10. Visitors.  How wonderful to work in a hospital that has visitors. Near our main entrance is a lightpole that looks messy because so many orange gum-label visitor's badges have been stuck on it as people pass it on the way to the parking lot. When I heard a co-worker fussing about that, I told her very honestly that the flagpole gives me joy every time I see it. Because I worked at State Hospital for 12 years where visitors were so scarce, I see that visible symbol of family presence as beautiful. I am happy for our patients that there are so many visitors. Each visitor signifies social networks and social support. Having visitors usually means better outcomes.

9. Residents, interns, and students.They keep us fresh. Plus I like the Friday case conferences and other staff inservices that come along with having students. Also I am getting near enough to retirement to feel real commitment about equipping someone to follow in my steps so I can pass the torch.

8. Beautiful setting.Bryan doesn't look like a hospital. It looks like a lovely Hilton Head-style retreat. The first time I drove up here hunting the place, I thought I had made a mistake --surely this wasn't a hospital! But it is no mistake for a therapeutic place to be so beautiful and to incorporate nature into healing. Bryan is rural, set in woodlands beside a lake. We have a flock of mascot geese who waddle around the hospital grounds, and we have a nice shady Fitness Trail that I enjoy using on my lunch hour.

7. Beautiful buildings. This matters. What a pleasant difference it is to work in a building that doesn't look like a dungeon, with decor that doesn't look like a tiled bathroom! Bryan is, quite simply, gorgeous. The high roofs that allow so much airy space, skillful use of natural textured building materials, numerous full-length windows that fill the buildings with light, the well-planned green spaces and garden spots are visionary architecture at its best! Furthermore, everything here is kept so clean. When Bryan was planned, it was designed as a village, in order to continue the "rhythms of daily life". It succeeds. I love working in lovely designed spaces and structures that are functional and visionary works of art.

6. Good employee benefits package.Money is not my primary motivator. I could make more money doing something else. Nevertheless, reality is that I do have to earn a living. I have to be able to pay my bills. The health and dental insurance here has been solid for me and for my children. The retirement plan and 401K are also solid. It is good to know that Workman's Compensation is there if I need it. The hospital personnel representative has always been very helpful when I needed to use, modify or better understand my benefits. And I've saved the best to mention last-- as a long-time career employee I now earn six weeks (!!!) annual leave per year. The sick time and holiday time policy is excellent, but the annual leave policy (vacation time) is more than excellent: it is unbelievably good.

5. Wonderful volunteers. I love our volunteers. They fill this place with sunshine. There is Mr. Bridges, a kind gentleman in his 80's, who drives around Bryan in a golf cart daily delivering donated clothes to indigent patients and donated donuts as a treat for everyone once per week. We celebrate his birthday with him each November. Mr. Bridges was named "BPH Outstanding Volunteer for 1999". Then there's Harry Bauknight, the volunteer chaplain who was "BPH Outstanding Volunteer for 1998". Harry preaches Sunday services at the hospital twice per month, plus does Spiritual Awareness Groups on the lodges on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Twice I've attended memorial services for staff members who've died, that were preached by Harry. He is a good shepherd in our midst. Our good news is that the list of wonderful volunteers is so long that I can't list them all; but what a difference they make here! What an energy source!

4. Good leadership.Bryan's leadership is a Management Team. This team has produced very good internal communications. They are very approachable and openly solicit, welcome, and use suggestions from every source. They are genuinely committed to team problem-solving, appointing "Performance Improvement teams" of those involved to brainstorm and develop recommendations for ways to improve. It is a pleasure to come to work where admirable, caring leaders who have good values are in charge and where those leaders appreciate staff contributions.

3. Some inspiring co-workers.I could have easily put this as #1 because the members of the work teams here make this a good place. The "people environment" at Bryan is awesome. Some of the finest people you could ever hope to meet work here --role models whose examples make me a better person. Click here to visit Bryan's Employee Recognition Archives.

2. Public service.This matters to me. Public service is a noble calling. We provide best-possible services to everyone needing psychiatric hospital-level-care, regardless of their ability to pay. (No "snake-pit" public hospitals ever again! It could be me or my loved one on the locked ward.)

--And the number one thing I like about Bryan is--

1. Our patients get better and return home!We help people. The best thing about my job is working with patients and their families, making a positive difference. A career in public mental health services is fulfilling, worthwhile work.