Page 21 - Healthcare News May/June 2022

Compassionate
Care for All
Pioneer Valley
Compassionate Care for All
An Independent Non-Profit Hospice Program
Providing expert end-of-life care to address patients physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs as well as the needs of their loved ones.
To learn more about us and our upcoming fundraisers, grief groups, and to join our mailing list, visit www.fisherhome.org.
on-profit hospice program
A unique hospice model in the
A unique hospice model in the Pioneer Valley
ife care to address patients physical, social,
Call Today! 413-549-0115
An independent non-profit hos
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Baystate and Mercy have partnerships with col- leges in the region whereby nurses are able to join an internship program, known as clinicals, and can have a paid position with the facility.
“It’s a great opportunity to be exposed to nursing from an ancillary level with some infusion of higher level of learning from a registered nurse’s perspective,” said Chevalier. “It’s a great way for us to pick from the
she explained. “They do this outside of their clinical practicum. In their junior or senior year of college, a student is able to get a job at the local hospital, prac- ticing and learning since we know they’re in a nursing program; we show them the ropes a little bit more. It’s a great experience for a nursing student.”
Meanwhile, hospitals are taking steps to improve the overall experience for nurses, through initiatives
that Baystate has created eight quiet rooms for its nursing staff. “In order to identify and address stress, we’re creating an environment where we can openly share and discuss these feelings. It is very important to be able to do that. We’re working to promote and include self-care in their everyday lives.”
Space and quiet aren’t the only way hospitals in the area are making their nursing staff feel appreciated. Facilities are raising the bar when it comes to ongoing work to keep their nurses motivated and wanting to work.
“It’s a struggle to find fun things to do to keep people engaged and excited and interested that don’t tax our resources,” said Chevalier, adding that Mercy continues to look for ways to support its nurses.
Care Package
Facilities also offer smaller incentives such as food truck events, family and friend picnics, and an extra week of vacation to help nurses relax.
Mercy Medical Center has come up with the ‘comfort cart’ — the executive team travels the entire hospital with a car filled with snacks and “trinkets of appreciation,” said Chevalier.
A popular favorite at area hospitals has been meals and appreciation picnics with the families. Hatiras said his staff’s most popular pick is Chick-Fil-A meals.
Taking such steps is just one way hospitals are addressing a problem that began well before the pan- demic but has been put into new perspective by what are challenging and truly unprecedented times. u
“Some people don’t mind traveling and bouncing around from facility to facility and seeing the country. Because of the shortage, the amount of money these agencies were offering nurses to do that was incredibly high, so more nurses left regular full-time jobs to do that. It’s a supply-and-demand issue.”
best of the best that’s out there and really make sure they’re not just an academic good fit, but a cultural good fit.”
Miller told HCN that one step taken at Baystate
was to hire 39 student nurses from a Student Nurse Association Program (SNAP) to help further their learning at Baystate Medical Center. The program provides experience for the student nurses and intro- duces them to Baystate — and the job opportunities there. “They’re not nurses yet, but they’re in college,”
like quiet rooms, or what Mercy calls ‘zen rooms.’ Quiet rooms are specifically designed to have
minimal noise, allowing nurses a welcome break from the stress of an average day. Nurses are encouraged to practice breathing techniques, meditate, and decom- press while in these rooms. Most rooms even include a massage chair and minimal-interaction videos.
“We’re investing in and learning more about the antidote to fatigue and burnout — that is the ability for our nurses to become resilient,” said Miller, noting
mailing list visit https://www fisherhome org/
Providing expert end-of-life care to address patients ph
1165 N. Pleasant St.
413-549-0115 ones.
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