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Sunday, May 10, 2020

May 2020, Reflections on Nightingale in the Year of the Nurse

May12th is the last day of Nurses Week 2020, and it is also the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale. The theme for National Nurses Week this year is, or was, Compassion, Expertise and Trust. These themes were exemplified in Nightingale's practice, and define what we now know as patient centered care.

For our last Journal Club article of the year, please read, Reflections on Nightingale in the Year of the Nurse. Nightingale's holistic approach to patient care has evolved over the years, to our present model of nursing practice. I hope with the many changes in healthcare that we will witness due to the current pandemic, that we can remember how one mighty nurse took on the system, and whose impact is still felt today.

Questions
    - How did Nightingale change the nursing practices of her time?
     -Why is it important for nurses, as well as other health-care providers to
      acknowledge Florence Nightingale as a role model?

Discussion
Covid-19 and the Year of the Nurse and Midwife. I acknowledge that the pandemic has wreaked havoc on many of us, both personally and professionally. But since I would like to maintain Journal Club as the epicenter of positivity, please share with the group any "silver linings" that you believe have come out of this time of great uncertainty.

Last Journal Club, please send your answers to melissa.luebbe@ctca-hope.com. Please send your ACE verifications to my email address with MAY JOURNAL CLUB in the subject box. My department is relocating and using inter-office mail at this time will be unreliable. 
Hope everyone enjoyed Journal Club 2019-20, if the health-care gods are kind, we shall all meet up again in September for another year!

84 comments:

  1. The silver lining during this time is learning to slow down and be grateful for the blessings that were taken for granted. I think with so many uncertainties, it helps me to realize what I have and how good the things in my life are that maybe I didn't take the time to notice before. Even more importantly, the people in my life I can not longer see. With my parents aging and unable to travel to see them right now due to the risk, it makes me wonder why I didn't travel to see them more when I had the freedom to do so.

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    1. I agree, I have definitely learned to appreciate certain things in my life with all of this. I have joked, remember when we use to worry about such and such, as if it were a big deal. It definitely puts things in persepective.

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    2. Michelle, like you, I have been unable to see my parents who are also older. They currently are in an assisted living community and have had to quarantine in their apartment, unable to leave except for certain conditions. While they have been kept safe, it makes me think about how I want to prioritize seeing them more frequently in the future.

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    3. That is true Michelle, this situation has given us time to ponder on the many good things we have in life but we actually don't acknowledge them. This situation teaches us the essence of valuing little things in life.

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  2. I think during this time I have learned what things and people are a priority to me. I've learned the things that I don't miss and the things that I do miss. It will definitely increase my appreciation for things once I can enjoy them again and not take them for granted. It also has showed me what things are not a priority that I shouldn't waste my time with in the future.

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    1. Stephanie, I agree that once a lot of the things we enjoy and can no longer do will be amazing once we can return to doing them. I have also been able to set some priorities that before seemed so important but come to find out were really not. I think we can all come out of this with a new outlook and appreciation for things that have always been taken for granted.

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    2. I agree, Stephanie. This has been a good time to reprioritize what I want to do, and let go of the many things that I have always thought I "should" do. I hope that I can keep this perspective going forward.

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    3. Yes...definitely makes you way more aware of what you are grateful for!

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    4. Yes Stephanie, I agree! This time frame has certainly made us appreciate things more. I miss hugs!

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  3. During this time for me the silver lining has been the focus on home again. Cooking with the family instead of going out. Planning meals and having that time with family to really connect and enjoy each others company. Playing board games and having fun. Some things surly have been missed but this has given us a chance to reset life and see what is most important in our lives and what we can live without. It will be nice to get to get together with extended family once this is all over with as phone calls are just not the same as a hug. Fortunately I am lucky and my immediate family has not been affected with Covid 19.

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    1. I feel like the word "reset" that you used is completely on point! We really have had to step back and reset some of our ways and find new ways to do things. This has made us all slow down and really look at what is important.

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    2. I agree that planning meals together is more of a priority. Playing games with family is happening more. We recently found out that we are NOT smarter than a 5th grader. Ha.

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    3. I have really been enjoying board games and puzzles. I am looking to frame some really colorful and large puzzles I completed. I feel like I am returning to and enjoying some of the small pleasures in life.

