Meet Wilson -he is a cord chewer, a wachutu, and a self-proclaimed lap dog.
We had to have our big dog (Boobie) put down recently, and it was traumatic (blogged about in a previous post). We were so involved in the emotional trauma of losing him, that we didn’t fully realize how important he was until he was gone. The first week without him, people showed up on our front porch, knocking on our front door without us even knowing someone had arrived -twice (our driveway is long and curved, you don’t come up to our house without a good reason). This had not happened before. I didn’t realize how much we depended on him to alert us that someone was there, it made me feel vulnerable.
For us, a big dog is necessary. We live on property that has a perimeter fence out of barbed wire, we do not have a fenced back yard of any kind. We have livestock (ducks, chickens, sheep, horses, cows, and a donkey) that need protection, and a big dog is necessary for that. Where we live, the red tail hawks and coyotes are king, and they are hungry. The barbed wire fence does not keep predators out. We need a dog that can survey and watch the fence line.
There are so many things to take into consideration when looking for the right big dog. We don’t need an aggressive dog, just one that will alert and protect. The dog can not have a high prey drive, or they could pose a threat to our livestock. It seemed almost impossible to find a replacement for our beloved Boobie. We researched different breeds and discussed possibilities. That is how we landed on a Bernedoodle (Bernese Mountain dog and Poodle mix), so meet Wilson. We got him at 8 weeks old (back when I was still at home/prior to this assignment). He is now 6 months old and weighing in at over 60 pounds (I think we got the “big” covered). He is fitting into our program nicely. We are in love with him.
I am nearing the end of this contract and feeling nostalgic. I find myself in a place now where things are running smoothly. We still have challenges and there always will be, but the clinical department is really doing well and I am so proud of them. This is the time when I always sit back and wonder, why did I ever feel overwhelmed? I was discussing this with my husband yesterday. I wish I could speak to the “one” thing that makes each of these assignments successful, but I can’t. I have never had a “one-size-fits-all” approach or solution to any of them because their challenges are always unique. It would be nice to have some type of formal feedback system in place, but I don’t. So, if someone were to ask me what the secret is, I can’t answer that. But I was told this morning by one of my staff that I am “relatable”, and that is why she wishes that I would stay. That means something to me, I like that word -relatable. It is not a word that I would have used for any Director of Nurses that I encountered when working on the floor, so I will wear that word proudly like a badge.
The self-scheduling is going fabulous, and morale is high. That is the biggest success. When morale is high, people are energized and ready to tackle anything that the day brings, and that is contagious. I love it when staff become comfortable enough to say “I have an idea”. I will always believe that they are our biggest asset, and I always wonder why they seem to be under utilized in most of the facilities that I go into. They have all the answers, we as leaders just need to listen.