Last night, we hosted the first of what we plan to be an annual event: The Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the main lobby. This was something we did each year at the hospital I worked at in New York and it was one of my favorite holiday traditions. We didn’t have time to organize a lighting ceremony for our new Christmas decorations last year, but with some careful planning and lots of hard-working decorators, we were able to plan a beautiful celebration this year.

About 200 people joined us as we lit the tree after a brief ceremony that included traditional carols and a thoughtful Advent and Christmas message from Sr. Rita Beason. Standing amongst the crowd of staff and their families, visitors, board members, Foundation donors and others, I was really happy we brought this tradition to GSH. The holiday spirit was shining brightly in our lobby!

It took a lot of helpful hands to make our tree lighting ceremony come to life last night, so lots of thanks are in order. They go to…

• Lindsy Zechmann and Pam Hill from the Sure Cure Gift Shop who worked with a group of volunteers to decorate not just our main lobby, but all of our public spaces at GSH. The decorations are beautiful! 
• Maintenance and Facilities for helping set up Christmas trees, operating the lifts and providing ladders for the decorating, taking care of our fantastic outdoor decorations including the lighted stars hanging under the circle drive canopy, AND for making sure everything came to LIGHT right on cue!
• Nutrition Services for not just delivering refreshments for the lighting ceremony—but for making those delicious home-made, hand-dipped and hand-decorated goodies for those who joined us in the lobby. They tasted great and I’m sure they had zero calories! They also brewed up some warm coffee and hot chocolate that hit the spot!
• Our musically talented volunteers who comprise the Good Sam Choir. These folks lend their voices whenever they’re needed for a special event such as this, and they add just the right touch!
• And last, but certainly not least, the Corporate Communications staff for the publicity, planning, organizing, and picture taking!  They also made sure we had beautiful ornaments for everyone to take home and remember the event. 

I’m sure I’ve missed someone…but please know that I appreciate the combined efforts of everyone who’s worked to make Christmas at Good Samaritan special.

Mike

PS: Here are some photos from the event if you weren't able to make it.

Before...

After!!

The Good Sam Choir led us in beautiful song for the event.

Lots of people packed in the lobby for our ceremony.

Lots of people!

Across the way in Admissions, Santa and Mrs. Claus made their annual visit to Good Samaritan for pictures with our employees' kiddos.

Sam and his Moosketeers helped keep things running smoothly on the Santa side of the party.

2 North’s Angela Delancey and Kasey Rayburn recently provided a Thanksgiving backdrop for their department in the form of a “we are thankful for…” turkey painted on the nurses’ station window. It is a beautiful turkey...as turkeys go!

They’re thankful for physicians, the various departments that support them, patients, volunteers and many more.  Each one is listed on a turkey feather. Around the turkey, they’ve painted the names of each staff member on their floor, because of course, they’re thankful for each other!

The best part is that they named the turkey…are you ready? Patty!  Well, I'm not sure they really named it that, but her name is directly beneath the bird. And no, it is not true that Patty—or I—were the models for the artists!

I agree with 2 North: There is much to be thankful for here at GSH, and everyone on 2 North—including Patty—and each person in every department is on that list.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

We’re coming up on the end of the United Way/Employee Contribution Campaign (Friday, November 18 is the deadline!) and I’m making a plea to everyone who hasn’t yet donated…please give something! Every donation counts.

If you give to the United Way, you’ll be helping agencies like the Salvation Army who provide food (i.e. turkey) to those who are in need. Especially now and during the holidays, the Salvation Army comes through for families who are being forced to pay the heating bill or buy food. Our donations make a real difference for the Salvation Army and other United Way agencies—and for families faced with making these choices. Please keep them in mind when you’re mulling over your pledge form. Every donation counts.

Or if you decide you’d like to give to the GSH Foundation, you’ll be helping bring our new and improved dining experience to life. In fact, the space is ready and waiting for our help!

The gracious donations of our staff will help make our cafeteria a place that now we only wish about it. You know, like when you go somewhere and say, “I wish our cafeteria was as nice as that.” With your help, it can be—it will be. Every donation counts.

Our professions are giving ones—we give of ourselves to help those who are sick or injured, or we support our colleagues in this work. It’s a natural extension of who we are and what we do to give, and I hope that you will consider a donation to one or both of these campaigns. You can make a one-time donation, designate an amount to come out of each paycheck, or even donate your PTO to be converted to a cash value for the GSH Foundation portion of the campaign. I’m not exaggerating at all when I say every donation—big and small—counts.

In case you need some extra incentive to donate, there are some great weekly prizes for donors and a special drawing for first-time givers. There’s also a GRAND PRIZE flat-screen plasma TV that will go to one lucky donor at the end of the campaign. Our campaign ends THIS FRIDAY, November 18! Every donation counts.

