Becker's Health IT + Clinical Leadership + Pharmacy: 3 Questions with Teresa Stephens, Associate Professor of College of Nursing for Medical University of South Carolina

Teresa Stephens, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, serves as Associate Professor for the College of Nursing at Medical University of South Carolina. 

On May 2nd, Dr. Stephens will give a presentation on "Resiliance in New Nurses" at Becker's Health IT + Clinical Leadership + Pharmacy conference. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place May 2-4, 2019 in Chicago.

To learn more about the conference and Dr. Stephens' session, click here.

Question: What do innovators/entrepreneurs from outside healthcare need to better understand about hospital and health system leaders?

Teresa Stephens: ​Innovators/entrepreneurs should understand that most hospital/health system leaders are guided by a code of ethics, specifically related to the caring professions (e.g. nursing, medicine, etc.). The values and ethics that make us good clinicians are also those that make us most at risk for moral distress and burnout. We are also committed to evidence-based practice, meaning we are continually looking to improve the quality and safety of care, which promotes change and positive disruption. Productivity and the "bottom line" for us are ultimately the outcomes related to patient care.

Q: Healthcare takes a lot of heat for not innovating quickly. What's your take on this?

TS: Resistance to change has been a problem in healthcare, especially nursing, for decades. In fact, Clara Barton (founder of the American Red Cross) spoke of the "tyranny of precedent". There are many theories about the lack of innovation and resistance to change, but I believe much of the reason lies in cognitive bias and protected values. Healthcare has traditionally been built on a very structured hierarchy with roles/responsibilities clearly tied to ego, status, and self-worth. Many innovations are positive disruptors that threaten the stability of the "status quo", which leads to uncertainty and fear in those who have built their career/leadership around titles, authority, etc. I believe we will see the tide change as more millennials assume leadership roles, because their values are consistently different from those of baby boomers.

Q: Can you share some praise with us about people you work with? What does greatness look like to you when it comes to your team?

TS: ​Much of my research/work is focused on "Building Resilient Teams", which has led me to understand the importance of key leadership behaviors that ultimately drive the culture of an organization. Resilient teams are made of resilient individuals who possess the 4P's of Resilience: Purpose, Priorities, Perspective, and Personal Responsibility. These 4 categories are built on the personal protective factors and leadership behaviors that help to create resilient teams: self-awareness, emotional intelligence, accountability, humility, respect, trust, humor, growth mindset, competency, and compassion.

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