September 22, 2016
Enjoying a break in their renovated staff room at Claresholm General Hospital are, from left: RN Jessica McDowell, LPN Jessica Janssens, LPN Bailey Streeter and pharmacist Gale Berry.
Story by Kerri Robins; photo courtesy Tracy Mitchell
CLARESHOLM — Front-line health care front line staff work hard for their patients’ health — but keeping healthy themselves is also important.
Here at Claresholm General Hospital, thanks to the Claresholm and District Health Foundation, they have a newly renovated staff room to help them take a breather.
“Having a quiet, relaxing place to retreat during a break or for lunch is really important,” says Tracy Mitchell, Site Manager for Claresholm General Hospital and Nanton Health Centre. “Staff have to take care of their own well-being to effectively care for our patients, and that means taking time out to unwind and rejuvenate during their shift, away from their work setting.”
Hospital pharmacist Gale Berry and her colleagues agree that having an updated, larger, and brighter new space makes breaks more enjoyable. “I eat lunch in this room every time I work, and the atmosphere is so much nicer to have a break in.”
The old room had been around since the 1970s and was really showing its age. Mitchell says the space wasn’t functional because the counter was tiny, and in a very small room with only a fridge and a hotplate.
“The staff had taken to eating lunch and taking breaks in the staff conference room, or not taking a break at all,” says Mitchell.
The ‘space lift’ included a complete renovation with new flooring, paint, cabinets, countertops, lighting, appliances, dishes and cutlery. A wall was removed which helped to increase counter space, and now the room is being used for social functions and retirement parties.
“We probably have around 80-100 staff at the hospital,” says Mitchell, “and a really nice thing about the new space is the integration of staff from across departments and different areas of caregiving ─ it’s a great morale booster as well.”
The room renovation cost $29,534 and was made possible through a bequeathal from an anonymous estate planned gift to the foundation.
Chair of the Claresholm and District Health Foundation Roger Reid says he’s touched by the foresight of the donor.
“We are truly grateful to the estate in thinking of our foundation with this gift. We’ve adopted a patient-centred philosophy, and while this gift went to our staff room, we feel that’s providing patient care through caring for our caregivers.”
For more information, please visit cdhealth.ca
