Staying Focused in the Middle of the Action

The Critical Care Unit at Duke Regional Hospital never really slows down.

Behind the relative calm of the front desk, the corridors of the 22-bed unit are filled with doctors and nurses, moving briskly between the many tasks associated with caring for some of the hospital’s most vulnerable patients.

“It’s rare that we get into a lull,” Clinical Nurse Amanda Gress said of the fast-paced environment. “There are always crazy variables. It’s hard to tell what’s coming next.”

Gress and Clinical Lead Amy Wright are among those who have shown they can thrive in the setting. They both recently earned Circle of Excellence Awards from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for their work in research projects and their exceptional patient care.

While most other jobs at Duke don’t feature the same level of action and pressure as critical care nurses, there are lessons in how they stay focused in the midst of a busy work environment that can translate to other kinds of work.

So if your job requires you to battle distractions or handle curveballs, here is some advice from some Duke colleagues that do it best.

Embrace the situation

In jobs such as nursing, interruptions and competing priorities are often unavoidable parts of the work.

“It’s a constant challenge,” Wright said.

Gress said that making peace with that part of the job, and accepting that it won’t change, is the first step toward thriving in that kind of environment.

“One thing you learn about a hospital is that it’s going to keep going, patients are going to keep coming,” she said. “You just have to do the best you can for the time you’re here. Some things are just out of your control.”

Be flexible

When they start their shifts, Gress and Wright look over reports that tell them about the patients on the unit and the tasks that need to be completed. While they say the document offers a good outline for how their shift is going to look, things often pop up that complicate their work flow.

But by now, the nurses aren’t surprised by this.

Whether it’s a patient that requires extra attention or a co-worker that needs help getting caught up, the nurses know there will be things that force them to change their plans. So they’re ready to be flexible in order to handle whatever comes.

Joy Birmingham, assistant director of leadership and professional development for Learning & Organization Development, said this kind of approach is useful in most jobs. While most people have goals for what they’d like to get done in a day, it’s important to be realistic in your expectations and be ready to make space in your day for detours.

“Don’t make a plan for every moment of your day,” Birmingham said. “You are going to be interrupted. If you plan out eight hours of work, you’ll end up frustrated.”

Take care of yourself

Wright said  she loves the field of critical care nursing, but she recognizes that it takes a heavy toll on the people who do it. So she reminds her colleagues of the importance of carving out time in their shifts to take breaks.

“Because what we do is so hard, we concentrate on making people take time out for themselves,” Wright said. “You can’t ignore how hard this is and expect to be in this profession for a long time.”

Birmingham said that such an approach is apt for any fast-paced job that requires intense focus. While there’s plenty of work to be done, she said, don’t overlook the fact that your body and mind need time to rest.

“As you adapt to working in that kind of environment, I’d ask if you’re taking time for yourself,” Birmingham said. “Are you taking lunch? Are you getting breaks? Are you doing things that can bring some sanity to your day?”

Don’t be afraid to lean on others

When asked how they’re able to thrive in their hectic workspace, both Gress and Wright first credit their co-workers. They say that their team in the Critical Care Unit is exceptionally tight and supportive.

Having such an environment makes it easier for an employee to speak out when they’re feeling overwhelmed, or ask for help with a task when they need it.

Establishing that kind of collective attitude, they said, is a strong step toward creating a workplace that can stand up to high-stress jobs.

“Everybody has experienced what you’ve experienced, it’s not just you,” Wright said of the feeling in the unit. “Just by expressing being overwhelmed doesn’t make you weak.”

Have a story idea or news to share? Share it with Working@Duke.