Well-being Initiatives
Leadership recognized the significant needs of individual Colleagues both personally and professionally during the past two years. By rounding, leaders intentionally met with nurses and Colleagues to provide personal support. Human Resources collaborated with New Avenues employee assistance program to make individual counseling resources available to Colleagues. Two new programs were launched to address the wellness needs of Colleagues: Heroes Health Initiative and REST groups.
Heroes Health Initiative
Heroes Health is a mental health self-check app that was designed by UNC School of Medicine. The initiative’s prime objective is to provide all Colleagues who work in healthcare, (both direct caregivers and nonclinical Colleagues) with a way to assess their emotional wellbeing and to connect them to resources to help. This is done via an easy-to-use phone app where the Colleague answers a series of questions designed to assess their emotional wellbeing once a week.
The wellness surveys screen for the following:
- Depressive symptoms
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Suicidal ideation
As part of the app registration, participants consented to be part of the initiative and chose the level of confidentiality to maintain.
- Participants who consented to share data could be contacted confidentiality by a Goshen Health outreach team member who offered support and resources
- Participants who did not consent to share data would only be contacted if their survey results indicated they may be in danger of self-harm
Goshen Health’s Outreach Team consisted of Brent Lively, Wellbeing Coordinator, and Donnie Johnson, Supervisor of Spiritual Care/Interpreters as well as Goshen Health Social workers. This team was responsible to respond with support and resources to Colleagues who present with needs as assessed by the app. High risk consenting individuals received a follow up call from the Outreach team within 24 hours.
The program provided weekly group level aggregate reports that were unique to each department. However, data was presented without identifiers to maintain confidentiality. This allowed Goshen Health to respond knowledgeably to the needs of Colleagues.
The application was adopted by 67 Colleagues who used it to self-reflect on their own well-being. Chaplains and counselors also regularly reached out to Colleagues who identified acute stress and were able to offer support.
REST Groups
The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) developed Resilience and Emotional Support Teams (REST) to provide support and build resilience among first responders in response to the pandemic. These groups were launched at Goshen Health and were deeply impactful.
“At first I was hesitant to give up 30 minutes, but after participating in the REST group I found it was a highlight of my week and I looked forward to seeing everyone each time.” Donnie Johnson
“Meeting with peers has strengthened relationships and provided additional support in times of stress. As we share our challenges, successes, how we are caring for ourselves and supporting others, we build resilience and recognize that we are not alone”. Erica Prough
Benefits of REST groups include connecting with peers, fostering emotional well-being, building resilience, and focusing on self-care. Participation is voluntary and confidential. REST groups met in 30-minute small group sessions once a week for 6 weeks and many continued on-going. The sessions were held on Zoom to accommodate different locations and allow groups to meet safely regardless of conditions.
These groups were expanded to all Colleagues in 2022 and have continued to be a source of support for those who participate.
Influence in the Community
Transformation leadership was on display by a clinical nurse who bravely told her story to the community. During the COVID-19 patient surge in the fall of 2020, Julie Jacobsen, clinical nurse in ICU, engaged in press interviews and community conversations with local leaders. As a graduate student in IU School of Nursing, she was supported by her experienced faculty in preparing to speak publicly. The initial virtual event was hosted by Elkhart County officials and leaders called “Candid COVID Conversations”, intended to personally tell the local story of the impact of COVID-19 on the hospitals in Elkhart County. Julie discussed the impact of COVID on the ICU nurses and their patients and families. “In my experience as an ICU nurse for 22 years, I have never seen one disease infiltrate an ICU like COVID-19 has,” she told WNDU, the NBC affiliate in South Bend, Indiana. The event was broadcast for the whole community and made a significant contribution toward helping individuals grasp the seriousness of what was happening inside the walls of the hospitals.
“I grew up in Quito, Ecuador, in South America, and there, I saw missionary nurses and doctors give their lives to help fight disease and cure illness,” says Julie. “They taught me how to love, show compassion and serve humanity. Through their example, I developed my personal nursing values of dignity, respect, compassion, and excellence in all that I do.” As the months went on, Julie found herself continuing to speak out in support of masking and vaccines. She also provided Spanish-speaking accounts of the scenes unfolding daily in her ICU to the Latino community. Julie Jacobsen used her voice to tell the stories of Goshen’s nurses and their passion for their patients, demonstrating that she is a transformational leader.