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  4. My "silver lining" during this time has been the dinner hour. With the abrupt cancellation of college campus classes, my college aged children have joined their brother at home who is a senior in high school. Throughout their growing up, I often felt each evening was chaotic as we raced between practices, games and dance performances. With the stay at home order, we have found ourselves generally eating dinner together almost nightly. It is something that was a rare occurrence at any other time of our lives and I so appreciate the opportunity to sit together and converse without gulping down our food and running.

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    1. Love the dinner hour! I know before this whole stay at home, my husband and I would try our best to have dinner but with our schedules with school and work, we tended to eat by ourselves when we had the chance in between.

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    2. I'm sure it is nice to have them all at home again!

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    3. Yep! Meals at our home have taken on new meaning, and I have enjoyed every minute!

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    4. Its always nice to have the time together especially with family.

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  5. The "silver lining", like most posts, I feel is the time being spent with the family you have at home with you. Being at home more often then not, has encouraged my husband and I to spend quality time together. We also have learned to appreciate to not take our every day outings for granted. Even though I physically miss visiting with family and friends (and HUGGING! I miss the hugging!), there has been multiple moments of coming up with ways to keep in touch more.

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    1. I agree that this situation opened up an opportunity to connect in a different way with people. Definitely, more time can be spent with family and also more time is allowed for self-care.

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  6. I agree Camille. Family time at home, especially meal time, is a blessing.

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  7. Due to all the kid's school, sports, music, and church activities being cancelled, I finally have the time to do the overdue home and yard repairs. I feel fortunate that I get to go to work, but my wife and kids are getting a little stir crazy at this point because they can't get out. So I feel that I have the best of both worlds, able to come to work in the morning and able to go home later and get things done there.

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  8. The silver lining for me, like so many others, has been slowing down and spending more time at home. We ate out a lot before and now we are cooking our own meals which is nice and it saves some money, too. I also feel like it has made me realize how much I took for granted and I am trying really hard to stop and be grateful for the small things. I am hoping that a silver lining for our country will be to bring more manufacturing back to the US and not rely so much on foreign countries for products. This has been tough on everyone, but I feel as though we will be stronger after all of this and hopefully we will have learned something as a nation. At the end of the day our health is the most important thing and the other stuff will work itself out.

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    1. Yes Kim, agree strongly that we need to be self reliant as a nation with our sourcing and product manufacturing! We CAN do this!!

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  9. Being single and without children, it really has not been all that different for me except for having the restrictions of not going out freely, not attending church in person, and then all the new fun and shenanigans at the grocery stores etc-LOL..I have been receiving random acts of kindness I never expected however: my aunt made me several masks, a neighbor also made me a mask that she designed herself, a fellow Board member gave me a beautiful ceramic mug for Nurses Day, a neighbor gave me a pot of gerber daisies for Dog-Mother's Day, and following a post on Next Door, a perfect stranger did a drop off of Lysol Laundry Sanitizer for me to wash my scrubs in!!! I have enjoyed seeing and experiencing the change in everything and everybody:-)

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    1. Julie, I feel that random acts of kindness help the world go around. They are so needed during this time. Patricia A.

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  10. There really are many good things that are coming out of this covid situation. I am getting so much done around my house. My goal before they "let us out" is to have every closet and drawer de-cluttered! I'm usually home very little during the weekends due to my son's activities, so without them, I have had much more time to get things done. My son is staying at home during my work shift and has had to be more responsible because of this, which is a good thing!
    I see all of the birthday parades and think, WOW! Normally when it is someone's birthday (especially for teenagers and ab above) you may get a few happy birthdays or acknowledgments but there is no way it would be as appreciated or as big as the parades that are happening. They make me truly smile!

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    1. The birthday parades are definitely cool and something positive out of all this! its great to see everyone still find ways to come together to celebrate during this time and make someone feel special!

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  11. The changes I appreciate are that instead of an hour daily commute, my commute is now reduced to 40 minutes. Less cars and less driving frustration. I appreciate that I have somewhere to go every day, I can travel to work. My husband now commutes to the downstairs bedroom to work on the computer instead of taking the train into Chicago. His big outing is taking garbage cans to the end of the driveway on Thursday nights. Glad I can be away from house and talk to other adults regularly. Will take less for granted in the future.

