It was one of my first times behind the wheel. With my driving instructor at my side and my mother in the back, I slowly turned the vehicle onto a side street of our small town.

“Watch out!” my mother hollered. Oblivious to my surroundings, I nearly missed a biker approaching from the opposite direction.

Later that afternoon, my mother and I attended a doctor’s appointment, and a staff member approached us in the office.

“A little scared earlier today, Linda?” the woman asked my mother. “I saw your hands covering your face.”

“Huh?” my mother questioned, confused.

Chuckling, the woman explained, “I was the biker that Kristen almost hit.”

While this story, several years later, continues to brings laughter between my mother and me, it also paints a great illustration of what new associates encounter as they join our work team. They can be overwhelmed with the entire hospital environment, finding general locations, such as the bathroom and cafeteria, remembering their fellow colleagues’ names, etc. Meanwhile, they also encounter learning various unit-specific policies and procedures, completing certain administrative tasks, and responding to orders in a timely-fashion.

What do you recall about your first few weeks of working in this environment? What were your most difficult challenges? May these memories assist us in offering a smooth transition for our new colleagues. Let us journey alongside them in helping them notice the “biker” that may be approaching them, being their guide, not their critic.