{"id":6995,"date":"2020-05-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prd-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=6995"},"modified":"2024-12-10T15:57:11","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T15:57:11","slug":"good-samaritan-hospital-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/good-samaritan-hospital-week\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The support from the community keeps us going every day\u2019 Reflections from MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

By MultiCare Health System<\/strong><\/p>\n

On a warm, sunny April afternoon, Pierce County police, fire and EMTs honored MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital employees with an appreciation parade. As first responders drove around hospital entrances, employees were invited to take a few moments to emerge from the hospital and soak in some gratitude.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Good Samaritan has been caring for COVID-19 patients since the beginning of the pandemic in Washington. Throughout the COVID-19 response, community members have been providing a morale boost to health care workers through kind words, donations and artwork.<\/p>\n

Read the following reflections from Good Samaritan team members about working at the hospital and what the outpouring of support from the community means to them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Steve Prideaux, Manager of Engineering Services<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve served my country in a war where I walked with a lot of heroes. I walk with heroes here at Good Samaritan every day.<\/p>\n

These are people who are putting themselves at risk and dealing with the same challenges all of us are facing at home.<\/p>\n

We are all here to put others before us. The community support validates what we do and makes us feel good about our commitment. It reminds us who we serve and why we serve.<\/p>\n

What makes me hopeful for the future is that we\u2019ll all learn from this and get even better at what we do. We can face any challenge together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlene Falgout, Chief Nurse<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so proud to watch our nurses, day after day, dress up in gear and take care of our patients with courage, heart and grace. They adapt to the numerous changes and they continue to do the right thing to protect and care for their patients and families.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been a nurse for 42 years. The heartfelt outpouring of community support has been remarkable and really provides us with strength and support.<\/p>\n

After all of this, I can\u2019t wait to go see my nine grandkids in Louisiana. We\u2019ve been doing Facetime, but I can\u2019t wait to see them in person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lescia Myers, Clinical Director, Critical Care<\/p>\n

Lescia has been leading the COVID-19 teams at Good Samaritan.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe support from the community is what brings joy to staff throughout the day. It makes us feel like we are not alone.<\/p>\n

I want to celebrate our COVID-19 teams on 8-Dally and 5-Dally. My team and the staff at Good Samaritan Hospital have been amazing. The support from the community and the response from the system and across the nation makes me hopeful for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michele Rivers, Director of Nutrition Services<\/p>\n

\u201cThe support from the community is beyond. It\u2019s beyond. We just love you for it.<\/p>\n

We all have families at home. But we are all a family too.<\/p>\n

My team has more than eighty people and we\u2019re at the frontlines of this pandemic as well. I\u2019m proud of the way that we\u2019ve been able to help others. I\u2019m also proud that we can still come here and have fun.\u201d (Check out the TikTok video<\/a> that Michele\u2019s team created.)<\/p>\n

Acacia Corson, Patient Access<\/p>\n

\u201cI love all of the community support \u2013 I love all of the art. Something so small can make such a difference. The small businesses who have had to cut their own business but are still making donations to support us \u2013 it speaks volumes.<\/p>\n

What makes me hopeful is the way everyone at Good Samaritan Hospital jumped into action during this crisis, ready to do assist one another and other departments any way they could.<\/p>\n

After all of this, I can\u2019t wait to see my friends up close and hang out.<\/p>\n

My two-year-old daughter keeps me hopeful. She reminds me of what things used to be like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel Wemhaner, Executive Chef<\/p>\n

\u201cI started working at MultiCare in January, so this experience has meant a lot to me. I\u2019m proud of all of the teamwork, everyone at Good Samaritan coming together, our community coming together. It\u2019s impressive. The signs, the donations, the community support is so great. It\u2019s brought out the best in everyone.<\/p>\n

Today, there are a lot of extra steps, precautions and processes we\u2019re taking to keep everyone safe. I\u2019m so grateful for Michele Rivers \u2013 she really goes to bat for our team.<\/p>\n

After all of this, I can\u2019t wait to get a haircut!\u201d<\/p>\n

Cynthia Mendoza, Patient Access Supervisor<\/p>\n

\u201cThe community support is beautiful. We feel valued. When you are appreciated for the little things, it makes the struggles worthwhile.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been so proud of my Patient Access team throughout all of this. Many of them are facing hardships and have family members who are not working, but they show up to work and continue to serve.<\/p>\n

After all of this, I hope we keep certain norms alive \u2013 like covering your coughs and sneezes!\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Jo Allen, Patient Access<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve worked here for 42 years. Good Samaritan has always felt like home to me. And the support from the community makes it even more so. This is such a good place to live and work.<\/p>\n

I feel peace right now. It feels like we\u2019re doing everything we can.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m proud of the way that our team is trying to be thoughtful about doing the right thing for patients, listening to their concerns and responding in kind, thoughtful, respectful ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tricia Vaesau, Patient Access<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of the way our community has come together throughout this crisis.<\/p>\n

What makes me hopeful every day is being able to go home to my five kids. We love our new family game night tradition, especially charades and BINGO.”<\/p>\n

Rocky Ross, Volunteer<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a retired lead mechanic for United Airlines. My wife, Sandy, is a PACU nurse here, so she is the one who convinced me to volunteer. I normally restock carts on the hospital floors, but I\u2019ve been helping out at the loading dock, accepting the donations from the community.<\/p>\n

A lot of people want to give to the hospital and I\u2019m so glad to see people stepping in to help any way they can. All of us are in this together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sandy Ross, RN, BSN, CPAN \u2013 PACU Nurse<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve worked here for 29 years. The community support right now is very heartening. The artwork is wonderful! We have pictures from kids in the PACU. We also love the donated meals.<\/p>\n

I want to recognize some of the unsung heroes like our housekeeping and nutrition services team members. They are just as exposed as the rest of us and they are doing such great work.<\/p>\n

After all this, I can\u2019t wait until we can travel again. There\u2019s a smooth jazz cruise Rocky and I really want to be able to take one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Carly Nicholson, Imaging Supervisor<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing appreciated and recognized can get you through a lot of things. The support from the community keeps us going every day. The food, notes, artwork, parades, flowers keep everyone going and the positivity flowing.<\/p>\n

At Good Samaritan, people are really taking care of each other. It\u2019s such a cohesive environment. We all need each other. We all work to build each other up. Our imaging team rocks. Our CT techs rock.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Dennis Kolb, MD, Chief Medical Officer<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of the way our teams have been flexible with all of the changes, never losing sight of why we are all here. Everyone who works here has stepped up in their own way. What makes me hopeful for the future is knowing the strength of our team.<\/p>\n

The support from the community is everything \u2013 it\u2019s why we\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ways to support our care teams<\/p>\n

Our care teams need and appreciate your support. Every thoughtful act, every hopeful word makes a difference. Here is where your help is needed most today:<\/p>\n