Terri DelCoco, nurse manager at Columbia Parkway Surgery Center, first heard of Medely while working at a previous facility. When she entered her new role as nurse manager at Columbia Parkway, she was thrilled to find they had been utilizing Medely to fill short-term needs.
We sat down with her to learn more about how she integrated Medely’s platform into her staffing strategy and how a robust list of dependable nurses and health professionals has allowed them to avoid cancelled procedures and reduce burnout and turnover.
Columbia Parkway Surgery Center’s start with Medely
Terri recalls hearing about Medely at a conference a few years ago when she was at a different surgery center. At the time, they weren’t able to get approval to use Medely, but Medely stuck in Terri’s mind as a future staffing option. After she left that surgery center and joined Columbia Parkway, she found out that they had an established relationship with Medely.
Finally able to use Medely, Terri jumped right into figuring out how to use the Medely platform. In her first year at Columbia Parkway Surgery Center, she established a convenient workflow for posting open shifts through Medely’s easy-to-use, online platform. “Honestly, it’s been easy to use the website. The staffing has been great. I really haven’t had any problems,” Terri shared. “I’ve gotten a lot better on the site now that I know how to use it, and I’ve found some really great people to support us.”
The search for specialized contingent staff
Since the surgery center only does ophthalmology cases, Terri needed contingent workers who were qualified to take on complex eye cases. As she adjusted to using Medely, she recognized a few standout nurses and techs who were well-trained in eye cases. Wanting to cut down on extra time spent orienting new per diem workers, she used Medely’s Favorites Feature to create a list with some of these exceptional Medely nurses and health professionals. Now, Terri has cultivated a tight-knit network of 15 nurses and health professionals she can call back at a moment’s notice. “The people that I have in place now are amazing. We do only ophthalmology, so I now request only ophthalmology techs,” Terri shared. “I have found some really great nurses that work in ophthalmology, and they’ve been a great support system for me.”
One of those surgical techs is Nadine Thomas. After picking up a shift there in September 2024, she was quickly added to Columbia Parkway Surgery Center’s favorites list. Since then, she’s been requested back several times, even sharing at one point she was picking up shifts there weekly. “It’s been great,” Nadine shared. “I was able to quickly adapt to their environment and the needs of their staff, patients, and surgeries. So I became a favorite, and they started requesting me frequently to come there.”
Thanks to Terri’s help, she was able to seamlessly transition into the facility, impressing Terri with her adaptability and ability to work in different roles. “Working with Terri specifically has been great. She’s there if I need any help. I’m able to easily adapt, so once I get there, I’m able to just fill right in and do whatever’s needed. There’s times that I’ve worked in their operating room as a surgical tech and then there’s other times that I’ve worked in their sterile processing department to sterilize the instrumentation and get the surgeries ready.”
Seamless integration of contingent workers
With strong collaboration and clear communication from Terri, all contingent workers that step foot in Columbia Parkway Surgery Center are set up for success, whether it’s their first shift or 20th.
Cynda McLain, perioperative and OR nurse, highlighted Terri’s skill and proficiency in fostering a solid partnership with Medely nurses and health professionals. Terri’s collaboration far exceeded Cynda’s expectations, and she appreciated the effort Terri put into integrating them to her facility. “She has your day in the OR set up for success,” Cynda shared. “Not only does she take meticulous, easy-to-read notes as far as medications and getting your OR set up, she checks on you throughout the day to make sure you don’t have any questions and if you felt the day was running smoothly. She takes very good care of her staff.”
“Even though I’m a Medely nurse, she makes me feel like a well-loved employee. When I go there, I know the day is going to be smooth and consistent. If new questions pop up, she’s always there to answer them.”
Medely’s Favorites Feature not only allows for a collaborative environment between per diem staff, administration, and full-time staff, but it also allows Terri to be more hands off in time-consuming administrative tasks, like onboarding per diem staff. “Using Medely and the people that I have identified as a positive influence at the center is definitely saving me time,” Terri shared. “Prior to requesting people and having the ones that I preferred, I was orienting somebody every time they walked in the door, so that was very frustrating. I also started only a year ago, so it was hard to be training somebody when I was still learning myself. Now that I have almost a year under my belt, and because of the people I prefer coming, it’s much easier. They just come right in, get started, and fit right in.” Terri trusts that when one of her favorites picks up a shift, they’ll perform to the best of their ability, matching the cadence of her full-time staff and adjusting seamlessly.
Within the past year, 44% of shifts posted by Columbia Parkway Surgery Center have been filled by one of their favorited nurses or health professionals. As Terri has built up consistency and a rhythm with requesting Medely workers, the facility has reached a fill rate of 97%, leading to fewer canceled procedures and continuous patient coverage, even in the midst of fluctuating caseloads.
Why Medely nurses and health professionals keep coming back to Columbia Parkway Surgery Center
As facilities focus on stabilizing retention rates, finding consistency with staff, whether that’s contingent or full-time, is a challenge that few have found a solution for. But for Terri’s favorited nurses and health professionals, it’s the consistent easygoing relationship between them and Terri that keeps them returning. “I really like the specialty of ophthalmology, so that keeps me for one,” Cynda shared. “But second, it’s Terri and the environment she’s created at that ASC. You know when you book that shift you’re not going to walk into chaos or questions unanswered. Everything is going to be laid out. She communicates very well, and I just know it’s going to be a nice, smooth, not crazy day.”
Based on input from some of our most active Medely nurses and health professionals, we found that the top cause of burnout was lack of appreciation in the workplace. As facilities seek to address the pain points of healthcare workers, Terri is a clear example of how appreciation and care toward staff can lead to a consistent, reliable workforce.
Find your favorites with Medely
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This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