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    1. Hi Donna,
      I totally agree with appreciating that we have somewhere to go. I tell my patients every day that I am so lucky that I get to go to work to have interaction with my co-workers and my patients. We are so lucky we get this awesome group to spend time with during this strange time. Thanks for sharing!

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    2. Donna, in addition to fewer cars on the road, there is less emissions and pollution (also a silver lining). I have a suspicion that many large businesses are going to discover that they can operate just as effectively with employees working from home rather than commuting to work. This may also be a benefit to employees and employers. This allows for more productive time that would have been wasted in traffic.

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  12. I have appreciated several silver linings during the covid 19 pandemic. I have 3 children age 12-16. In usual times every day it seems we are running from place to place, sport to sport, event to event. All though we are disappointed about the cancellation or postponement of many events, this down time has been lovely. Lots of walks, lots of puzzles, movie marathons, games, painting, projects around the house, work in the yard and silly conversations.

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  13. The silver lining during this Covid Pandemic is the closeness is has brought to my family. We plan and take turns preparing meals at home. Previously our schedules never seemed to coincide but although we all continue to work, we have found the time to sit together and enjoy a meal. I also have Zoom meetings twice a week with my extended family from all over the United States and we get to catch up and enjoy each others lives much more personally that a video on social media. I have also had the opportunity to bring calm to some patients who have been "freaking out" while coping with the risk of disease while fighting cancer. Patricia Adams

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  14. The silver lining during this pandemic is being able to be home with my family more than ever before around this time of the year. This is our crazy busy time for me being the parent of 2 young athletes. There was never a time to slow down, and now we are able to do that.

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  15. Hello journal club members,

    I am sad to announce that Melissa Luebbe is no longer with CTCA. I will miss her Bright smile, her wit, her high level of engagement, and her friendship.
    Please post the questions that you would have emailed to her on your post to receive credit for this may session.
    I am hoping to retrieve the documents from her work space for issuing credit for journal club for this a schlatter fiscal year, and do not anticipate any problems at this time.
    we will need a new lead for journal club for next fiscal year beginning in September, if you are interested please reach out to me.

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    1. Hi Kari, Thank you for the kind words, I will miss everyone at CTCA! Journalphoria is considered an intellectual property under my account, and will be closed after this post. I think it would be best if you allow journal club members to continue the upbeat discussion, and resend their answers to you. As far as giving credit for the year, I think nurses are an honest bunch and can be put on the honor system to let you know if they have completed the five articles.

      After nine years and eighty-six posts, I would like to thank everyone who has participated in Journal Club. It was a part of my nursing career that I have been very proud of.

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    2. An addendum to the above, it was decided through consensus early on that answers to questions would not be posted for everyone to see. The main reason was that people would not read the articles, they would only read other peoples answers and rewrite for credit. I will still stick by what I said about the integrity of nurses, its just that everybody has a lot going on and looks for short-cuts.

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    3. Oh my goodness Melissa you will be SO MISSED! Thank you for everything over the years and for being amazing!!!

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    4. Thank you, Melissa, it has been a joy to work with you!

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    5. Thank you Melissa for the years of dedication to CTCA and Journal Club. You will definitely be missed!

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    6. Thank you Melissa for all these years and your dedication to Journalphoria. You will definitely be missed !!!!

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    7. I am so sad to see you go, Melissa. Thank you SO MUCH for all the effort you put into journalphoria. It is so appreciated. Take care.

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    8. Melissa, You will be missed. Thank you for doing such an amazing job with Journal Club all these years.

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    9. Thank you for everything that you have done over the years to advance the nursing profession and to help others, including myself reach their goals, Melissa. You are a such a bright light. If you ever need anything, please reach out. Best of wishes to you!

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    10. Thank you so much, all of you! Your kind words have really touched my heart. I have been so proud to work in a setting with some of the most compassionate, professional and intelligent nurses to be found anywhere.

      Whoever continues Journal Club may want to make use of the blog format. If so, please feel free to contact me with questions at holloway.luebbe@gmail.com.

