A patient room gets the “bloom room” touch of a hand-signed card, electronic candle, and decorative fabric petals
A patient at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC) returned to her room after a procedure and was delighted to discover the personal touches added while she was gone. Cheerful artificial flowers and strings of fairy lights had been placed in the room, along with miniature, battery-powered candles that gave off a comforting glow. There was also a get-well card signed by members of the Environmental Services (EVS) team.
In April, EVS attendants assigned to units on Cupp 3, 4, and 5 started creating these “bloom rooms” to lift patients’ spirits – an initiative conceived by Nina Roulac, the patient experience operations manager for EVS and Distribution (which transports patients and linens) on these floors. Recently, her EVS team also created “just breathe” spaces in the nurses’ restrooms, placing electronic candles and positive affirmations where the nurses can see them on breaks.
Nina Roulac, a patient experience operations manager for Environmental Services and Distribution at PPMC
“Our bathroom is awesome. It is calming and reminds us to take a minute. We are so appreciative of the department thinking of us,” said Kathryn Opsasnick, MSN, RN, PCCN-K, a nurse manager on Cupp 3 South, of the “just breathe” room on her unit.
Roulac says the gestures have not only been appreciated by patients, family members, and nurses, but they’ve also brought recognition within the hospital for a team that’s sometimes overlooked.
Roulac was inspired by a thoughtful gesture she received years ago, when her aunt was receiving care for a terminal illness in another hospital. A patient experience manager stopped by to give Roulac a blanket for her aunt, telling her she could keep it as a remembrance after her aunt passed away. Roulac was working in finance at the time but was so moved by her experience, she later changed careers, pursuing a similar position in patient experience management.
“I still have that blanket. It’s a reminder of the type of encounter I want to have when I walk into a patient room,” she said.
This Is Us
Roulac, who has worked at PPMC as part of Sodexo (a food and facilities management company) for just under two years, has a passion for people and has always gravitated to customer service roles. She credits her mother for consistently instilling in her a belief that there was nothing she couldn’t do.
Roulac promotes open communication within her teams and isn’t hesitant to take what she calls “a corny approach.” Instead of meetings, she holds “This Is Us” sessions, where attendees are encouraged to share what’s on their minds. They also know there’s no task they perform that she’s unwilling to do alongside them, from pushing a cart to cleaning a toilet.
“I want to make sure I’m not just a leader who tells people what to do. Truly loving people – that’s what a leader does. So I just lead with love every single day,” she said.
Every day, our Penn Medicine colleagues are making a difference in the lives of patients, families, and one another. From Information Services to Environmental Services and all roles in between, every staff member plays a part in delivering the best possible Penn Medicine Experience.
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