A Day in the Life of an Administrator: Tosha Chapman

A Day in the Life of an Administrator: Tosha Chapman

Welcome to A Day in the Life of an Administrator, our online column, where we sat down with Tosha Chapman, RN, ASC and MSCC director of nursing for Eye Surgeons of Indiana in Lafayette. Outpatient Surgery Magazine is posting these profiles to give the administrators, directors and other leaders in ambulatory facilities a voice — and to share, in their own words, what it’s like to walk in their shoes. Their stories offer a glimpse into the significant role these individuals play on the OR team and the challenges they face as they work alongside their colleagues.

Outpatient Surgery Magazine (OSM): Finish this sentence, a surgical facility leader is...
Tosha Chapman (TC): ...the person who sets the tone for the center. They ensure the safety and quality experience of the patients, the satisfaction of the staff, maintain compliance, and are always ready to put out the next fire.

OSM: What’s the most unexpected perk of your career?
TC: I’ve been fortunate enough to work with an all-female leadership team, and it has been an inspiration. By far, working with and learning from some of the strongest nurses and leaders in the industry has been the greatest perk of my job.

OSM: At 9 a.m. on a high-volume surgery day, what are you typically doing?
TC: There’s no “typically” here — surgery never looks the same two days in a row. From managing schedules, calming anxious patients and party planning to preparing reports and making minor HVAC repairs, you need to be ready for anything in this role. If you’re looking for a rigid routine, this isn’t the job for you!

OSM: What is worst day you ever had in your career and why?
TC: One day, after we completed our morning surgeries, the entire center went out to lunch. Upon return, we discovered a collapsed drain that caused water to back up. There were inches of standing water in both our ORs. The entire staff was needed to ensure safe removal of equipment. All our afternoon patients had to be rescheduled, and it took until late in the evening to complete the repairs and get the ORs ready for surgery again.

OSM: What makes an OR team gel and why?
TC: There’s no one thing here — it’s a combination of factors. We created the harmonious team we have in place by hiring the right people, setting clear expectations and modeling positive behavior. These are vital elements of a top OR team. But it’s also important to have some fun. Sarcasm, a little gentle “bullying” that’s obviously done with in good fun and with love and sharing funny videos in the “Work Family” group chat all help build a team that has each other’s back. Like Robert Orben says, “If you can laugh together, you can work together.”

OSM: If you could trade jobs with any member of your team for a day, who would it be and why?
TC: I’d work the front desk. Instead of always having a crisis to work through, being that first person in contact with patients and having a little time to interact with them sounds like a lovely day to me.

OSM: What’s the most memorable gift, saying or gesture you’ve received from a patient or their family?
TC: I once had a patient go out of their way after surgery to tell me how I made them feel. They had been extremely anxious in pre-op, and I spent extra time explaining what was going to happen and reassuring them about how safe everything was. Knowing I made that person’s difficult day easier and helped them feel comfortable is the best feeling.

OSM: If you could, where is one destination you would fly to for surgery?
TC: I’d fly to Honduras, Guatemala or any other area in need. A medical mission trip is a major item on my bucket list.

OSM: In 10 years, I will...
TC: ...have completed my MSN and CASC. I will be a key part of helping organization grow, and hopefully, open a surgery center near an ocean.

Note: Outpatient Surgery Magazine would like to thank Tosha for sharing her life with us! On behalf of our team, we are sending a small token of appreciation to Tosha and her OR team. If you are an administrator, director or any type of OR leader and would like to share your day and special insights for this online exclusive column, please contact our Editor-in-Chief Jared Bilski at [email protected]. Have a great day! OSM