Please, if you haven’t given it a lot of thought, or if you haven’t had time, take a moment and give today. I’d like to see everyone participate in this campaign in some way. It is not the amount you give, but giving something that is important. My heartfelt thanks go to those who have already made their donations. Right now, we’re behind the pace we set last year, both in the number of participants and the amount given. I know we can do better. Please join all Good Samaritans and give thanks for what you have...

Every donation counts!

Mike

Lately, there’s been a lot of “stuff” around here that all staff are either required or strongly encouraged to do.

§  Acknowledge the revised Our Values and Ethics at Work manual. Done.

§  Take the Personal Health Assessment. Did it. (Sidenote: Apparently leftover Halloween candy is NOT part of a balanced diet. Bummer.)

§  Enroll for benefits during annual enrollment. On my to-do list before November 18.

§  Get a flu shot.

Check.

Is it just me, or does Hilary look like she’s enjoying her job a little too much?

As of last week, about 67 percent of all staff have stopped in for their flu shots OR have signed the appropriate opt-out documentation. Remember, our influenza vaccination process this year has changed. EVERYONE must either get a flu shot or sign the opt-out documentation. If you opt out, please know that you’ll be required to wear a mask during your working hours at the peak of flu season. If you do not get a vaccination or sign the opt-out paperwork by November 28, you will not be scheduled to work.

Does this new practice seem extreme? To some, it might. But to me, not at all. As healthcare professionals, we know that influenza is a serious subject. We know that it poses potentially fatal health risks to certain patient populations, and we know it’s HIGHLY contagious. We also know that one of the best steps we can take to prevent influenza is to get a flu shot. The flu shot protects our families, our patients and ourselves. On the flip side, if you have valid reasons for not getting the vaccination, it is in the best interest of your health and the health of our patients that you wear a mask so you don’t get—or give— the flu.

If you haven’t taken the time for a flu shot, please do so. Open influenza vaccination times are dwindling. Here’s the remaining schedule. Don’t forget: Your adult family members (over age 19) who are covered on the CHI medical plan can come in for a flu shot now too. Don’t delay!

For the last several weeks, our Walkway Gallery that connects the main hospital with the West Tower has been featuring the photography of our very own Dave Hoban! (Dave works in Clinical Engineering. You’ve probably seen him out and about fixing very important stuff.)

Clearly this picture would have turned out better if Dave had taken it. Oh well.

Our Walkway Gallery has featured the work of some amazing local artists since it opened, but this is the first time we’ve featured an employee’s artwork there. Dave is a life-long resident of Kearney County, and you can tell he poured his heart and soul into each of his photographs; they’re really snapshots of home. With his gallery show, he really set the bar for future artists!

On behalf of the organization, I’d like to thank Dave for lending us the fruits of his photography hobby. It’s been our pleasure to feature them—and him.

Mike

This blog entry comes courtesy of Carol Wahl (VP of patient care services) and Teri Pinion (director of surgical services), but I’ll provide a bit of background.

A couple of weeks ago, I ran into Teresa from the OR at the coffee cart—my morning routine! She told me that the following week, Eric Crouch was going to be at their morning huddle. Eric now works for one of our vendors, and of course you all know he is a former Husker quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner. (Hey, I may still be learning the ropes of this Husker fan business, but even this former Hawkeye got a little excited about a Heisman trophy winner in our OR.)

OK. Now I’ll let Carol and Teri take over.

“Surgery does an early morning team huddle to talk about significant events for the day, things to remember, upcoming education, for example. The team huddle has become a daily occurrence for the operating staff and Sterile Processing. This huddle fosters teamwork and patient safety. Employee recognition and thanks are an important part of the huddle.

“Eric Crouch, now a medical representative, was here to demonstrate a medical product to the surgery staff and Teresa Wall asked him to talk to the group about teamwork.  Eric had listened to the Surgery team huddle and said it was just what they do in a football huddle.  They talk about the plan for the next play, they watch each other’s backs so they can be successful, and they go forward with a positive, ‘we can do it’ attitude. Our huddle ended with everyone putting their hands in the huddle and a big ‘go team!’ Great teamwork, Surgery staff!”

Eric (and the Surgery staff) was a great sport and took a couple photos during his visit too. It’s not every day that a staff huddle gets such an appropriate “guest speaker!”

Administrative Team had a great time doing some reverse trick-or-treating in October by visiting departments and leaving Halloween candy.

While we did leave some good stuff, we’re now acutely aware that one item could—and should—have been left out of the treat bags.

Oh. My. Gosh. These “first they’re candy, then they’re gum” concoctions were not just bad. They were really bad. They’ve been met by…um…let’s just say “less than positive” responses from…just about everyone we passed them out to. Yikes.

Since the responsible thing to do with unused and expired medication is bring it to a medication take-back event, perhaps the most responsible thing we should do with this “candy” (can we really call it that?) is designate some sort of “Razzle Return Receptacle.” I’m not sure what it will be. The trash can? That’s probably our best bet.

Here’s hoping that the rest of your Halloween candy MORE than made up for the less-than-stellar Razzles. Eesh.

Mike