Throughout Nurses Week, centered on the systemwide theme of “Stronger Together,” the Pennsylvania Hospital (PAH) community gathered for a series of wellness events, award ceremonies, and fun-filled activities, concluding the week with a hospital-wide Spring Fling. During this time, held May 6th through 12th, staff also welcomed new Chief Nursing Officer Melissa L. Zak, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, who enjoyed being able to join the hospital at a time of celebration for the nursing profession.
“It seems fitting that I am starting my first full week at [PAH] during this wonderful time of recognition,” said Zak. “I look forward to building on the great successes PAH has already achieved, thanks to its exceptional staff. This work is all about learning and growing together as a team.”
Read on for highlights from this year’s Nurses Week.
Welcoming Wellness
Employees gather for yoga in the PAH garden.
Photo Credit: Anthony Boyd, Relief Security Supervisor
Nurses Week kicked off with a spirit day–Wear Green for Mental Health Awareness Month. Throughout the week, staff engaged in chair massages, pet therapy events–meeting Norman the therapy dog, featured in What’s New–along with yoga in the PAH garden.
“We want all staff to take a moment for themselves, away from the bedside, in whatever form that looks like, whether that’s participating in yoga or holding a puppy,” said Emma Cotter, MSN, RN, LSSGB, Magnet® Program manager, and a coordinator of PAH Nurses Week.
“Awareness of the importance of bolstering wellness and mental health among our employees is a key focus of offerings during Nurses Week,” said Florrie Vanek, MSN, RN, NE-BC, director of Nursing Education, Professional Practice, and the Magnet Program, and a coordinator of PAH Nurses Week. “Everybody’s invited to participate in these activities. We can’t do what we do without all of the interprofessional teams who work alongside our nurses.”
A Sweet Celebration
PAH’s annual Nurses Week Breakfast
Photo Credit: Bryan Mell, Audio Video Technology Specialist
Staff were welcomed to the hospital on May 9th with a Nurses Week Breakfast in the Great Court, hosted by Daniel Feinberg, MD, PAH Chief Medical Officer, who supplied an array of pastries, parfaits, bagels, and fresh fruit.
To commemorate the end of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration on May 11, PAH employees gathered for ice cream as a token of appreciation for their commitment to care during the pandemic.
In addition, on May 11, staff received cupcakes for PAH’s birthday–celebrating 272 years as the nation’s oldest hospital!
Honoring Next-Level Nurses
Posters featuring nurses who began their careers at PAH were displayed throughout the hospital
Throughout the week, staff could spot their colleagues featured on posters in PAH’s halls, recognizing current nurses whose careers began at the hospital and have now served 20 to nearly 40 years at PAH. Cheryl Pringle, RN, pictured at right, has served as a nurse in the Mother Baby Unit for 33 years, following in the footsteps of her mother, who served in the same unit for more than 40 years.
As part of Penn Medicine’s Career Advancement and Recognition of Excellence (CARE) program, PAH Clinical Nurses gathered for a ceremony to honor their contributions to quality, safe patient care and professional achievements, granting them advancement to Clinical Nurse 3s and 4s in their practice.
Nursing leadership also delivered two DAISY awards–first introduced to the hospital last year. The DAISY Nurse Leader Award was presented to Nurse Manager Angela Ross, MSN, RN, OCN, for her exceptional guidance and support for colleagues on 5 Cathcart/Schiedt. The DAISY Team Award was granted to PAH’s Intensive Care Nursery, nominated for promoting a culture of teamwork and positivity among its team members, which is reflective in their consistently positive patient experiences and staff engagement.
Formerly known as the Relationship Based Care Awards, the Care, Lead, Innovate Awards recognized role models in nursing and interprofessional disciplines, nominated by their peers, who have enhanced practices and patient outcomes through their compassion and clinical knowledge. Congratulations to this year’s recipients!
Recipients of the 2023 Care, Lead, Innovate Awards
2023 Care, Lead, Innovate Award Winners
- Jenean Lane, PA-C, Physician Assistant in Urology
- Lisa McNamee, MSN, RN, PMHCNS-BC, Behavioral Health Clinical Nurse
- Frank Cundari, BSN, RN-BC, Critical Care/ICCU/ED Clinical Nurse
- Alicia Torpey, BSN, RN, Medical/Surgical Clinical Nurse
- Jennifer Polo, BSN, RN, OCN, Ambulatory/Infusion Clinical Nurse
- Monica De La Vega, BSN, RN, CPFN, Perioperative Clinical Nurse
- Adrienne Agnew, MPH, BSN, RN, CCRN, Perianesthesia/Procedural Clinical Nurse
- Danielle Henry, BSN, RN, Women’s Health Clinical Nurse
- Karen Ulmer, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, NPD-BC, Nurse Residency Coordinator
- Luz DelValle, TS-C, Operating Room Surgical Technologist
- Emergency Department Clinical Effectiveness Team
- Sam Kim, PT, DPT, and Andrew Mariani, PT, DPT, both Physical Therapists
- Dana Liu, MD, Emergency Department Physician
Spring Fling
As the culminating event of the week, the Spring Fling in the PAH garden included booths for staff to learn more about PAH’s Shared Governance councils, raffles and prizes, a final pet therapy offering, and prepared barbecue meals.
“Nurses Week captures the spirit of PAH,” said Cotter. “It brings me so much joy that we can recognize our staff and lift them up, and show them that they’re valued by PAH.”
“As a nurse, you may get caught up in day-to-day operations, but it’s nice to take a step back and see the impact you have on people’s lives,” said Vanek. “This week really serves as an opportunity to show our staff how much their work matters.”