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    11. So sad to see you leave Melissa. You will be missed.
      Best wishes to you in your new endeavors.
      Brenda Chiappetta

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  17. Though I miss my mother and mother n law deeply, they both passed within six months of each other last year, I am grateful they are not living during the pandemic. My mother suffered from anxiety and depression. She would have had a hard time staying in her room at her facility and not being able to have my sister especially and myself not being able to visit. My mother n law was very frail and lived by herself. I would have been difficult to continue some of the responsibilities that her family members were doing for her. I believe that God through his grace saved both of them from these times.

    I have seen people become closer to their families as we have tried to keep in touch with each other. I have seen my church family grow in numbers even through we have virtual services. The creativity has floored me with the group I joined on FB trying to solve masks shortages and supply shortages to make masks. Helping each other out has been so calming, so wonderful to see so many people pulling together in times of need. God bless everyone.

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    1. I agree Mary. Sorry for your loss but I too am grateful my mom who had COPD is not facing this terrible pandemic.

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  18. Hi everyone,
    I think during this time I have learned that time with the people we care about is the most important thing. My love language is quality time so not being able to see my family and friends has been hard. I have really valued talking on the phone to my family instead of texting, and it makes me appreciate having amazing co-workers and patients to see every time I come to work.

    Thanks for a great year everyone!
    Stephanie

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    1. I agree Steph! The separation from family and friends has definitely been hard! Good thing we at least get to enjoy our coworkers company during this time!!

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    2. I definitely agree with you! I love coming to work and being able to see my wonderful co-workers.

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  19. One silver lining that I believe has come from this deadly pandemic is the increased vigilance that we have for communicable diseases. I have personally seen much more hand-washing/sanitizing both at the hospital and in public. In addition, the general public is much more mindful regarding social distancing and wearing masks. I used to wonder why so many people in Asian countries would walk around with masks on. Perhaps this will remain a part of our culture in regards to safety.

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    1. great research into the questions John, please resend to Kari.

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  21. I agree with John, there has been a lot more activity group geared towards cleanliness and sanitation, which is a good thing. I have read that there has been less litter less pollution last waste for the planet during this crisis which is a big silver lining for me

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  22. I think that the silver lining out of all of this, is the time that I got to spend with my husband and kids, and focus on the things that we take for granted every day. During this time, my husband and I were able to get a lot of things done around the house that we have been trying to do for years it seems. Having the extra time at home has also helped me to just sit and focus on myself for a little bit and what I need for self-care.

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  23. My situation is similar to a lot of people who have already posted. Focusing on time with my husband and kids. Reaching out to others using technology. Thankful we have technology to reach out! And really looking forward to when we can gather and spend time together with others.

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  24. Silver linings...well, my college girls have been home. Though that has required adjustments on everyone's part, it has also provided many happy, silly moments of connection, moments we would not have had otherwise. And we have grown a relationship with an older neighbor. Also - we have really had to intentionally reach out to create community, and I have enjoyed doing this with some friends from church. We all need support in this uncertain time, and I have greatly benefited from their smiles and support.

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  25. Honestly, I try to be a positive person but I am struggling with this one....I am not seeing to much positive out of Covid. If I had to say one...I would say I'm saving money from not eating out as much and my teenage now appreciates going to school instead of e-learning. Take care everyone!!!!

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    1. Chris, my 15 y/o son feels the same way as your son. He has always been a pretty bright student, however he is truly struggling with the e-learning. Well, at least he knows when he goes to college, he should stick to on site classes.

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  26. oops teenage son...sorry for the typo

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  27. I have enjoyed the slower pace of life. It's nice looking at my empty calendar, not having to plan every day around appointments/events. It's nice to not feel so rushed after work with dinner, baths, homework and bedtimes and instead enjoy a good family puzzle or board game. Overall though, I almost feel guilty enjoying life, knowing all of the tragedies that have come out of COVID, including deaths, failed businesses and families struggling to put dinner on the table. Stay safe!

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    1. I understand where you’re coming from. It has been nice not feeling so rushed after work with not having appointments, etc.
      Brenda Chiappetta

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  28. My COVID silver lining is there is extra time for things that really matter. My whole family plus married son and wife are over every weekend. We grill out, cook together, do projects, relax, and share great conversation. We all have open schedules to allow us to share memorable moments together.

