more stressful than most," she acknowledges, "but it doesn't rule my
life. I also have a great team of 4 clinical managers working for me.
And my approach applies to them, too. I don't expect them to work
overtime or work from home, and I try to drill the same thing into
them: Leave work, leave your work problems at work and enjoy your
outside life."
The right message
That last part can be key. As determined as you might be to achieve
and maintain a satisfying work-life balance, having support from
above, and/or providing the same support to others in your organiza-
tion, is bound to help immeasurably.
"Senior leaders have to really say, 'This is important,' and they have
to set limits and rules," says Beth Summerlin, MSN, BSN, RN, CNOR,
manager of surgical services at Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital East
Cobb Health Park in Marietta, Ga. "One of the practices my CNO has
put into place is no emails, texts or phone calls after 6, unless it's my
4 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7
• DOGGEDLY DETERMINED Dianne O'Connell, RN, MBA, says her job is stressful, but "your family and your outside life are the most important things."
She's an avid hiker and a "dog foster mother" in her spare time.
Barry
Millman,
Threepairs
Photography
