Introducing FOGI_TJ Southern: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors.
Saul Marquez:
Hey Outcomes Rocket Gang! Welcome back to the podcast. Today is a very special day because I get to introduce you to an extraordinary person and an extraordinary leader in healthcare. Her name is TJ Southern. As a native of Gary, Indiana, TJ received her master’s degree in nursing informatics from Walden University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marian University, and a Project Management Professional Certification. She currently practices as an independent project manager/nurse informaticist consultant for various hospitals nationwide. TJ has a vast background in maternal and child and women’s health nursing, nursing informatics, and nursing education, having taught in several different nursing programs nationwide. She’s also worked for several different major organizations, such as Community Hospital, IU Health, Anthem, Ascension Health, and more. She’s a nurse, an educator, a mentor, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Indiana Nursing Academy, Indy Black Nurses, Beryllus Consulting and Staffing, Southern Girl Skincare, and Informatics Preceptors. She’s got a lot on her plate.
TJ Southern:
I do. I do.
Saul Marquez:
Yes, you do, and her motto is, Serve with a spirit of excellence. And with that spirit of excellence, I want to introduce you guys to TJ because she is going to be the host of a new podcast that we’re launching on the Outcomes Rocket called The Future of Global Informatics. TJ, I’m so excited, welcome, welcome.
TJ Southern:
Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I do have a long laundry list of things. And let me first start by saying that I am honored to be here. I am honored to have been chosen or sought out by you, actually. And I’m glad that I took the leap into this, you know, this arena. I would have never thought in a million years that I would have hosted a podcast, but hey, here I am. Somebody’s got to do it.
Saul Marquez:
Amen, amen. Well, I’m so glad that you accepted the invite and the call to action, TJ, because this area of nursing and in particular nursing informatics needs help. And so talk to us a little bit about the vision that you have for nursing informatics and the future of global informatics.
TJ Southern:
So this idea you kind of got birthed out of the fact of, I had been to several conferences and I’ve been a nurse informaticist for about 15 years and I have constantly had to explain to individuals what it is I do, who I am, my discipline as a nurse informaticist, and I was at … and I got asked by another person and yourself if I had a podcast, and I said, that actually could be a way to get the word out to people that we are a discipline as informaticists, as healthcare informaticists, nurse informaticists, and that we are here. We’re making strides. We’re making waves. We’re supporting healthcare at its finest. And so that’s why I took the lead. Just for everyone to know that we’re here, we are a vital part to supporting patient health outcomes, vital part, a key part to that interdisciplinary care, that interdisciplinary will, and so that’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m here. That is my vision to make sure that everyone knows.
Saul Marquez:
I love it, and TJ, we’re so thrilled to have you be part of the outcomes. Rocket, and so the future of Global Informatics. Talk to us about what the listeners should expect.
TJ Southern:
So what you will find in listening to our podcast is you will find out first what informatics is not just nursing informatics, right? Because informatics as a whole is a new concept, even though it has been something that has been around since the 60s as one of my guests so clearly states. It is still something that a lot of individuals in our field don’t really know about. So first you will, first and foremost, you will know what informatics is about. There are other disciplines as it relates to informatics, nursing, provider, pharmacy, just to name a few. So we will be interviewing all those types of guests as well as, individuals, always ask me, Why have you been in this field for so long? How have you worked for so long? So you will find that people in this field work in all different types of arena. They work in healthcare, they work in insurance, they work in policy, they work in research. So you, we will take you on a journey so that you can see all of those particular areas in which those people work in and what it is that they do. But the most important thing is all of these individuals will come together to give us wisdom on informatics, on how it impacts healthcare, and how, if you are interested in coming into this arena, you can get here. You can get here.
Saul Marquez:
I love that, that is so great. And so informatics will be the umbrella, but, you know, at heart, you love nursing informatics and you want to spread the word there. Tell us about that best-kept secret of nursing informatics.
TJ Southern:
I do. Let me tell you, I’ve been a nurse Informaticist now for 15 years.
Saul Marquez:
And your mom was one, too, right?
TJ Southern:
Yes, I am second-generation, my mother was one. She’s actually on one of our episodes. So you guys look at that little sneak peek and it is, it’s one of the best-kept secrets in healthcare. And we are starting to be flooded with a lot of those nurses that kind of got PTSD from COVID, from everything that happened in COVID, and now they’re looking for new avenues or new disciplines to work in because they love nursing and they don’t want to leave it. So we’re having to introduce informatics to a whole new generation of nurses. And so it’s about education, right? Because we want to make sure that we educate our nurses that are currently in this field as well. And it’s also about each-one-teach-one, about passing the baton. We want to make sure that we have, because we currently have a lot of nurse informaticists that are in school right now and we want to make sure that we get the mentorship, get them hooked up with the right nurse informaticists that are currently in the field that can give them a sneak peek, right, of what is happening. And also for our nurse informaticists that are currently in the field to come together to be on one accord. So those are the threads or the weaves that we weave together in this podcast.
Saul Marquez:
I love it, and you know, folks, the thing that I love about TJ is that she is such a well-rounded leader. You know, she’s an entrepreneur, she’s a nurse, she’s an informaticist. And with that, she’s got a huge network that she’s tapping to invite to our podcast to teach you and to guide you on this theme of informatics because it is here to stay and now it’s official. I’m excited about it. TJ, how often are you going to be podcasting and when are your shows going to come out so that people know what to expect and when to tune in?
TJ Southern:
So we are on every Wednesday. Our podcasts are probably about 30 minutes long. We are on every Wednesday, and we are on every Wednesday until the people say, We don’t need you anymore.
Saul Marquez:
Listen, I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think you guys are going to be cranking out some really good content and we’re extremely privileged to have you be with us, TJ, so I want to say thank you for that. Listeners, consider this the official handoff. You will be hearing from TJ as the host of the Future of Global Informatics on the Outcomes Rocket and so really, really excited to showcase this amazing podcast for you. TJ any closing thoughts for the listeners before we have the next one be with you on the helm.
TJ Southern:
Sure, informatics is the wave of healthcare technology, and if you want to be in the know with that wave, then listen, stay tuned in. We got a lot of treats for you. We got a lot of nuggets for you. And of course, we will always have some jokes and some laughs as well. Saul, see y’all later.
Saul Marquez:
Love it, see you guys soon. TJ, thank you so much for being part of our team.
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