Full Transcript for Member Program Spotlight: Apex Tips and Insights From Past Recipients

highlights to staff the importance of the role that ARC plays in their professional development. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:48.240 And it ultimately all kind of comes down to the patient care, because a lot of people will transact that that information and that body of knowledge, and also take great pride in what they do. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:50.160 They will take great pride in what they do. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:54.399 So I think that that's probably the most important starting focal point. 00:04:54.639 --> 00:04:55.439 Yeah, that's great. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:57.920 Emily, yeah, what what do you think about that? 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:00.319 I would say start early. 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:05.519 Um it it and what I will say is the standards weren't made from fluff. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:14.000 They are the actual things that strong that you need to that you should strive for to lead your department to deliver excellent respiratory care. 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:18.000 So even if you may not be hitting some of those metrics now, start measuring it. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:19.839 You don't know where you are until you measure it. 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:27.839 So start tracking your professional degrees, start tracking where you are with the development of RT-driven protocols, your roadmap to eventually get there. 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:31.279 So don't just look at it and say, we're not there yet, we'll go again next year. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:36.560 Get it down, see your measurement against every standard and start and start putting small steps in place. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:38.639 I will say the first time is the hardest. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:52.000 And then after that, it's a continuous tracking as your as your associates start to get new degrees, updating that list and making sure that's ready as you, as people may leave, as you onboard new RTs, as you have to update your policies, as your quality metrics improve. 00:05:52.160 --> 00:06:00.399 So I will say once you start, have a mechanism to review it every three months, six months, because if you wait for that every two-year cycle, it will be very, very challenging. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:02.959 Andy, what what would you add to that? 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:07.600 Yeah, this is challenging going last because they make they make all the best points. 00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:08.079 Yeah. 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:16.079 So I think for us, and I I could not agree more with Emily that, you know, for anybody who's considering this the first time is definitely the hardest because you haven't done anything yet. 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:21.920 But I think the AARC has done a great job of uh, you know, posting all these things all the time. 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:27.839 I mean, you can you can print this out and hang it up anytime, not even just when you're thinking about applying. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:30.480 And you can see sort of where your gaps are. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:35.759 And I think, you

know, kind of I guess think of how you want to approach that. 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:49.279 And I I think as, you know, as you identify within your department and within your individual staff, you know, sort of, okay, well, we're, you know, we don't, we don't do a lot of this, or uh, we don't, we don't have anything in place for that. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:58.319 And I can tell you, like when we applied our first time, there were several of our policies that didn't accurately reflect, you know, some of our practices. 00:06:58.480 --> 00:07:01.920 Like, you know, we we weren't granular, I guess, in some of our policies. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:11.120 So I think that's something too that you can kind of sit down and look at, your guidelines to sit down and look and see, okay, what policies do we have that address these things that we need to address? 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:13.120 And A, are we doing these things? 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:15.120 You know, are we not giving concurrent therapy? 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:22.000 Are we, you know, are we identifying our staffing numbers and and and shooting for those and hitting those, you know, and do our policies reflect that? 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:29.199 Because I think sometimes, you know, and again, we were guilty of this too, policies aren't as accurate as we might like them to be on those things. 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:40.160 So I think that's low-hanging fruit in the beginning, where you can let's make sure our policies are aligned, then we can start going for, you know, if we don't have people that have ARC memberships, whatever the other things are we're missing, we can work on that. 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:42.079 But the policies sometimes take time. 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:49.199 We I mean, I I guess everybody kind of has this, but you know, they got to go through committees, they've got to be approved by medical direction, all those things. 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:50.399 So that's a big process. 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:53.759 So if you don't start that till time to apply, you're probably never gonna get that done. 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:56.399 So I guess we'll just start with you, Andy. 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:00.720 Um since you since you're right there and ready to roll, how long do you think it took you? 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:04.639 And I'll go through each each of you kind of speak to this, to like gather all those materials. 