It’s difficult to find a silver lining in the midst of a global pandemic that requires daily sacrifices, resilience, and courage. But a glimmer of hope in a bleak time shines in Pennsylvania Hospital’s extraordinary employees and their compassion, professionalism, and unity.
Staff across every department and unit have gone above and beyond every day to ensure operations continue to run smoothly despite COVID-related challenges — from the clinicians working around the clock on the front lines, to the Food & Nutrition team members ensuring staff stay fueled for the fight, to the lab professionals testing specimens, and every essential health care worker in between.
Some employees have even taken on new responsibilities outside of their typical jobs, such as the Perioperative nurses, surgical technicians, and medical assistants performing thermal screenings at hospital entrances, while others have even been redeployed to support the health system’s evolving needs, like pharmacy technician Valbona Tartari, CPhT, and pharmacists Amanda Ridley, PharmD, and Shadaria Shuler, PharmD, who are preparing compounded sterile products to support Penn Home Infusion as they treat more patients outside of the hospital.
“If you think about the culture of Pennsy and our long history of being the first to step up in a time of crisis — responding to the 1918 influenza pandemic, for example, or caring for soldiers during the American Revolution and Civil War and sending physicians and nurses to provide medical support during both World Wars — this is yet another example of our employees’ heroism,” said Chief Human Resources Officer Christine Tierney, RN, MSN, SPHR. “It has been inspiring to see everyone jump into action without hesitation to serve our community.”
But while there has been a lot of talk on social media and in the news about health care professionals being heroes, PAH leaders understand that these words are empty unless the selfless staff who are putting their own safety at risk receive the support they need. PAH’s Healthcare Heroes campaign, spearheaded by Debi Ferrarello, MSN, MS, RN, IBCLC, NE-BC, director of Parent Education/Lactation and interim director of Program Development for the Women’s Health Service Line, aims to do just that.
“This is such a stressful time. Some people have a family member who lost their job, some are directly caring for severely ill patients, and some are trying to homeschool their kids. And many of the things that they used to do to cope, they can’t do anymore,” Ferrarello said. “For me, it helps be a part of the healing, so I’ve focused on finding ways to meet the tangible and emotional needs of our staff.”
To boost morale and demonstrate that every employee is valued and appreciated, clinical and non-clinical staff have been invited to stop by the Healthcare Heroes selfie station and share why they “put on their capes” each day. The photos are posted to the ever-growing, wildly colorful Pennsy Pride & Gratitude Board, which also has a section for cards, drawings, and other tokens of thanks from the community. Wellness resources like virtual support groups and mindfulness sessions are also posted to the board, as well as on the regularly updated Care for the Care Provider intranet site.
Ferrarello also partnered with Patty Inacker, DSW, MBA, administrator of the Behavioral Health Service Line, and Carolyn Tobin, director of Food & Nutrition and Environmental Services, to establish the Healthcare Heroes’ Pennsy Pantry. The pantry aims to relieve stress in an overwhelming time for staff whose families are suffering financial hardships as a result of the pandemic and are struggling to put food on the table. Employees can place non-perishable foods and gift cards in the donation bins across PAH’s campus, which Tobin’s team then deliver to Hall-Mercer Community Mental Health Center. Inacker and her team wipe down each item and bag the donations, aiming to include a breakfast, lunch, and dinner in each, and regularly restock.
“On the first day, 113 employees in need picked up groceries,” Inacker said. “There are a lot of wonderful organizations and restaurants donating food, but the pantry truly is a ‘Pennsy for Pennsy’ effort.”
The pantry has received an outpouring of support, and Ferrarello, Inacker, and Tobin all have been overcome by the kindness of their peers. Interventional cardiology nurse Brian Degnan, RN, took the spirit of giving up a notch when he pledged to match his coworkers’ donations dollar for dollar. When they collected $900 in less than 24 hours, Degnan kept his promise and shopped for a whopping $1,800 worth of groceries for his colleagues and their families. The Intensive Care Nursery team followed his example and collected $1,200, and many other individuals throughout the hospital have been similarly generous.
While the pandemic has introduced so much uncertainty, as the weeks wear on, it is clear that the Healthcare Heroes campaign will not only honor the masked medical mavens valiantly saving patients, but it will also continue to inspire acts of everyday heroism among members of the PAH community.