Page 35 - St. John's Healthcare Foundation FY17 Annual Report

In the first six months of the program, 106 patients at

St. John’s Regional Medical Center received a Mercy Bag

thanks to the generous contributions of employees. Human connections in caring for others

Ambassadors Cuddlers
We are proud to share that last year we introduced our new Emergency She perked up and related that her husband had been a naval aviator in World War II Babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit face long hours waiting to get better At St. John’s Hospital’s Pediatric floor we put love into what we do every day,
Department Ambassadors program. This program, fondly known as EDA, and they had lived in the area for many years. We found common ground, she relaxed so that they can be well enough to go home. Though their hearts are torn, there helping our young patients beyond what our jobs demand. Giving our patients
started with one volunteer, and within a couple of months, expanded to five and overcame her anxieties, and the doctor was able to treat her. Later on, as she was are times when parents must leave the hospital to take care of other children or a small gift – just a little thing – allows us to form a connection and helps to
Human connections in caring for others
volunteers eager to help patients in the emergency room. Ambassadors being discharged, she made a point of thanking the team for taking such good care go to a job. “Cuddlers” hold and comfort babies while distract the patient from pain and fear. This year Little Things made it possible
provide an important human touch in an environment that is fast paced and of her. mommy cannot be there. Cuddling is vitally important, for happiness and healing to be delivered at bedside to children, providing hope
often stressful for patients. This year, the cadre of Ambassadors grew to but more so when babies are struggling with pain. and encouragement. Little Things offers St. John’s Hospital’s employees a
fifteen. These loyal volunteers come from varied walks of life – a sea captain, “I enjoy people. I like people. When I “was up and running” in my career I used joke Our Cuddler volunteers are there to nurture and means of expressing their compassion through giving. Their contributions were
banker, waitress, and doctor’s assistant. What connects them is a passion to that I was able to walk into a room and know everyone’s first name and their favorite provide human connection for our tiniest patients. invested in crayons and coloring books, books, and games for children and
put their caring personalities to work. In addition to having a deep compassion drink! Now I use the skills to interface with patients and to help relieve their stress and teens, dolls and stuffed animals for the little ones, and Mercy Bags for people
for others, Ambassadors must be willing to work as a team, have a talent for anxiety when they come into the emergency room. We see that the overall satisfaction Little Things in need.
communicating with many levels of people (patients, volunteers, and medical rates in the ER have improved in the last year, and we believe we have contributed to I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but
staff), and be skilled at judging an environment to determine when to engage that improvement. But the best reward is the thanks we get from staff and patients.” people will never forget how you made them feel. -– Maya Angelou Mercy Closet
and when to refrain from engagement. Ambassadors are comfortable in the There are times when a patient’s clothing is damaged during an accident or
emergency room and have a gift for calming people who are anxious and What a difference a toy makes! Four-year old ‘Amy’ sat on the bed fiercely gripping needs to be quickly cut off to provide emergency medical care. Many times the
fearful. “Since the environment we are in is intense, we allow flexibility in scheduling her mom’s hand. This was her second visit to the Pediatrics floor at patient has no family that can help. In the past, caring nurses would scramble
dates and times for volunteers. We coordinate our schedules during our monthly St. John’s Regional Medical Center. She had arrived – looking for any item of clothing that they could find, or running to the store
meeting, and use that time to debrief and discuss how we can make the program the night before after a stressful visit to the emergency A special thanks to on their way home from work to purchase something that the patient could
better,” says Joe Muklevicz, founding Ambassador. Joe is committed to the room. As is our custom, as a pediatric nurse, I came wear. This year the Spiritual Care department launched the Mercy Closet with
Ambassador program and shares a memory of one of his encounters… in to say hello without doing any medical procedure so support from the employee-sponsored Little Things program. Funds helped with
that I could start to gain Amy’s trust. On my second the purchase of t-shirts, underwear, socks, and sweats. Now when a patient is
“An elderly woman fell in her garden and sustained an injury. Her doctor called an visit to the room, I handed her a new doll that had been in need of clothing, the nurses call the Spiritual Care department, and a Mercy
ambulance and the EMT’s would not leave her home until she reluctantly agreed to go purchased for the Pediatric department through the Little for supporting Bag filled with clothing in the correct size is provided. “We are deeply grateful for
to the hospital. When I met this patient, she was very upset that she was in the hospital. Things program. As Amy let go of her mom and reached the employee contributions that made it possible to relieve the moral distress that occurs
She wanted to go home, but that would not be possible for a while. As I listened to her, I up for the doll her eyes lit up with delight. Looking up when a patient has to be discharged without decent clothes to wear,” says Chaplain
detected an accent. I asked her “where are you from?” “I was born and raised in from her daughter with a tear in her eyes, mom nodded Las Cosas Kate Lewis, BCC, St. John’s Spiritual Care Department.
Pequeñas
Pensacola, Florida,” she said very proudly so I said, “Oh, so you’re a Florida Cracker.” in gratitude.
34 35