Banner Hospital Helps Workers Handle COVID-19 Stress

Banner Hospital Helps Workers Handle COVID-19 Stress

OUR LIVES IN ONE WAY ORANOTHER.

IT'S WHY KGUN 9 HASLAUNCHED A NEW COMMUNITY- WIDEINITIATIVE.

IT'S CALLED "THEREBOUND ARIZONA."TONIGHT -- WE LOOK AT HOW ONELOCAL HOSPITAL IS KEEPING ITSEMPLOYEES IN GOOD SPIRITS --WHILE CARING FOR PATIENTS.HERE'S 9 ON YOUR SIDESSHAWNDREA THOMAS.SHAWNDREA- BANNER HOSPITAL HASBEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITHEMPLOYEES TO MAINTAIN THEIROWN HEALTH WHILE THEY DOTHEIR PART TO HELP SAVE OTHERSBATTLING THE COVID-19-PANDEMIC BANNER CREATED A PEERSUPPORT PROGRAM 3 YEARS AGOAND ITS WELL INTO PLACE TOHELP EMPLOYEES NAVIGATE LIFETHROUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.AND SENIOR RISK MANAGER ELIEENFERNSTROM WAS PART OF THEPROCESS FROM DAY ONE.

SOT "WESAW THEN AND NOW A NEED TOSUPPORT OUR STAFF IN REAL TIMEESPECIALLY WHEN THEY WEREINVOLVED IN HIGHLY CHARGEDEVENTS.

LIKE UNEXPECTEDPATIENT OUTCOME OR AN EMPLOYEEILLNESS OR ILLNESS THEY HAD TODEAL WITH," THE PROGRAM WASINTENSIFIED BECAUSE OF THECORONA VIRUS CRISIS..

THEREARE TRAINED FACILITATORSACROSS THE ENTIRE BANNERHEALTH SYSTEM.

SOT "AN OVERREACHING CONCERN IS JUST THEANXIETY AND LACK OF CONTROLLACK OF WHERE IS THIS GOING,"THEY'RE ALSO HELPING EMPLOYEESWHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT BRINGINGCOVID-19 HOME TO THEIRFAMILIES.

SOT "WE HAVEDEVELOPED 4 VIRTUAL CALLSEVERY SINGLE DAY SO OUR STAFFCAN CALL IN.

THE PROGRAM ISFOR PHYSICIANS NURSES ANYFRONT-LINE STAFF THAT ARE INTHE FACILITIES," SOT "WE HAVEMORE THAN 700 FACILITATORSTHROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM TO MEETWITH INDIVIDUALS," FERNSTROMSAYS WHILE EMPLOYEES LEARN HOWTO DECOMPRESS.

THE COMMUNITYIS STEPPING UP BY SENDINGEXTRA MEALS, NOTES AND CARDSTO SHOW APPRECIATION FOR THEIRWORK.

SOT "WHETHER IT BERUNNING OR KNITTING ORWHATEVER THEY HAVE TODECOMPRESS OR THAT STRESSADDED EVERY DAY.

IT'S ALONG-HAUL THING," -- OTHERCHALLENGES IN TODAY'S COVID-19WORK PLACE IS CREATING MIXEDEMOTIONS.

SOT "IT'S DIFFICULTWHEN YOU HAVE YOUR PPE ON ANDYOU CAN'T REALLY HAVE ANYHUMAN INTERACTION," THE STAFFAT BANNER WILL CONTINUE TOMOVE FORWARDWITH THE TOOLSNEEDED TO MAKE IT THROUGHTHESE TRYING TIMES SO THEY CANHELP THEIR PATIENTS DO THESAME.

SOT "AS GROUPS COMETOGETHER UNITS SUPPORT EACHOTHER AND IT BUILDS TEAMWORKRESILIENCY, SHAWNDREA THOMASKGUN 9 ON YOUR SIDE.IF YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE-- WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.