Drop-in sessions offer ED staff a meaningful chance to connect
Kathy Reda has been a nurse in Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s emergency department long enough to know and understand the needs of her colleagues. Reda, who has also been trained in techniques for providing emotional support to her peers, started a series of weekly drop-in hours
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most of them timed to shift changes
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to allow colleagues to connect with one another, discuss shared concerns, or just grab a quick bite to eat.
“People are dying. We all have to gown and glove and mask and face shield before going into any room,” she says. “At home, we undress in the garage and worry about infecting our loved ones. There are so many unknowns in this fluid environment. It became evident very quickly that we wanted to be able to gather together in a safe place even if just for 10 minutes.”
Kathy Reda.