October 2005
 Sheppard Pratt Employees Enjoy Boost from Morale Teams
Ernestine Cosby, R.N., inpatient unit director at Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital in Baltimore, was looking for a way to recognize outstanding contributions to patient care. She noticed that the annual hospital-wide recognition ceremony was a real morale booster. From that, the idea to implement “Morale Teams” was born.
"I decided it would be nice to do something like that on a smaller scale, with more frequency so that staff would get that type of recognition. Given the kind of work that we do, you're constantly giving to your patients and clients, so it's very helpful to have some of that giving coming back the other way to the staff," Cosby said.
The morale teams meet once a month, where upcoming events are discussed and responsibilities are assigned to each team, including purchasing and preparing food for the activity, setting up for the activity, cleaning up after the activity, and decorating for the activity. Ideas not only come from the meetings, but Sheppard Pratt has also implemented morale boxes where anyone can write a positive acknowledgement about a co-worker.
The morale teams try to
plan an event once every
three months, often coinciding
with the different seasons
or holidays. During the
Valentine’s Day celebration,
chocolate lovers indulge
in all kinds of chocolate,
including cake, chocolate
covered strawberries, and
brownies. Employees can
enjoy an indoor picnic,
complete with fried chicken,
hot dogs, and hamburgers
during the summer months,
as well as ice cream socials.
Night-shift workers are
pampered with a sit-down
breakfast of eggs, french
toast, bacon, and sausage.
"People really look forward to the time spent socializing and eating with their co-workers," says Annette McGann, mental health worker and morale team member. McGann feels that the program has been very effective in boosting morale throughout the hospital because it shows that people are willing to go the extra mile to make everyone happy.
A survey, taken two years after the program started, showed that employees were pleased. Suggestions also emerged from the survey, including a request for a cultural diversity day to recognize workers from different cultural backgrounds.
"That was a big success. Folks made food that was culturally related, we had various types of art and other kinds of things that folks contributed and wanted to be on display during that time," said Cosby.
Since the program’s inception, it has expanded into other units throughout Sheppard Pratt. Representatives from those units are invited to morale team meetings to share ideas.
Of course, endeavors such as the morale teams do cost money. Sheppard Pratt provides a budget to allow the morale teams to plan their activities, but Cosby and a few physicians also contribute money towards the holiday party.
"The goal for me was to keep alive [the fact] that there’s a lot of positive things that folks do on a daily basis," Cosby said.
Contact:
Ernestine Cosby, R.N.
Inpatient Unit Directo
Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital
410-938-4742
(Back to the top)
 Garrett County Memorial Sub-Acute Unit Hosts AHEC Students
Reprinted with the permission of the Cumberland Times-News. Originally printed - Wednesday, June 29, 2005
According to the Western Maryland AHEC Web site, its mission "is to improve access
to and promote quality in health care through educational partnerships with centers of
higher education, community health professionals, and other vital supporters and
advocates."
As part of the Geriatric Assessment of Interdisciplinary Team (GAIT) program, seven
students - in health professional fields ranging from pharmacy to occupational therapy to
social work - and their coordinator, Terri Socha, spent the day with Sara Burdette, Social
Work Services, Jim Cuppett, administrator of Sub-acute; Debbie Hawk, nurse manager
of sub-acute; Dr. Margaret Kaiser and Lance Rhodes, director of pharmacy.
The GAIT program is funded by a University System of Maryland Redeployment Grant
to the Geriatrics and Gerontology Education and Research program at the University of
Maryland, Baltimore. The project is an opportunity for students to experience rural
healthcare first hand through clinical training, including: the principles of interdisciplinary care, health care team skills, interdisciplinary geriatric assessment of host site clients, presentation and discussion of student team care plans, and interdisciplinary geriatric assessment.
The GAIT projects provide geriatric team training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in health professional fields at: Frostburg State University, Salisbury University, Towson University, University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. For their initial trip, students were from University of Maryland, Baltimore, Towson University and Frostburg State University.
Contact:
Bethany
Browning,
Education Coordinator
(301) 533-4318
OR
Terri Socha
AHEC
(301) 777-9150, Ext. 107
(Back to the top)
 Washington County Health System Skin Snoopers Class Enhances Nursing Assistant Role and Improves Morale
When the Washington County Health System (WCHS) participated in a national study in 2003, Program Manager Ann Roney found that the prevalence rate for pressure ulcers had risen quite dramatically from previous years. Concerned for the health and welfare of patients at the Hagerstown hospital, Roney developed the “Skin Snooper Specialist” course, designed to train nursing assistants on how to prevent, identify, and treat pressure ulcers. She knew that if nursing assistants were taught what to look for, the problem would be greatly reduced. An added bonus to the program is that it has enhanced the role of nursing assistants while improving morale.
“The nursing assistants are so important in providing care to our patients; they are at the patient’s bedside, day in and day out. They’re the ones that are actually doing a tremendous amount of hands-on care,” said Roney.
Since its inception two years ago, instructors of the Skin Snoopers class have educated at least 150 nursing assistants, and although the course is specifically designed for nursing assistants, other health care providers at the hospital have attended. The class is generally held five times each year.
“It improved my morale just knowing I have the capability to take care of someone with that kind of problem, or even to prevent something from happening,” said Shelly Brechbill--a WCHS nursing assistant who participates in the program.
The full-day program includes lessons on the basic functions of the skin, as well as the process of the skin breakdown when pressure is applied. The course also delves deeply into preventive measures, procedures, and products used to treat the condition.
A hospital dietician teaches the nursing assistants the importance of good nutrition in helping to prevent and heal skin breakdown. A dietician brings food and supplements used to heal pressure ulcers to the course, so the nursing assistants know exactly what the patients are receiving, and how it will help them heal. The course also teaches the nursing assistant hands-on exercises, and trains them on how to position a patient. Specific scenarios are given to the students so they know how to apply the education they have received.
Brechbill thinks that this course provides a wealth of information that, unless you’re given the opportunity to experience, “I don’t think you would grasp the importance of each aspect of the situation,” she said. Brechbill
also mentioned that knowing the
specifics of how to treat pressure
ulcers helps nursing assistants
explain to patients why they
should take certain supplements
their physicians have prescribed.
“It really helps when you can encourage [the patients] when they realize what will help heal the wound,” said Brechbill.
Contact:
Ann Roney
Program Manager, Wound/Ostomy
Services
Washington County Health System
301-790-8000
(Back to the top) |