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:14.560 And I mean, the first time you've said is obviously kind of the worst time winners collecting, but that first time, if you can think back, how long would you say that it took you to get it all together? 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:19.040 Aaron Ross Powell Well, I can say uh my job at the time was not administration. 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:21.120 My job generally is not administration. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:23.839 This kind of stuff is not uh not really my wheelhouse. 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:28.879 And uh we hadn't really started to collect any of that stuff, like who has a bachelor's degree, who has X, Y, and Z. 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:36.480 I mean, they have files that we keep in our department that are supposed to be, you know, kept up to date, but you know, things fall through the cracks, people leave, people get hired. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:39.039 So it's almost like that snapshot in time, right? 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:40.480 When you're collecting the stuff. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:54.159 So um, and then we at the time, they've they've streamlined this process since then, but at the time we had to literally print out from the NBRC website a hundred different we had to print out a hundred different uh credential verifications. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:09:00.559 We had to go to the uh Illinois Department of Uh Financial Professional Regulation, print out a hundred different license verifications. 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:11.360 And so when I went to get ready to submit this, I probably had seven or eight hundred sheets worth of things I had to scan into uh digital documents that I had to then submit. 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:15.279 Um but the AARC's done a great job of saying, okay, yeah, we see what people are doing. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:16.159 This is kind of crazy. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:17.440 We should do X, Y, and Z. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:22.240 Yeah, we we really appreciate we really appreciate that the N that the uh AARC has done that for us. 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:27.440 But um, but yeah, that that took a long, long time because it was basically wet thumb the whole way, right? 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:33.519 Because then you got to go through and then you know, we had the spreadsheet, and it's like, okay, do I have a credential for you know Joe Smith? 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:38.960 Oh my, I don't have his I don't have his credential, and I but I do have his license, and I don't it was it was just a lot. 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:49.679 So and then keeping it all straight, and you know, some departments don't have a hundred people, but um you know, even still, you know, when you get a hundred people, there's a hundred different things that you can have missing or wrong, or you know, I don't know. 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:51.360 But that was that was the challenge for me. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:52.879 Felix, do you want to go? 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:54.559 So what can I say? 00:09:54.960 --> 00:10:01.519 He just did such a fine job summing everything, but I'll take 50% off since he has a hundred, I only have fifty. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:04.639 So I think my response is gonna be fifty percent shorter. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:22.080 But I'll tell you this I truly think that if someone is striving to get Apex designation and are trying to line everything, uh, all the ducks in a row, if you will, to get it done, even if from the very beginning you cannot get to where you want to get, you have to start somewhere. 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:28.799 And the bottom line is this if you aim for the stars

and you miss, you still end up in a good company. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:35.039 That's that's a great that's that's like both that's a what's the word I'm looking for? 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:36.320 Like just inspiring. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:40.639 Okay. 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:43.600 Somewhere in between those two timelines. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:44.480 Gotcha. 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:51.279 Um, so what is I guess kind of floating along that same idea, but what is the biggest obstacle people might face? 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:53.279 Is it getting all the stuff together? 00:10:53.440 --> 00:11:02.799 Like what would you say is that I I would say in terms of meeting the actual standards, again, this will vary on your organization and your department. 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:12.080 I would argue that the hardest work to do is the work to create um the the RT-driven protocols and changing practice. 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:14.320 That's just a continuous ongoing. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:17.840 So if you if you are not yet there starting the work to do that. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:27.679 Um, but I would say as far as just the low-hanging fruit, what normally when I talk to leaders, their challenges with A or C membership and their percent of bachelor's degrees. 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:33.919 The great thing is when an organization understands what it means to be Apex, they invest in it. 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:37.360 I'm literally asked, do you need this on your a line item on my budget? 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:39.360 And I say, yes, it's required for Apex. 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:44.240 And because my organization values that so much, they will say, okay, if you if this is required. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:48.000 But we have an incentive if you get your BSRT, we continuously review that. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:49.759 I say it's required for Apex. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:51.519 I'm able to continuously fight for that. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:59.440 So when it be it gives the RTs a voice and allows you to advocate for what you know is right because the organization starts to value it. 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:05.919 I will say, you know, when we talk about AARC membership, some people always remind them their CRCEs are stracking. 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:09.600 But I think as leaders, we have to remind them the ARC is so much more than that. 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:10.960 That's a huge bonus. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:23.840 We remind them of uh, you know, your connection with colleagues across the country, the the access to highest level evidence-based information when you need it, the the way that it's supporting and elevating um our profession. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.000 And they have to understand the why. 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:34.080 And um I'll tell you, I don't require it, but we are able to, we we are able to get that because if you talk the talk, your staff will understand that. 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:37.120 And then of course there's the many, many other steps to take. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:39.600 But I would say those are the two things I've heard the most from leaders. 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:46.480 The biggest obstacle, and not so much of an obstacle, but really something to do is of course the first time is the most complicated one. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:56.879 There is no question about it, because you start in from the scratch, and they're just different, the matrix is very diverse, and you have to get everything kind of checked off appropriately. 00:12:57.039 --> 00:13:06.559 But what happens is a lot of times during that process, as you're compiling, and it's not only true, it's just first time is of course the hardest one, then it's easier. 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:12.159 The subsequent ones are the easier ones, then it's just a matter of maintaining what you already established. 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:26.799 But in in any event, even from very beginning to the renewals, one of the things that constantly changes is particularly uh like we had Apex designations since 2019, so we applied in 2018. 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:29.840 So this was kind of like one or two years before COVID. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:32.399 We got our designation in 2019. 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:36.480 And when COVID hit, there was such a turnaround of people. 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:42.799 A lot of people, as you know, they joined different agencies and they moved on to the different roles. 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:57.679 And as we got the influx of new people was the importance of impressing upon new people how important it is to be members of ARC, how important it is to, you know, obviously we wanted to make sure all their credentials are up to date. 00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:03.600 And most importantly, we wanted to make sure that they have bachelor's degrees as much as possible. 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:15.039 You always encourage our staff, and I'm very proud to say that my staff, 70% of my staff has BS degrees, and you know, and we're trying to, obviously, and I think we're gonna be at a higher level soon. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:20.159 So, but that's the those are, and I think the most challenging thing is, of course, bachelor's degree. 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:29.840 Because look, yes, people can join ARC, yes, people can change a policy, yes, people can do different things, but bachelor's degree you either have it or you don't. 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:32.240 So it's kind of like in black and white. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:15:02.320 So if you if you're kind of like trying to look at who is gonna be getting their bachelor's degree because the or or who has the bachelor's degree, and you project that you're gonna be uh 25% of the of the total numbers, it's kind of like as much as I say, try to do the but you know what, if you if you're not even close, you need to start to work on that before you apply, because there's no sense of going through uh a very extensive, vigorous process if you are not even close. 00:15:02.559 -->

00:15:09.759 You know, but I think that the bachelor's degree is probably the most important one in the sense of you either have it or you don't. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:25.519 It's not like a policy where you can bring it to the committee or guideline or a protocol where you bring it to the medical board, you get it approved, you implement it, and then you're like, okay, because if you have like 10 people that need to get bachelor's degrees, it's not going to happen overnight. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:29.120 You know, but it's a process, and you have to start somewhere to get somewhere. 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:33.120 Yeah, I can add to that, uh, and I agree with everything uh that's been said. 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:50.320 I think um as someone who uh has been sitting on the committee for a couple of years now uh reviewing uh Apex, you know, sort of submissions, I can tell you that we can, you know, put some data to that, that the most difficult thing for most facilities is the 50% bachelor's bachelor's or better. 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:55.519 I think that, you know, to that, you know, as Felix said, I think you get started early. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:59.840 So like, you know, when you first sit down and say, okay, where are we literally at right now? 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:01.039 How close are we? 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:06.080 If you see that, then you can start getting things in place to make sure that you've corrected that problem. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:12.480 Get go and see what you can do with tuition reimbursement, figure out how you can update your job descriptions to incentivize. 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:20.720 So, like, you know, what we've done, you know, to try to keep this process fluid is, you know, in order to even take the first step in promotion, you need a bachelor's degree. