By Katie Crane
The Campus thanked each and every Campus nurse for their hard work and dedication to commemorate Nurses Appreciation Week in May. This holiday was created to memorialize Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, and to recognize the contributions nurses make around the world. Every year it starts on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Nightingale’s birthday. However, The American Nurses Association extended Nurses Appreciation Week to a month-long celebration to highlight Nightingale’s 200th birthday and the recent COVID-19 efforts.
Our nurses are vital to our success in keeping residents safe and healthy during this challenging year. Their specialized skills and commitment during the coronavirus pandemic make a huge difference every day. We appreciate all 46 of our nurses for going the extra mile and creating a safe, healthy, and fun environment for our seniors. They all provide quality care, love, smiles, and a shoulder to lean on.
Residents showed gratitude by creating handmade cards and for months, nursing staff have received an outpouring of support from the community in the form of donations, supplies, snacks, and our first-ever car parade. Exceptional nurses are also recognized every year through the Esther Jacobs Atlas Employee of the Year Fund. This fund, supported and maintained by the Yaverbaum family, provides two annual recognition gifts to Employees of the Year—one gift to an employee from the Nursing Department, and another from non-Nursing or Support staff. Employees of the Year are awarded a cash bonus, reserved parking spot for a year, and an invitation to the Joint Agency Annual Meeting (JAAM) to be recognized and publicly thanked. Nursing is a selfless, and sometimes thankless, profession and we want to make sure they feel appreciated.
Thank you, Nurses!
The Campus is currently closed to the public, but there are still ways you can honor our extraordinary nursing staff. We are accepting inspirational notes to staff and residents, pocket size hand sanitizers, disinfecting wipes, gloves, and face masks. Call 717-657-0700 to schedule a drop off in our vestibule. Monetary donations are also needed during this tough time and can be made at jewishhomeharrisburg.org/donate or mail a check to 4000 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112. All gifts are appreciated. Thank you to all who have donated.