Page 18

“How do we roll this out?” Ms. Boyd asked me when there was a lull in the conversation.

“First of all, from this moment, everyone is on the same page with this and agrees,” I said firmly. “Publicly. There is no more talking trash about policies or us when we reprimand people while golfing with your buddies or any of that crap.”

“Or people will be removed from the board,” Dr. Carpenter said firmly.

He sighed when even I gave him a surprised look.

“The president reprimanded us. Our trauma response was flawless. Our doctors excellent and—we saved so many, and we should have been glowing from all of the praise, but instead I’m embarrassed.

“I’ve never been so embarrassed in my long career, and it’s because of the board who doesn’t do anything useful and just eats resources and gives us headaches.

Get rid of them all and let the department heads become the new board like other hospitals are doing.

That’s my vote, and unless someone changes my mind, that’s where I’m at. ”

And he was taking the heat off of me. The other department heads immediately agreed, several of the board going visibly pale and looking to me… Except I played up my surprise. This hadn’t been the plan. They were pulling out this ace early to help me.

Alan was tired of seeing me struggle so much and handle it all alone. I really did love that dumb man.

I shook myself out of my surprise. “We publicly agree to this and no more badmouthing it. We are the team to implement this and right the ship.” I let out a slow breath.

“We will let all of the attendings know in the morning and then in meetings from there.

Each department will have meetings with HR to make it clear this is real and not rumor.

“We will have training first about how this will go, and then everyone will sign the new addendum to their contracts. Not signing it puts them on unpaid leave. No exceptions. I don’t care who it is, and they will not run to any of you for help.

This has to happen. I’m interviewing two additional staff for HR who specialize in these kinds of situations. ”

“Putting their nose where it doesn’t belong?” someone snarked.

“Righting the ship when it’s long overdue,” I answered coldly.

“And how to do it the best way without smearing the hospital that it took so long. They will make it clear that the past is the past and this is all going forward so we don’t get slapped with tons of lawsuits and issues like we deserve .

They will protect us and the good people we have going forward. ”

“And you plan to reach out to the staff we’ve lost and see if we can’t get them back?” Ms. Boyd asked. “How will that work?”

“It depends on if things turn around and how well this works,” I answered honestly. “That’s a later goal because I wouldn’t come back on the promise. I would want to see it had worked for at least a month or so.”

“Good point,” she sighed. “And there has to be some sort of incentive.”

“Why bother with them then?” someone else on the board asked, seeming annoyed that we weren’t focused where we should be.

I stared the idiot down, making it clear that I thought he was an idiot.

“Who do you think has been telling everyone the HR mess our hospital has become? How do you think all of these other hospitals and doctors know it’s so damn toxic here?

” I nodded when he flinched. “Yes, the people who experienced all of this and left .”

“So get back as many as we can while making it clear we’ve fixed things, and that sends a loud message it wasn’t as bad or—good, good,” one of the other department heads muttered.

“My vote would be moving costs. That’s always the big one that hits most the hardest. The deposit on a new place to live and moving costs.

Take it partially from the board and the reason they—”

“Take it from your pay,” Warren snapped.

“Why? I’ve been saying these guidelines are bullshit for years,” he snapped. “I refuse to let Fitz or Hastings near my department because of it. You might have thought this was okay, but none of this happened in my department.”

“Your department has the lowest number of incidences, but no department is without issue,” I corrected. I nodded when he shot me a surprised look. “Your problem left last year but three people left the hospital because of her.” I sighed when he winced.

Yeah, disgusting assholes were in both genders. We always had to remember that.

“We wouldn’t have to even discuss touching our income if you allowed donations,” Warren sneered. “Your pride doesn’t allow outside money and—”

Alan threw back his head and laughed. He laughed so hard that it was difficult not to smile even if none of this was funny. He stood and gave Warren an amused look. “You’re just going to keep doubling down until we throw you into the ocean. Fine. I can’t wait to get rid of you.”

“ Your pride wants to have all the glory of bragging about donations,” Dr. James drawled.

“Ms. Reed is fighting against more corruption and bullshit here. Don’t talk to some of the smartest people in the world like we’re morons.

We’re not.” He snorted and stood as well.

“And we’re smarter than you, Warren. Stop trying to throw rocks while standing in a cracking glass house. ”

And with that, all of the department heads left, wishing me luck and making it clear that they would help with whatever I needed.

Which left me with a stunned board.

“I warned you,” I chuckled as I closed my laptop and gathered my things.

“No one ever believes me, and you just run your mouths that I’m a paper pusher and so beneath you.

Maybe now you’ll finally get it through your heads how things really are before it’s too late.

” I finished packing up and smirked at them. “But I doubt it.”

I headed to the interviews next and the one who would become my right hand on the HR side, Beth Hudson, was amazing. She was completely up for the challenge and understood my goals.

Including getting out the current head of HR who was completely toxic.

The problem was when I walked her out and she saw who was waiting… And the man saw her. They both visibly flinched.

“So there’s a problem here,” I drawled, gesturing between the two of them.

“No, not at all,” Ms. Hudson quickly said. “It’s simply a surprise when I heard he was happy in his current role.”

