Lynn Gillespie is assistant administrator for Human Resources, Organizational and People Development at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. A registered nurse, she’s spent the last 25 years at Saint Francis in staff nursing, management, and administration. 

For the past 14 years, she’s worked in progressive human resources roles. In her current position, she provides senior HR leadership, strategic direction and vision, and change leadership-including culture transformation-to the HR staff, administrative peers, and nearly 4,500 coworkers at Saint Francis.

She’s a member of American Society for HealthCare Human Resources Administration, Central Illinois Society for Healthcare Human Resource Administration, the Society of Human Resource Management, the Employers’ Association, and the American Academy of Healthcare Executives. She’s also involved with several animal humane programs and has been rescuing stray animals since grade school.

Tell about your background, schools attended, family, etc.

Although born in Peoria at Saint Francis, I grew up in a Chicago suburb, LaGrange. After graduating from Lyons Township High School, I attended Wisconsin State University. At that time I was unsure of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I left college after two years and worked in downtown Chicago at a very large advertising agency. Although fun and somewhat glamorous, I knew I needed to finish college. My parents had moved back to Peoria. So in 1974, I came to Peoria to get back to school.

After working for what was then Neurological Associates as a receptionist, I knew health care was where I was meant to be, and I entered the Saint Francis School of Nursing in fall 1975. I’ve never looked back. I graduated in 1978 and immediately started working at Saint Francis in pediatrics. After about a year, I transferred to the Emergency Department as a staff RN. Without a doubt, this was my niche in nursing. Over the next 10 years, I served as assistant manager, Life Flight nurse, and finally nursing care manager of the Emergency Department. During this period I also attended the University of St. Francis and received my masters of science degree in healthcare administration. I took several elective courses in human resources and organizational behavior, which led to my next career move into a newly formed position of employment manager.

With my clinical background and management experience, I served as a liaison between the technical world of human resources and the real world of hospital staff. I had a lot of insight into the issues of employees and managers as I had "been there, done that." Never being shy about my opinions, I was excited to be in a position to make changes that would benefit the workforce and the organization. Over the past 14 years in HR, I’ve held progressively more responsible positions and now serve as an assistant administrator over Human Resources, People & Organization Development.

As a student in the mid-1970s, I accepted a scholarship that committed me to two years of employment at Saint Francis. I was a little unsure that I wanted to make such a huge commitment, but 25 years later, the years at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center have truly been like coming home. I can’t imagine working anywhere else. We’re sort of a city within a city, and I’m amazed every day at the miracles that happen and the selfless caring of the staff.

I’ve owned a home in Peoria for more than 20 years filled with my two passions: antiques and animals.

Who or what influenced you to become a nurse?

Until I worked at Neurological Associates I had never been exposed to the world of health care. I soon became very interested in both the physiology and the human side of the disease processes I saw while working there. Only one nurse was employed in the office at that time, and I was very impressed with her skill, calm demeanor, and knowledge. She answered my questions and told of her work experiences. That nurse, Dorothy, works at OSF Saint Francis today in the neuro field. I see her from time to time and again realize I made the right career choice. I need to tell her she influenced my decision and it really shaped my life.

You’re experienced in many different areas of clinical nursing. What influenced you to leave bedside nursing and go into human resources?

Although I will always love bedside nursing and consider it the core of what we do at OSF Saint Francis, it was a natural progression for me to seek leadership responsibility as positions became available. As nursing care manager of the Emergency Department, I learned a new skill set: people and financial management, the art of negotiation, and all the regulatory policy that comes with health care. Some things I learned clarified the reasons behind decisions I’d lived with as a staff person and some I felt needed to be questioned-maybe there was a better way. While taking coursework for my master’s degree, I began to study HR and labor law and, more interestingly to me, organizational psychology and behavior. When the employment manager position was created, I decided it was a good fit for a clinician with management experience. I’m a nurse first, but now I can influence the organization in this expanded role.

Describe your typical day.

Although in administration, I also fill the role of manager to the human resources department and professional development staff. My office is within the HR department, which is where I believe it needs to be-rather than in the administrative suite.

My day typically begins in the department with staff, exchanging information, problem solving and answering questions, and working with my administrative assistant. From there, I pretty much go nonstop into a tight calendar of meetings. Meetings could be strategic planning or administrative, organization development "mission forward" team meetings, HR department meetings, meetings with nursing administration regarding benefits, compensation or incentive packages or care models, quality meetings, or 6 Sigma business leader meetings. Of course, proactive strategy is always where I would like to spend my time, but in reality in HR, there will always be fires to put out because we’re dealing with people, not widgets.