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  29. Hello all, my COVID silver lining is that I have had great accomplishments in my personal life and the achievements and celebrations were just as special in the midst of it all. I finally finished my BSN, and I also recently was engaged and then Married last Friday. I realized that even though things aren't as we would think they need to be, we can still find joy and true love of family and friends in the midst of it all.

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  30. Just like most of the previous posting, my silver lining during this pandemic is having more time spent with my family especially my teenager son who is almost always not around during dinner time because of sports, after school activities or just personal things he needs to do. Other silver lining is having a peace of mind because my son is not driving as much during this stay at home orders..... just fyi...he just got his drivers license and just started driving this year.

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  31. 1) I really think the question should be how didn’t she change practice? First, I do think she was very heroic and brave, especially since she was a female, in a male dominated society. To me, her approach created a patient’s basic rights to cleanliness, hygiene and dignity. She sought to improve the physical well-being as well as emotional well-being of her patients. It amazes me that she even fought to improve structural layouts in buildings. All these approaches helped influence medical practice. She was a dynamic change agent. Where would be be without professional medical record keeping system’s?She even transformed that.




    2) I think the biggest reason that everyone should acknowledge Florence Nightingale as a role model, is because she didn’t accept conditions when she knew improvements were needed. She did not accept the status quo for the ailing and injured. We must acknowledge her because we must all strive to do better in an age of ever increasing costs, in an age of pandemic, and have the courage to do so. I also think we need to acknowledge her because she did not just provide exceptional physical care she sought to tend to a persons whole being. She provided for the emotional as well as the physical aspects of care, and you can't have one without the other.

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    1. Hi Mary, I have been removing everyone's answers and asking them to re-post to Kari for credit. I am leaving your responses up because they are such a great example of someone who read the articles and then used their own thoughts, words and opinions to respond to the questions.

      This is not meant to be a slight to anyone else's responses, we have a lot of great writers!

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  32. My observation is that people started to finally wash their hands. It is sad that it needed to be triggered by the emotion of fear toward death. Other positive side of this situation is, in my opinion, the slower pace of life. People got finally to pause and reflect. There is more time allowed to spend with the family. As much as my life has not changed a lot, I learned that everything is temporary and everything is a gift. I learned to adapt to change and find a way through rather than against.

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    1. I have noticed employees of CTCA that were in the bathroom with me leave and not wash their hands.
      I hope this has been a wake up call to everyone the importance of doing hand washing frequently throughout the day!
      Brenda Chiappetta

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  34. Covid -19 has given such a big impact not only for our self, but as well as to the entire universe. This situation has also given us the time to reflect and ponder on the many things we have taken for granted in the past such as time. If there is one thing positive that has come out of this situation is the essence of solidarity among each and everyone of us. We have seen too many people who have lost their jobs and lost their families, but in our own little way we helped and reached out to this people. Despite of this situation, we continue to rise up because we have each others back and for me that is how we turn negative into positive.

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  35. Covid -19 has given me the opportunity to slow down my busy life and learn how to relax and really unwind. It has shown me not to take things for granted such as being able to go to church, get my hair and nails done, go to the gym, my chiropractor, dentist, etc. It has also shown me that at anytime, anything can happen and to put myself in the position of being prepared with toilet paper and other essentials in case of any emergency.
    I hope as a whole, people have learned that hand washing IS important, and more people do it frequently throughout the day.
    We will get through this together and come out of this even stronger!
    Brenda Chiappetta
    Wound Care

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  36. Covid-19 has made us eat dinner together consistently at the table, as a family. Before it was haphazard. We even have "assigned seating," for once! I appreciate that we now have the routine I always wanted. This has brought our family closer together.
    --Theresa Minniear, clinical research

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  37. Like everyone here I had more time with my family for just staying at home, but I think most of all , I learned the importance on how to prepare for the next things to come. In my work as an RN I have seen how all the standards of practice fell apart, putting my life and others in dangers because of the lack of preparation with this pandemic, so I hope this will be a silver lining for everyone in healthcare and even the government to be prepared for the next one so I can feel safe with my practice.

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