“I’d heard the same, so clearly we put on good faces professionally,” the guy said smoothly. “The HR circle is small at management levels just as with hospital administrators.”

Fair enough. I left it alone and focused on getting done what I needed to.

He was great too, but I made it clear that Beth would be in charge eventually and help me fully right the ship and I was expecting him to be the advocate for any male staff.

She protected the hospital while he protected the male employees so everyone thrived.

He agreed once he checked female employees would have an advocate too. Of course, I just needed to kick her ass a bit to get her on the same page. She wasn’t part of the problem, but she didn’t jump in to help either.

She normally sat back and ate popcorn while watching the drama which wasn’t the role of HR.

Everything was in place the next morning when the meeting with all the department heads and attendings was to start. My new HR hires joined for the day, but their roles wouldn’t really begin for another week. They had to finish out their jobs and get their lives sorted.

It would be a headache for them, but… They were adults. This wasn’t the first situation like this that they’d been involved with, so they understood better than I did. That was why I’d hired them.

And the head of HR wasn’t happy to find people were added to her department without her consent or approval.

Yeah, okay, bitch. You answered to me, not the other way around.

“As of today, things will be changing at All Supes Hospital,” I said firmly once everyone was settled.

“Every department head fully agreed with these changes, and we negotiated what worked with the board.

So understand that we are a united front going forward and this is happening.

We are tired of the way things have been going.

“It’s to the point that the owner would rather close the hospital down than continue as the way things have been.

It’s gotten that bad.” I gave everyone a minute with that.

“It’s gotten so bad that other hospitals now laugh at ASH that we’re a reality spring break gone bad show and our doctors are jokes.

” They were less than thrilled to hear that.

And one by one looked at Tommy with hate.

“Don’t even put this all on Dr. Fitz,” I said dryly. “He might be the worst and the reason it all exploded, but everyone in this room is guilty.” I glanced over at the department heads. “Even a few of you have gotten caught up in the rumor mill. It happens.”

“Not to you,” Alan said firmly. “Not to me. So clearly, there is a way to not get pulled in.”

“True, but a few were dragged there by problems, not the problem themselves,” I said mostly for Joyce.

“So let’s all remember the reality before acting like it’s one person we should just get rid of.

I know way too much about all of you and who has slept with whom.

It ends. Talking about partners and being unprofessional ends today . ”

“Good,” one of the department heads said firmly, the rest of them agreeing.

“I’m tired of feeling like a dorm director instead of a department head, and I really can’t stand constantly finding naked people in the on-call rooms when I need to close my eyes.

How hard is it to lock a fucking door on top of everything else? ”

That was fair but not really helpful at the moment.

“Addendums will be added to everyone’s contracts or you’re out. Unpaid leave of absence while you officially resign and best of luck to you. No exceptions.” I gave them a minute with that again. “Once HR goes over everything in detail and with your departments and staff, everyone will sign.”

“What are the highlights, Ms. Reed?” Joyce called out, knowing me well enough to catch when I was struggling.

“Every sexual encounter will be reported to HR,” I answered, internally flinching when the news had about the reaction I expected.

“This isn’t a fucking discussion,” Alan bellowed as he stormed from his seat to stand next to me. “Get your shit together people or get the fuck out! I’d rather train a bunch of newbies than keep on with this crap. You’ve all gotten a bit too big for your britches and forgot how you came to us.”

I knew I should stop him, but I really just appreciated the backup.

He pointed to a few in particular. “You started here begging for a chance with your hat in your hand, tripping over yourself to help ASH and learn everything.

Now, years later after we put all this time and effort into you, you act too good for all of us.

Calling her ‘Auntie Ellie’ and pushing this toxic environment with your staff.

“It all ends, or so help me I will start talking to your leaders how much you’re embarrassing your species.

Ms. Reed is the only reason some of you are still here because she has too much patience and faith you can come back.

Most of the department heads don’t and want you problems gone.

I’d rather retrain another set. Hell, they listen better and don’t give me heartburn. ”

I wasn’t the only one who snickered at that. Alan always bitched that assholes gave him heartburn, but… Vampires didn’t get heartburn. It was just funny and his attitude.

He gave me a nod and took his seat again.

“The past is the past,” I told everyone.

“You don’t have to try and figure out everyone you’ve ever been with or—any new sexual encounters from the time you sign the addendum.

It’s all going to be on the record but confidential .

No exceptions. None.” I glanced around and locked eyes with Tommy before moving on. “No more locker room talk.

“No more rumors or hints. This is a job. Not the gym. Not poker night. It stops, and there won’t be slaps on the wrist. We’ve outlined the repercussions, and I suggest you not test us.

Some of you will, and I won’t be sad to see you go because if you don’t report a sexual encounter, it’s immediate termination. ”

Even Joyce was shocked at that one.

“The President of North America officially reprimanded the hospital for not following labor laws and caught wind of how toxic our facility is during the crisis we helped with,” I told them.

“No, I’m not kidding how severe the situation is and the punishments.

And you have under two weeks to get on board before it starts.

I suggest you pay attention better than you normally do. ”