At the end of a hectic meeting day, I always take a few minutes to prepare for the next day, getting materials I may need to prepare a proposal or presentation or something I want to read that evening. It’s a challenge to keep up with e-mails, phone messages, and reading. I also think it’s essential to keep abreast of new techniques and best practices in the field. If you don’t, it’s too easy to get bogged down in the tasks of HR and not the strategy of HR management. It’s very easy to do the urgent and never get to the important.

Describe the importance of administration interacting effectively with the caregivers. How has the emphasis of organizational management changed through the years? What is OSF’s philosophy?

I believe OSF has always greatly valued their employees, and the mission, vision, and values support this very clearly. As large as we are, there’s still an inclusive family atmosphere. This is particularly due to our faith-based heritage and our mission to "serve all persons with the greatest care and love." This philosophy permeates the organization and helps build an atmosphere of trust. Over the years there have been pockets of health care worker shortages that have brought staff issues to the forefront. Recently it seems you can’t pick up a magazine without seeing something about labor shortages in health care. Because of the aging workforce, Baby Boomers are starting to retire in greater numbers than the incoming workforce. With aging Baby Boomers also comes increased demand for health care, and thus, increased demand for health care workers.

With all of these factors, it’s never been more important to connect with caregivers. They’re the closest to the patient and to the work. Their ideas solve problems. That’s why we have staff members on our 6 Sigma teams, solving problems and creating efficiencies across the medical center. We always have an administrator making rounds in a department each day, talking with staff and keeping two-way communication alive. We ask, "What are the barriers you face in your job? Do you have the tools and equipment you need to do your job? Why do you stay at OSF, and why would you ever leave?"

Our leadership believes we learn from staff every day. We can help connect the dots for them by talking with them and role modeling behaviors of servant leadership and service. Keith Steffen, our CEO, and I also hold Breakfast With Champions to honor some of our best employees and to pick their brains. What could we be doing for patients, physicians, and employees that we aren’t doing? We also send out a biweekly newsletter, "Keith’s Connection," for staff to get an update on issues of interest. It also recognizes individuals and departments for going above and beyond. Keith sends out about 25 letters a week to employees’ homes to recognize them for what he’s observed or what a manager has brought to his attention. He loves connecting with staff. Employees are generally thrilled with the individual recognition. In health care, we need to celebrate all the great things we do.

There have been recent attempts to unionize the nurses at OSF. Tell about the status of that process.

Over the past several months there’s been an attempt by the American Federation of Teachers, health care division, to organize staff nurses at OSF Saint Francis. There’s been little interest from staff, with minimal attendance at "union meetings." Staff has been very vocal about not wanting a union at OSF Saint Francis that could interfere with staff/management relationships. We’ve always had open communication and problem solving, as well as formal structures such as the Patient Care Council, which gives nurses a say in practical issues. We have a 125-year-old mission with a rich heritage of partnerships with staff. We’ve never needed a union to be able to work together to make a difference in the lives of those we serve. At this time, it appears few employees are interested, and the majority has voiced aversion to unionization.

How does the growing epidemic of underinsured and uninsured Americans affect bedside nurses? How does it impact the work of ER nurses?

Although we’re all aware of the increasing numbers of uninsured and underinsured patients, it doesn’t have a direct impact on our bedside nurses. We treat all individuals, regardless of ability to pay, and the caregiver is generally unaware of the payor status of a patient. The care of the patient is their concern, and the other has no bearing. That’s one of the philosophies that makes our employees proud. People come into health care because they have a caring nature. Employees know the Sisters have never turned anyone away in 125 years, and will never waver from providing care to all those who enter our doors. It’s a comforting feeling, and it’s a large part of who we are.

How difficult or easy is it to attract health care professionals to central Illinois?

We’re very fortunate to have several colleges in the area that produce quality nurses, radiology technologists, respiratory therapists, surgery technologists, etc. At OSF Saint Francis, we have several programs for health care workers, including our College of Nursing, which offers both BSN and MSN degrees. We’re very fortunate to have record numbers entering these programs. Peoria is an excellent medical community and has earned a name downstate. Because of this and our tertiary care status and size, OSF Saint Francis is often sought out by those individuals wanting to work in a teaching environment with advanced technology and one-of-a-kind programs.

We also stress what a great community Peoria is-our Midwestern values and family-oriented culture is becoming more and more attractive to today’s worker, and Peoria has a lot to offer. Sure, some will always want the ocean or the mountains, but we appeal to those who want to settle in. That’s good for retention.

