Workers”, written by several senior partners at the search firm Korn Ferry. One of my CIO colleagues shared it on our Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) CIO Forum Hot Topic Call last week when we were discussing our respective approaches to continuing remote work. The article describes the challenge of retaining employees who now know they can be a remote worker for companies anywhere who may offer a higher salary or better benefits and perks. They emphasize the need for organizations to rethink their retention programs and find new and innovative ways to incorporate remote workers into the culture.

It was useful to hear from CHA colleagues – flexibility is the operative word. Having broad guidelines and letting individual managers work with their teams on how best to make a mix of remote and onsite work most effective for them. A few of the CHA CIOs talked about national recruitment with each having several states where they are approved to recruit from. For an organization that primarily operates in one state and hires from a few bordering states, expanding recruitment nationally will depend on HR support and dealing with tax laws. But if you do go down this path, one CIO cautioned that you need to ensure inclusivity and find ways to make out of state employees feel part of the culture.

My colleague and principal at StarBridge Advisors, Russ Rudish, wrote an excellent blog post recently outlining the challenges and opportunities that both employers and employees are focused on as we enter this next chapter. In “Now What? Working in a Post Covid World”, Russ comments on recruiting and retention, work / home separation, feeling part of a team, and more. As he says, there are no quick or simple solutions but how companies address them will have significant and broad impacts. Continue reading →