Pennsy Pride Week is always an exciting time at Pennsylvania Hospital. Organized by the department of Nursing and held in February, the week offers a chance for the hospital’s tireless nursing staff to celebrate their colleagues’ achievements, reflect on the challenging but fulfilling work they do each day, and most importantly, take a well-deserved break.
The festivities kicked off with a Super Bowl viewing party, and each day offered a new way for the nursing team to enjoy a moment of relaxation. A “wellness wagon” visited each unit and offered five chances to win a Fitbit, an ice cream social brought colleagues together for a breather and a tasty treat, and the rest of the hospital’s staff were invited to join in on the fun by enjoying lunchtime yoga and massage sessions. Though the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, had not made its way to the Philadelphia area yet, an ironically well-timed and very interesting Interprofessional Grand Rounds session presented by the Mütter Museum’s Robert D. Hicks, PhD, discussed the impact of the 1918 influenza pandemic on Philadelphia and the implications of a disease outbreak occurring in a major city.
The week also helped the nursing teams on each unit gear up for Magnet redesignation. In 2016, PAH was among only nine percent of hospitals nationwide to be recognized by the Magnet Recognition Program®. In order to maintain this gold-standard designation, the hospital must reapply every four years. To highlight the ways in which PAH is “Feeling the Pull of Excellence” and to answer any questions about the road to redesignation, Magnet Fairs were held for both day- and night-shift staff. Plus, a scavenger hunt was set up with an iPad, AirPods, and Girl Scout cookies up for grabs as prizes.
Nursing teams were also encouraged to get creative and share their acting, dancing, and singing talents as they showcased their units’ latest achievements. Professional Practice Implementation Consultant Emma M. Cotter, MSN, RN-BC noted that a member of the judging panel who serves on the Patient and Family Advisory Council couldn’t stop talking about the impressive camaraderie and teamwork that was evident in every entry. The submissions were shared during the 6th Annual Pennsy Pride Pep Rally, and Chief Nursing Officer Elizabeth Craig, DNP, RN, FACHE, presented the winners with a celebratory certificate the following day during leadership rounds.
The top prize went to the Critical Care team, which created a montage of video clips and photos set to “You Will Be Found” from Dear Evan Hansen. The song seemed to promise patients, “when you don’t feel strong enough to stand, you can reach, reach out your hand, and someone will come running,” and the video highlighted the team’s major successes. In the past year alone, the Critical Care team has worked to reduce falls by 60 percent, central line bloodstream infections by 80 percent, and catheter associated urinary tract infections by 83 percent. PAH’s mortality has also dropped 39 percent with the introduction of proactive rapid response nursing rounds and consultations. Additional congratulations were in order for the Infusion Center team for nabbing the overall runner-up spot with their superhero video.
Two teams also received awards for their creativity. Singing, “Who you gonna call? 6 Cathcart!” the cardiology nursing team created a Ghostbusters themed video highlighting their efforts to “bust” heart failure. 5 Cathcart/Schiedt also made a PowerPoint detailing the strong connections that have formed on the unit, the ways they give back to the community, and their commitment to “standing strong, standing together.”
“It can be hard to properly recognize each other in the busy day-to-day, but this week gave us an opportunity to show our appreciation for each other with a variety of stress-relieving self-care activities,” Cotter said. “The name really says it all; this week is all about showing our pride in our colleagues, our pride in our work, and the pride we take in living up to our mission.”