DiversityNursing Blog

Rebecca Moses, the fashion designer and artist painted 46 portraits of Mount Sinai's Nurses and named the exhibition “Thank You, Mount Sinai Nurses.”.

The large-scale portraits can be seen at Mount Sinai’s Guggenheim Pavilion on upper Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

2020 is designated the Year of the Nurse and Midwife by the World Health Organization in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale.

“To have all of our Nurses traumatized in the Year of The Nurse and not do anything about it, it was literally keeping me up at night,” Linda Valentino, the Vice President and Chief Nursing officer at Mount Sinai Health System said.

Rebecca Moses, mostly known for her fantastical and fashionable drawings teamed up with Ms. Valentino and Linda Levy, the President of the Fragrance Foundation and came up with the idea for the art project.

The designer would paint the Nurses' portraits and donate the original artworks to the hospital to be featured in an exhibition. Each Nurse would also receive a print. Linda Levy would donate 5,000 fragrance and beauty products, all filed under self-care, to those whose job is to care for others.

After labor and delivery Nurse, Vanessa Joseph saw her portrait she said she was “blown away that someone paid attention to me and wanted to paint me. I’m just a Nurse.”

Joseph said, “Sometimes you feel like you’re in the trenches. We put on the full P.P.E. and no one can even recognize you anymore. I’m just trying to guess what Rebecca saw, and it’s so much life and vibrancy. It gives people hope that we’re going to get back to that again.”

Only women were chosen for this project, it's nothing personal against men. Moses simply stated “I don’t draw men. It’s not my strength. I love men, but I don’t draw them well.”

This is a thoughtful and remarkable collaboration to honor the Nurses at Mount Sinai. Nurses all over the world are going through an extremely challenging time. We applaud all efforts in recognizing the invaluable service, professionalism, and kindness all Nurses give every day. Thank you!

Frontline healthcare workers face stressors during normal times, but especially now during a pandemic and hospitals are finding new ways to help their staff cope. 

Recently, University Hospitals in Ohio announced they would be trying out a 10-month pilot program that provides sleep pods for their teams. Doctors, Nurses and staff in the UH Cleveland Medical Center Emergency Department will have access to two HOHM units as a space to safely recharge.

Each 43.5 square-foot pod is designed to block out sound and features a twin-sized bed, a privacy and sound-blocking curtain, charging stations, and a tablet to control reservations. 

“Our UH Cleveland Medical Center Emergency Department frontline caregivers have been working tirelessly for months to combat the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Robyn Strosaker, MD,, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Chief Operating Officer. “In the midst of all this trauma and stress, we’ve continuously looked for new ways to support our team, and HOHM sleep pods are a way we can help address their wellbeing.”

Some hospitals are making design changes to their break rooms as a way to try and help healthcare workers manage their stress throughout the day. 

Nurses may be reluctant to take breaks especially during times of crisis. But taking breaks during your shift can help prevent burnout. So when a Nurse does decide to take a break, there should be a space where they can fully decompress and have time to gather their thoughts and recharge. 

Research has found strong evidence between exposure to natural environments and recovery from physiological stress and mental fatigue. Break rooms are becoming a green space with plants and images on the walls of natural landscapes. Create a sitting space with cushioned chairs or ottomans by windows that have a nice view outside. Offer the option of listening to calming music or nature sounds inside the break room. 

Hospitals are also offering time for their staff to spend with support animals. 

Nonprofit organization Canine Companions for Independence provided Jordy, a lab/golden retriever cross to help frontline workers at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. 

“The science confirms what we already know, pets provide comfort and support during hard times,” said Jessica Lacanlale, MSN, Trauma Program Manager at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. “The stress of caring for patients and working long hours is intense; but spending a little time with Jordy lifts my spirits and helps me get through the long days.”

Health Systems like Yale New Haven Health are offering confidential well-being check-in programs. This offers employees an opportunity to meet with an expert social worker or clinician one-on-one to discuss their needs and access resources to manage stress and improve well-being.

“People often downplay their own needs, saying ‘I’m OK’ when asked how they are doing,” said Javi Alvarado, YNHHS’ director of social work and co-chair of the WELD Council. “These visits create an opportunity to be better than ‘OK’ and truly grow from recent challenges.” 

During this pandemic, it is critical hospitals and health systems recognize what stress looks like and takes steps to help their staff cope with it. Equally as important is that healthcare workers know where they can go for help. This means internal communications to staff is key to express your awareness of the stress and the assistance being offered.