Transformational Nursing Leadership
Julie Crossley, CNO, led a restructure of nursing leadership to support excellent clinical practice and healthy work environments. Julie took the time to hear the concerns of the bedside nurses, current nursing leaders, her peers, and other administrative leaders. She investigated organizational models for opportunities to advance nursing leadership. The new leadership structure was initiated in early 2020 as nine new nurse managers were welcomed into their new roles. The nurse manager role is focused on supporting clinical Colleagues in their daily operations, which proved invaluable through the last two tumultuous years.
DAISY Award and Gardener Award
Goshen Health launched two new recognition programs in 2021, the DAISY Award and the Gardener Award. These recognition programs honor and celebrate the skillful, compassionate care and support our Colleagues provide every day. The two new recognition programs were implemented to complement two already established Goshen Health recognition programs: Colleague of the Month and the MACademy Awards. The DAISY and Gardner Award programs are unique in that the nominations come exclusively from patients, family, or community members.
The DAISY Award was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died from complications of ITP (an auto-immune disease) in 1999. During his hospitalization, they deeply appreciated not only the immense clinical skill, but also the enormous compassion shown to Pat and his family by his nurses. When Pat died, they felt compelled to say, "thank you!" to nurses in a very personal way. This award honors the compassion and care nurses provide their patients every day. Click here to learn more about the DAISY Award.
The Gardener Award was developed to recognize non-nursing Colleagues for supporting and facilitating exemplary service or care. These Colleagues have a positive attitude, demonstrate professionalism, and exemplify the mission and values of Goshen Health every day.
Displays were placed throughout the organization and on our website so that patients, families, and community members can nominate an outstanding Colleague. Nominations for the DAISY and Gardener awards are reviewed quarterly, and winners are selected by the DAISY & Gardener Committee, which includes representation from clinical and non-clinical Colleagues across Goshen Health. The awards provide new ways to honor our dedicated Colleagues (non-directors/ managers) who serve our hospital and community in such amazing ways every day of the year. The awards are presented quarterly to recognize extraordinary care and service.
Angie Scott, RN in Day Surgery was the first DAISY award winner selected from the 2021 4th quarter nominations. She was presented the award in January 2022 with her Colleagues and the patient who nominated her there to celebrate with her. Alissa Garcia, receptionist in the Goshen Physician office, won the first Gardener award. The patient who nominated Alissa was also at the award ceremony, making the presentation even more meaningful for all.
Angela Scott, RN
Honored with Goshen Health’s first DAISY Award
In 2022, Goshen Health began participating in DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) Awards, an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide every day.
Jeannette Matthews and her husband Dennis Hemphill (who goes by Tom) nominated Angela Scott, RN in Day Surgery. After her husband had undergone a difficult treatment for prostate cancer, Matthews wrote, “… the procedure left him discouraged and in pain. That’s where the second-floor recovery nurses came in. I can’t say enough good about ALL the nurses, but especially Angie. There was no stone unturned to make him as comfortable as possible, helping soothe him. She stayed even though all of her other patients were gone …. We still talk about her and how much of a difference she made, how she took time for us.”
“We are so pleased to honor the compassionate and excellent work of our nursing Colleagues through the DAISY Award,” said Julie Crossley, Goshen Health Chief Nursing Officer. “We celebrate the difference Angie made in Jeannette’s and Tom’s lives, at a time when they especially needed compassionate care.”
Alissa Garcia, Receptionist
Honored with Gardener Award
In 2022, Goshen Health created the Gardener Award to recognize the contributions of non-medical Colleagues in helping the organization fulfill its mission of providing innovative and outstanding care and services through exceptional people doing exceptional work.
Goshen Health’s first winner of the Gardener Award is Alissa Garcia, receptionist at Goshen Physicians Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. Alissa was nominated by Linda Young, a former Colleague and patient who wrote, “Whenever I come for appointments at the orthopedic office, I appreciate that Alissa always has a smile on her face. Her actions portray someone who cares about the patients. She is always kind and considerate, with a gentle voice. I’m so glad this receptionist is there… When I had therapy, she always took the time to ask how I was doing.”
In addressing the Colleagues gathered to honor Garcia, Julie Crossley, Goshen Health Chief Nursing Officer, said, “Thank you to all of you for delivering exceptional care, for your commitment to health care. Thank you for bringing the skill set – and your talent, compassion and kindness to what you do every day.”
