A Day in the Life of a Facilities Project Manager

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Children's View

Christine Zadareky, project manager Christine Zadareky is a project manager in the Facilities Department. She oversees multiple projects from construction through occupancy across CHOP. This is a day in her life.

5 a.m.

Time to wake Emilia, her 4-month-old daughter, get her ready for daycare and pass her off to dad (also known as Mike).

6:23 a.m.

Showered, dressed, Cinnabon-flavored-coffee-fueled — with husband, daughter and 125-pound “puppy” Millie ready for the day — Zadareky heads from her Cherry Hill, N.J., home to CHOP.

6:50 a.m.

Boots up her computer, takes a quick look at emails and fixes a minor “fire drill.”

8:15 a.m.

Occupancy meeting. “All the people involved with the project get together to make sure we’re all on board, doing what we should.”

8:31 a.m.

Takes a labyrinth-like series of stairs and elevators down to an underground connector nicknamed the “bowling alley” to reach CHOP’s Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care, located on the Raymond G. Perelman Campus. “Project managers always take the back way.”

8:36 a.m.

Emerges at the back entrance of the new dialysis center. The next few days are especially important. She has been working for more than two years to help create a state-of-the-art space for CHOP patients. Today, she is in charge of making sure the area is perfect — first for her colleagues, then for tomorrow’s Department of Health final inspection.

8:39 a.m.

Straightens equipment, puts blood pressure cuffs into their rightful baskets and notices a room in need of an entertainment center. “There’s always something to make it just right for the patients.”

9:15 a.m.

Back to her desk and to emails. “There’s never just one project.” Hers include assisting with a custom software engagement, an office “touchdown” space expansion and installation of PET CT imaging equipment.

10:37 a.m.

Scans pre-construction risk-assessment (PCRA) documents. PRCAs outline each project to determine how it may impact patient care and how it can be conducted safely. “It’s the contractor’s ticket to do the work.”

11:26 a.m.

Back to the new dialysis center.

11:33 a.m.

Hangs temporary signs, checks to make sure all doors are set up for security access and, for a moment, takes in the bright, sunny morning overlooking Civic Center Boulevard. The Buerger Center is special to her: She helped occupy the floors, select the interior artwork and was part of the design and installation of the interactive patient waiting areas.

11:58 a.m.

Is joined by representatives from operations, environmental health and safety, supply chain, regulatory, information systems, pharmacy and more.

12:04 p.m.

Goes over the changes since the last walkthrough. Together, everyone checks a laundry list of things big and small: water tank size and capacity for the reverse osmosis system that powers the dialysis machines, door latches, cleaning supplies and patient protocol.

12:07 p.m.

As others join (the group swells to 20), readily answers questions and takes detailed notes on her cell phone.

12:39 p.m.

Satisfied, walkthrough participants disperse. Makes her way back through the “bowling alley.”

12:52 p.m.

Lunch at her desk: four raviolis followed by a handful of glazed pecans.

2 p.m.

Attends an executive-level “visioning session” for future clinical and faculty office space — a meeting filled with big ideas and sticky notes on the wall.

3:07 p.m.

Back to her desk to prep a consultant’s contract and begin addressing the dialysis inspection needs.

4:10 p.m.

Time to go. Drives to daycare to pick up Emilia.

5:15 p.m.

Home. Greeted by a happy, tail-wagging Millie.

7 p.m.

Dinner: chicken parm and brussels sprouts for mom and dad, carrots and pears for baby, followed by playtime until Emilia’s bedtime.

10:30 p.m.

Falls asleep. Ready for tomorrow.