A social worker by training, Adrianna Moore is the director of care redesign in the Department of Care Coordination for The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. She works with faculty members and leaders in social work and nurse case management to develop and implement initiatives to improve patient and community health, reduce avoidable readmissions and enhance transitions of care for vulnerable patient populations.
Due to the recent surge in patients with COVID-19, Moore signed up for reassignment to help units facing critical staffing shortfalls. Dome caught up with Moore last week by Zoom to discuss her reassignment duties.
What was your reassigned role and assignment?
I was assigned to the Marburg 3 medicine unit, where I’ve been working at the nurse’s station as a customer service representative. I’ve done 13 hours this week in two shifts. I’ve been answering the phone that admitted patients call when they need something, and I’ve been answering the main phone where calls come in from other parts of the hospital, from relatives of admitted patients, or from anyone who calls the floor. I’ve run COVID swabs to the microbiology lab. I’ve picked up medicines from the pharmacy. I’ve helped stock supplies, things like that.
Why was it important for you to quickly sign up for reassignment?
Everything I read coming out from internal communications, from hospital leadership, and of course everything I’m aware of going on in the world, makes it so clear that if I can contribute even in a very small way to assist front-line staff, who are working with unbelievably limited resources, then I should do what I can to help.
What insights did you gain from the reassignment?
Once you’re on the floor, you get to see how interconnected we are and how all of the different roles in the hospital interact in a way that you just don’t get to see when you’re sitting at your desk. The transport team, for example, is very impressive. The way they greet and care for people is impressive. They walk miles upon miles every day and know their way around this campus better than anyone. There’s an incredible amount of coordination among all of the different roles that I’ve never been able to observe before. It’s also wonderful to get the chance to work with such devoted nurses, who are making the hospitals run. They’re amazing!
I feel so lucky to be a part of an organization where patients get the very best care. I already knew this in my day-to-day job, but it’s different in person to see the clinical teams working with case managers, social workers, patient transporters, the nutrition team that brings the meals and everyone else involved in patient care. You see how it all comes together — and it’s so very complicated. I have a better appreciation from my 13 hours of how phenomenal The Johns Hopkins Hospital is — especially with everything that’s going on right now with COVID. We’ve got extremely devoted staff members who are among the smartest people in the world working together under unbelievable stress.
What advice would you give to a colleague who is being reassigned?
I would say, you’ll learn so much. It’s like the first day of school. You get to meet people you would otherwise never encounter. And you get to learn things outside of your regular job that give you insights into how what you do in your role affects others around you who you might not ever cross paths with.
Did you have a favorite part of the reassignment?
My favorite part is that the nurses totally embrace having this new person around who doesn’t know anything and has very limited skills. In what other kind of job, or context, do people make sure you have what you need, trust you, and count on you within minutes of arriving? I’ve never had a new job where I walked in and was so totally embraced.
