In the over 450 hospitals in Ontario, there are thousands and thousands working around the clock during COVID-19, as they do every day of the year, 24/7, 365 days of the year.
Our healthcare providers – like all essential services workers – cannot stay at home.
They cannot let their fears stop them from providing the essential care we all depend on.
They have been planning for months how to handle our current crisis.
Often the invisible heroes in hospitals get forgotten and go unappreciated. These behind-the-scenes folks, such as:
- Stores & Supply Chain professionals (the TP and hand sanitizer doesn’t order itself!)
- The Emergency Preparedness, Risk, and Quality Team that ensures we have plans in place well before a crisis hits, and then customize those plans at times like these.
- The Environmental Services Aids stepping up cleaning and often doubling their teams to try to stay ahead of the spread of invention.
- The Infection Prevention & Control experts who often feel like the unwanted cousin at dinner, yet where would we be without them holding us accountable for washing our hands, putting in precautions, testing potential cases, and the 100 other tasks we don’t even know go into keeping us safe?
I bet you know many people working in healthcare – neighbours, family members, friends, former schoolmates, parents of your kids’ friends – and now is the time to take a moment to look them in the eye and stay a genuine “thank-you.”
Here is a “starter” list of whom to appreciate:
- Nurses
- Physicians
- PSWs
- Physical Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Recreational Therapists
- Psychologists & Social Workers
- Pharmacists & Pharmacy Techs
- Medical Laboratory Technologists
- Diagnostic Imaging Technologists
- Dietitians & Dietary Aids
- Discharge Planners
- Spiritual Care
- Infection Control Practitioners
- Admission Clerks
- Porters
Not to motion folks who work in:
- Finance
- Supply Chain & Stores
- Human Resources & Scheduling
- Health & Safety
- IT
- Environmental Services
- Administrative Assistants
- Cafeteria
- Gift Shop
- Food Services
- Switchboard
- Security
- Maintenance
- Quality, Risk Management & Emergency Preparedness
- Leadership – Executives, Directors, Nurse Managers, Nurse Educators
Let’s also not forget to thank:
- Volunteers
- Foundation
- Board of Directors
And if there are this many folks supporting us in hospitals, think about the entire system. Let’s not forget to thank Public Health, Long-Term Care, Residential Care, Respite Services, Visting Nurses & Home Care, Hospice Care, Primary Care, Rehab Centres, Developmental Services, and so on. The ripple effect of professionals keeping our strained healthcare system is vast and dynamic. My motto is: When in doubt, appreciate!
Please forward this message to ANYONE you know working in healthcare and tell them THANK YOU for what you are doing right now. We are grateful. We appreciate you. And we trust you will be there for us.
PS – You can also help by washing your hands, respect visiting restrictions, and elbow bump versus shake hands and hug. Watch this video to see how fun it can be!
Other Helpful References:
- How to Embrace Psychological Strength (Interview with Expert April Seifert)
- Random Acts of Kindness: Recognition Style
- What Employees Need Most
- How Do I Give Recognition That is Sincere?
- Beyond Drama at Work
