CNO Roundtable 2021
Nurse Appreciation
Q: In what ways have you been able to honor and reward your nursing staff for their hard work and sacrifice during this crisis?
Raye Burkhardt
Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center
If there is one thing nurses love, it is FOOD! While the pandemic prevents us from doing our traditional potlucks, we have been providing our frontline staff with appreciation meals. We’ve served a variety of foods, ranging from Mediterranean to Mexican cuisine. We also offer chocolates and other snacks from our community partners.
While these were only small tokens compared to the hard work and sacrifices of our staff, they were still much appreciated.
Lori Burnell
Valley Presbyterian Hospital
Throughout the pandemic, nurses and other healthcare workers were acknowledged as hospital heroes for their diligence and sacrifice. Monday mornings started with an email from our hospital’s president and CEO, recounting actual stories and naming specific heroes. These stories, which were sent out to all employees, physicians and board members, were powerful, and helped all of us remain connected to our greater purpose.
Ruby Gill
Kaiser Permanente Irvine Medical Center
It really was the smallest gestures that ended up meaning the most. We received an outpouring of support from our community, including food and PPE donations. These acts of kindness were the best medicine in nurturing the spirit of our caregivers.
Evelyn Ku
Alhambra Hospital Medical Center
We recently experienced an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, which strained hospital staffing, space and resources. At times, the projections have been frightening. During this unfortunate emergency, we appreciate how all our staff continue to stand strong and care for our patients. We like to show appreciation for the staff’s hard work by saying a word of thanks, providing free meals and even offering complimentary acupuncture sessions as an alternative therapy to reduce stress.