The Power of Decision Making

Do you face countless choices each day? Let training, experience and commitment to care guide you.
My first radiology director once shared with me this sage observation: "There are no right or wrong decisions in life--just decisions, and you live with and react to the consequences of each one."

I've always tried to live by these words. An administrator faces countless choices each day. Applying logic to decisions occurs naturally. One minute you're contemplating a capital purchase; the next, a human resources issue. Usually, common sense combined with experience ensures the correct decision.

As a leader, you also must be aware of decisions made by those around you. People make decisions based on logic they've applied to past situations, and they may look to you for guidance. You might wish they'd made a different call until you discuss their decisions with them--and realize that they thought things through and merely opted for a different approach. As a leader, you either discuss their processes with them or let them learn from the consequences. Perhaps an employee's decision was better than yours! As their leader, you earn respect by acknowledging such instances.

The foundation of a good radiographer is decision-making. Think of the daily choices you must make quickly. Do you stand up a patient and risk a fall? What technique should you apply? Do you question this ER order? What should you say to this patient's family? Do you repeat this view? Applying the logic you developed in radiography school will help you make technical decisions. Applying the logic you've acquired through life experiences will help you make the "human" decisions so vital to your success.

Consider the decisions you faced today. Your mind constantly evaluated situations, planning and reacting. Remember: Your leaders have entrusted you to apply logic to each situation. Sometimes your decisions won't work out and you'll be forced into situations that require additional attention. Your training, experience and commitment to patient care will carry you through--and ensure that, in most cases, you'll make the right call.

--Jeffrey Palmucci, CRA, is the director of radiology at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, and a former president of the AHRA (The Association for Medical Imaging Management).