Our Donors Are in Good Hands
By Erin Crager, Marketing Intern, Stanford Blood Center
When you meet Training Supervisor Mary Hayes, it’s no surprise that Stanford Blood Center (SBC) Collections personnel (nurses and medical assistants) are some of the best trained in the industry. They are consummate professionals. But Mary, a Texas native with exacting standards, still refers affectionately to her charges as “my kids.”
A usual day for Mary begins at 6:00 a.m. She checks phlebotomy and medical history performance statistics from the previous day to ensure that high standards are being met.
With new Registered Nurses and Medical Assistants starting on a monthly basis, a large part of Mary’s time is dedicated to what she calls MBWA, or Management by Walking Around. She is constantly on her feet, supervising by direct observation of the trainees’ work. Even after completing their training, they may be shadowed for several weeks to confirm that work is being conducted according to standard operating procedures.
Mary may also be found speaking at nursing schools about job opportunities in blood banking. Many nursing students are unaware of positions in the blood banking industry, and a career in a field other than critical care can be appealing to some. She recently spoke at the American Health Education program in Dublin, CA where SBC has found many new nurses.
When Mary is not on her feet, she might be grading competency tests for various Blood Center departments, including Collections, Registration, Marketing, and Telerecruitment. Or, she might be training her students for the new computer system soon to be used by donors for completing their medical histories. It’s often a very long day for Mary, but she is committed to making certain that our donors are in good hands.