Do you believe the much-publicized nursing shortage will affect central Illinois? If so, when? If not, why not? What can central Illinois do to ensure an adequate supply of quality nurses?

The nursing shortage has already hit most of the country, but as I mentioned above, we’re in a good position in Peoria with our colleges and health care community. The Bureau of Healthcare Professionals projects the number of health care jobs will need to grow from 10.4 million in 2000 to more than 14 million in 2010 to keep up with the demand for health care services. Central Illinois won’t be immune to this. The key is to be proactive now to address upcoming shortages. Over the past few years, we’ve spent time in both grade and high schools talking to students about health care careers. We’ve offered hundreds of shadowing experiences, scholarships, and tuition assistance to our own staff interested in getting into a clinical position. Career days, evening seminars, partnerships with community colleges, and other providers afford the opportunity to talk with real health care professionals and watch simulated experiences such as an OR in action.

This fall at the St. Francis College of Nursing we have a record number of students. We’re starting to see increased interest in most health care programs in Peoria, which once again demonstrates what a strong health care community we have. Since October, we’ve recruited and hired 180 RNs alone. Our turnover rate housewide is only about 10 percent annually, as compared to more than 18 percent nationally for health care. Our RN vacancy rate is under 3 percent at present. We’re very fortunate.

What are the primary motivators for health care professionals today?

I believe people continue to enter the health care profession to make a difference in the lives of others. Throughout the years this has remained constant. Competitive compensation and benefits are expected, and in health care, scholarships and sign-on bonuses are fairly common recruitment practices. While these factors recruit workers, the culture of an organization retains them. It’s important that staff is committed to the organization’s mission, vision, and values, and they know how they impact the whole. Letting people know they’re important as people and professionals is essential. Recognition is always powerful, and in health care, it’s so easy to recognize people for going above and beyond. In turn they feel valued, optimistic, and energized. Everything we do affects a patient, and the intrinsic rewards are significant.

I believe people do want a greater sense of purpose in their work. We have that built in. Other important factors are the quality of the relationships with their supervisor or manager, ability to balance work and home life, relationships with co-workers, and level of trust in the workplace. Commitment drives motivation, but these basics have to be in place for this to occur.

In your opinion, what drives the high cost of health insurance?

Speaking from an employer’s perspective, there are several factors that have an effect on the cost of health insurance. Direct marketing to the consumer by pharmaceutical companies has certainly played a significant role. Advertisements are so cleverly done we can’t be sure what the drug is intended to treat, but we all want to feel like the person in the ad, so we visit our physician and ask for the prescription by name.

In addition, consumers-both patients and physicians-have no idea of the cost of health care. Imagine trying to purchase a car, or just buying your weekly groceries, and not having any idea of what you’re spending. It would be impossible to make informed decisions and be mindful of your budget. Compounding this, in our country we have easy access to physicians and are aware of the latest and greatest technology. The American way is to seek treatment first, looking for the magic pill rather than to modify habits or adopt a healthier lifestyle. Taking personal responsibility for our health isn’t always easy, and it takes time and discipline to develop lifelong habits for healthier living.

What changes have you seen in the human resource function in recent years?

People strategy and business strategy have become very closely aligned at OSF Saint Francis because of the genuine difference people can make to our business and all those we serve.

In years past, the personnel department was a very technical department that was seen as the enforcer of policies-existing to hire, fire, pay people, and keep mountains of records. Although bureaucratic HR duties will always be part of the business of human resources, there’s been a shift in recent years from transactional to transformational functions. HR is now much more involved in the creation of operational strategy, change management, and culture development. We have impact on the way the organization works, how the culture feels, how leaders lead, and the type of talent we have now and in the future. It’s the senior HR leader’s role to shape the culture and make sure that culture is driving business outcomes. We support the business through people.

The HR professional needs a whole new skill set to have a seat at the administrative table. Knowledge of the business, focus on internal customers, including employees and partnerships with line management, are absolutely fundamental to the success of the more strategic role. At Saint Francis we’ve gone through a cultural transformation over the past three to four years. L.O.V.E. (Living Our Values Everyday) has become a way of life for us, a basis for people policy decisions, and a unifying theme. Organizational development committees, comprised mostly of staff, work on drivers of culture from recognition programs to work-life balance strategies. The quality of our people makes us different. It’s a great time to be in the field of human resources. The opportunities to influence an organization are endless, and the role is very rewarding. TPW