Not just a symbol of luck.

As the weary, winter days fade and lush green landscapes come into view, we are reminded of the promise of a fresh start. Through the sea of grass, we find many spring clovers, but did you know how rare it is to find one with four leaves?

The chances are one in every 10,000.

For me, the four-leaf clover represents more than just luck. With the purchase of our family farm, my children became members of the Southern Shepherd 4H Club, a club that is involved with activities related to raising sheep. Lucky enough, the club’s emblem is a four-leaf clover. The letter H covers each of the four leaves, representing a Head for clearer thinking, a Heart for greater loyalty, a Hand for larger service and Health for better living. With the club’s motto to “make the best better,” we can see how these values align within healthcare as well.

As a blood banker and an RN with more than 30 years of combined experience, I have challenged myself on ways to improve patient care and “make the best better.” With the influx of travel nurses and temporary ancillary staff, staffing shortages have created stressful conditions. Improper sample collection, incorrect order placements and miscommunication are common occurrences that compromise the effectiveness of patient care and can lead to life threatening situations. To help resolve these issues, I suggested new ways to improve processing, including initial department tours for new ER doctors and modifying emergency protocols within computer systems.

Realizing my passion for enhancing quality practices, I continue this pursuit at Vedant Health. My current role as a validation specialist in blood bank using Test Streams intelligent technology gives me the ability to detect critical errors and the opportunity to make a difference in healthcare and help save patient lives.

So, if you are lucky enough to find a four-leaf clover, ask yourself how can I incorporate the 4 H’s (head, heart, hand, and health), to impact our community as a whole and make the best better.