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:26.399 So even to become a shift charge therapist at my place, you have to have a bachelor's degree and you have to be an AARC member. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:32.480 If you want to do anything other than the absolute, you know, walking in the door, I can go give Nebs at the bedside. 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:37.600 If you literally want to take even the very first step, it takes a bachelor's and it takes AARC membership. 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:40.000 So, like Emily, we don't mandate it. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:51.840 We don't, uh, we don't pay for everybody's membership because we kind of, you know, we feel like it should be a personal choice based on the right, you know, things and people should understand what it is that they're agreeing to and and understand the value. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:17:02.080 So um, so these are some things I think organizations can do to try to get out in front of this, knowing that we already kind of know that most organizations, it's the bachelor's degree thing. 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:12.240 And to be honest, with the way staffing is, I'm assuming everywhere, I can tell you for sure in Chicago, the way staffing is

and the challenges there, you can't just only hire bachelor's degree people. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.359 There just aren't enough of them. 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:17.599 So you're going to have to hire from your local junior colleges to staff your department. 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:28.880 The question is, you know, is there an infrastructure in place to grow those people at a at a you know a steady and you know, even a sort of accelerated rate from the time they hit your door. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:42.319 Um, and I think, you know, because we encourage, you know, promoting into the second rung of our clinical ladder and those things, I think baking things into those job descriptions and those transitions can help too, because I think most people want to at least take that first step. 00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:51.359 They may not want to go into administrative leadership or some of these other things, but they certainly want to be charge therapists and kind of take that first step out of the you know the the ground level. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:57.839 So I think these are things that I think organizations can do relatively simply to mitigate that process. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:03.920 So you guys have all talked about like what apex designation has done for your organization. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:05.680 So excuse me. 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:12.480 Um what what would be like the single thing that you would say that is really important that you receive as an AP Apex? 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:15.920 I I do think it's the recognition. 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:24.960 It establishes respiratory care as a true profession with national standards that you know I find that I'm often educating about the profession. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:27.200 A they're surprised or they say, What's Apex? 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:28.559 It's an all-of-ar branding. 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:30.160 The hospital is so proud of it. 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:37.039 So it really becomes this wow factor because you hear of Magnet, you hear of all the other ways that hospitals commit to excellence. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:43.119 So it really makes people the world, it puts uh respiratory care on the map and it sets a new standard for it. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:48.480 Uh I couldn't say anything better than that. 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:49.920 This is just so true. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:55.279 But I won't I want to tell you something that was not in your question, and this is a little bit off the script, so I'm sorry. 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:57.599 And I'm not and I'm kind of myself off the script. 00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:58.480 So I'll tell you this. 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:09.920 As great as Apex is, I think, I think that in the future, it will be really very important to include one more piece of matrix that is not there, and that is employee engagement. 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:16.079 Because employee engagement really drives quality of care, because a happy employee is a good employee. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:20.400 Employee who is not happy at what they do are never going to be great at what they do. 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:34.799 And considering that we are not dealing with numbers and considering per se we are not dealing with uh objects and data, we just dealing with patients, I think that that directly affects patient care. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:47.839 Because if an employee comes in and they give you their heart and soul because they feel proud that they're working in the right department under the right conditions and being treated appropriately by the hospital, patients will feel it. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:56.240 And when somebody comes in and they just want to do a minimum of A to B that's required by the policy 349, patients will feel it as well. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:58.319 Because patients do have feelings. 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:00.240 Yeah, that was a very, very good point. 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:02.880 Andy, what did what would you add on to that? 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:10.000 I would just say, and I and I love what Emily highlights about how it really amplifies sort of the quality of the of the respiratory department. 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:20.559 And I think the reality is, and she she mentioned Magnet and um Beacon Award and some of these nursing-specific awards that sort of measure uh the overall quality of the nursing care. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:35.359 And whether we like it or not, respiratory therapy and nursing are sort of always intertwined and comparing themselves to each other in terms of you know, respiratory seams and a lot of uh a lot of quality, you know, if if nursing gets this and if nursing's recognized and X, Y, and Z, we should be too. 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:38.240 And I think Apex levels a playing field a little bit in that. 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:52.480 And certainly in our hospital, you know, um, and and I'm sure other people work at organizations like this where, you know, they they are competing with other organizations in their area and they want to highlight all of their achievements, and a lot of those are nursing-related achievements. 00:20:52.640 --> 00:21:02.400 So being able to sort of say, oh, and by the way, our respiratory department has the highest sort of national recognition as a, you know, uh metric of quality in the care that they provide. 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:09.920 So I think that it sort of puts us on that level with nursing in terms of, you know, us being at that highest level like they are if they get magnet. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:23.599 And I think we're still a little behind them in terms of what that award means in terms of, you know, recruiting and things like that, because nursing, they'll talk about I don't want to work anywhere other than a magnet hospital because of what that means to their day-to-day. 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:26.240 I think Apex has some of that same impact. 00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:31.119 It's just people don't know that and people don't know

how to utilize it for that reason yet. 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:33.039 And so I think that might be the next step. 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:39.440 And it's something that we talk about when we meet on the committee is, you know, how do we make how do we make this magnet-ish, right? 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:40.480 Magnet light. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:47.359 You know, how do we, how do we put this on that household name level where respiratory therapists around the world are like, wait, but do you have Apex? 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:59.759 Because that's important to me as an RT looking for a place to work because I know what that means to, you know, the the motivation that's applied to staff, the opportunities that they have, the advancement, the clinical ladder, all those things that are in the guidelines. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:14.880 I think once that starts to be more of a household understanding like Magnet is now, then I think you'll you'll have a better, I guess, handle on how to utilize that more for recruitment, for putting your department on that higher level with your nursing staff and all these other people. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:31.519 So do each of you want to just sum up your final thoughts, I guess, as we kind of get ready to sign off today about what Apex has meant maybe for you guys individually too, and not just for your hospital, but or anything other tips or that you'd like to share with people who are thinking about applying for Apex? 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:34.000 Yeah, I mean, I I I'll start this one. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:59.279 I I think I think that, you know, as we try to grow this and and have more departments, I think the thought is that there are departments out there that meet a lot of these requirements and just aren't applying or meet 90% of them and just feel like, okay, well, we're never gonna get this other one where it needs to be, whether that be, you know, our staff's never gonna go out and get bachelor's degrees, whatever their barrier is for their individual list of accomplishments. 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:05.920 I think, you know, I think as leaders within the department, people need to be like, okay, look, look how close we are. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:13.359 Let's figure out like if all we need are 10 more staff members to get bachelor's degrees, how do we make that more accessible to them? 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:15.279 How do we tweak tuition reimbursement? 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:26.240 Maybe we instead of having it be a hospital benefit, we figure out a way to bake it into the department budget where we can help these people, you know, something around that versus just, ah, you know what, we're not gonna get there with bachelor's degrees. 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:28.559 I know my staff, they're not that motivated, whatever. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:35.680 So I think as leaders, it's important to, you know, figure out where the gap is and then come up with workable plans to navigate those. 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:51.759 And then my final thought is I think that Apex is such a good, good step in our profession as we try to continue to, you know, find our place as, you know, the important group that we are in the patient care, I guess, sort of arena. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:56.480 Um, and I know that's something in my 22-year career we have fought with every day. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:59.599 Like, you know, people don't know truly what respiratory does. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:01.920 People, people don't know how important they are. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:13.759 And, you know, as weird as it sounds, COVID sort of helped with that a little bit because at least people knew that there were people in the room that were called respiratory therapists that were contributing to things, which many of them didn't before that. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:17.279 But now we've kind of backed off to kind of where we were, where people don't really know. 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:29.920 I think Apex gives us a great opportunity to really push ourselves even closer to being a prominent member of the patient care team that we know we are, and that we always hope that everybody else realizes that we are. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:30.960 That's great. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:31.839 Felix? 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:36.720 So I think that um I just want to start from a little bit from the very beginning. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:48.400 Uh when uh prior to us applying to call uh to prior to uh prior to us applying for Apex back in 2018, we always knew that we're great. 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:49.279 We did. 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:59.440 And Apex helped us to validate it in an objective way, with the objective criteria and by us providing to the ARC objective data. 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:06.960 Because it's one thing when you just think that you're great, it's another thing when it's validated by national organization at the national level. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:08.240 Two different things. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:09.279 So that's one. 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:24.480 And number two, um, I couldn't agree more with Andrew um about the fact that if you're close, you really sometimes have to push yourself to bring everybody into the appropriate realm of things. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:33.440 And the truth of the matter is the role of the leader is to provide leadership and support to their staff to close that gap. 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:48.720 Because if you're gonna rely on people uh in your jurisdiction to, if you will, to close the gap, there might be, you know, gaps that you're not counting on or not anticipating. 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:53.680 So as I say, if you want to see a certain future, sometimes you just have to build it yourself. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:54.720 That's pretty much. 00:25:55.119 --> 00:26:01.440 And I I want to wish luck to all the all the all of my colleagues who are gonna be applying in the near future. 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:14.880 I think that Apex is a fantastic

program, and it helps you to validate the quality of care provided to your patients and the engagement of your employees with patients on that and and it's validated by national organization. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:21.759 It's not validated by you in your overinflated head, if you will, but it is done based on objective criteria. 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:22.799 Yeah, that makes sense. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:23.119 Okay. 00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:23.920 Thank you. 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:28.079 I I will say Apex is a journey. 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:30.000 It's not a checkoff list. 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:32.720 And it honestly made me a better leader. 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.920 It gave me a framework. 00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:45.359 So I would say use for any leader, it tells you how to make your it gives you the steps of the framework to create uh to to create an excellent practice and uh within your department. 00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:49.519 So set as your checklist to hold yourself accountable. 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:57.440 And as you work your way there, and you know, all of us have to set goals, choose one part of that every year of goal to inch closer and closer to where the gaps are. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:02.640 And ultimately, as you have these standards in the back of your mind, it's always with you. 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:05.599 And I would say reach out to the community. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:15.200 I will say I reached out to many leaders who had Apex who were willing to share their dreams, their RT-driven protocols, help me implement them in the hospitals, give me kind of the tools and tricks. 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:17.440 We all want to help each other succeed with this. 00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:24.400 And I can wholeheartedly say any Apex designated hospital right now, their leader would be happy to share that information. 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:28.880 And ultimately, we need Apex and it elevates our professional practice. 00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:32.079 We know it uses standards that improve patient outcomes. 00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:36.160 Soon to be when it's more popular, it will help us attract and retain top talent. 00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:42.799 And it ultimately helps you drive a culture of excellence and safety, which is all what we want to do as we push this profession forward. 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:46.880 So it becomes a journey that we're always continuing to strive for. 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:52.720 It becomes your roadmap as a leader, and uh we are all here to help you uh do it and help you achieve those goals. 00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:54.240 I just wanted to say something. 00:27:55.599 --> 00:28:01.759 It still really boils down to a very famous saying United you stand and divided you fall. 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:07.359 So we all have to unite and move forward and get more departments to join Apex family. 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:08.000 Thank you. 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:08.799 That's great. 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:10.559 That was a great, that's a great way to end. 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:17.039 Thanks, Felix, Emily, and Andrew for joining me today and sharing your insights with us about obtaining Apex designation. 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:24.079 If you're interested in learning more about Apex designation for your institution or organization, visit AARC.org and search Apex. 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:31.599 Also, don't forget to subscribe to the AARC Perspectives Podcast wherever you listen and share these important stories and resources with your colleagues. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:33.920 Thanks and have a great afternoon.