It’s important to show your nurses some appreciation beyond Nurse Appreciation Week! Your staff has been working hard all summer, while most of their friends have been taking time off, going on vacations, and traveling to the beach. No matter what the season is, nurses must continue to work night shifts and doubles.
Certainly, don’t let this dedication go unnoticed. Here are some nurse appreciation ideas to try:
1.) Give them some lip balm for the colder weather coming up!
You’re the Balm
2.) Shout out your staff and show them that you notice their efforts.
Staff Shout Outs
3.) Give them a Vitamin C pick me up.
Vitamin C
4.) Nurses need to get their shots too!
Candy Injection
5.) Your nurses probably love coffee. Treat them to a drink, on you.
Starbucks Gift Card
6.) Show off your amazing staff in your facility’s décor.
Meet Our Staff
7.) Nurses are notorious for losing their pens. Stock them up!
Pens
8.) These cute cookies will make any nurse’s day!
Cookies
By showing your gratitude for your staff’s hard work this season, you will motivate them for the upcoming fall season! Little acts of recognition go a long way.
Alzheimer’s affects over five million people across the country. Unlike many other diseases, Alzheimer’s is unique because it impairs one’s memory. Loved ones that could once recite their whole phone book, now can’t even recognize some of their own family members.
Raise Awareness
That’s what makes this disease so much more difficult to deal with emotionally. However, that’s even more of a reason to take the initiative and join the mission to end Alzheimer’s. September is National Alzheimer’s Month. Take this as an opportunity to get your facility, residents, families, and staff involved in the cause.
Decorate Your Bulletin Board
Show that your facility recognizes the importance of raising awareness and decorate your bulletin board in purple ribbons and lettering. Post facts about the disease, as well as ways to prevent it, and information on how people can support the cause. Families and friends that visit your residents will take note. It’s important to inform people about the disease, even if they have not been affected by it.
Ask Your Staff to Wear Purple
On Alzheimer’s Day, September 21st, ask that all of your staff wear purple. Purple is the color that represents the disease, spreads awareness, and signifies a will to fight. Put your facility and all of your staff behind the movement. It’s something almost everyone has been affected by – whether a family or friend has had it. Give your facility the opportunity to stand for something, beyond your normal day to day activities.
Care for Alzheimer’s Residents
Show your residents affected by Alzheimer’s how much you love them. Give out a small present or card to your residents, or ask their family to come in and visit for a day. A little effort goes a long way in improving the life and satisfaction of an Alzheimer’s patient. Teach your staff to give these patients genuine, selfless care all year round.
Start a Donation Can
Get all of your visitors, families, and residents involved in fundraising! Put out a donation can in the front of your facility and give out prizes to those that donate a certain amount. Fundraising is extremely important because it helps researchers discover treatment options and eventually a cure.
Offer Your Expertise
It is likely that many people in your community are affected by Alzheimer’s, whether they are taking care of a loved one, or visit that loved one often. Your staff are highly trained to provide care for the disease, improving the quality of life for that person. Hold an open house informational session, and give tips on how to care and communicate with someone that has Alzheimer’s. Your community will be extremely grateful.
September is the month to remember our loved ones affected by this disease. Do your loved ones a favor and participate in Awareness Month. Even a small effort can make a difference in the fight to end Alzheimer’s.
As patients get older, caring for them can become more difficult. Their hearing may be going, their sight may not be as sharp, and they may not be as mobile as they once were. That is why it is important for nurses to understand not just how to take care of patients in geriatrics, but to provide them with genuine, selfless care.
Working in Geriatrics: Tips That School Didn’t Teach
The following are some tips on how to provide top quality care to patients as they age:
Be Clear and Concise
As patients age, sensory impairments may become worse and worse. In order to counter this, it is important to sit directly across from the patient when speaking. Try to maintain eye contact with them. Hold their attention and let them know that they have yours. This helps the patient focus, while also allowing them to feel that they are being focused on. Use body language, facial expression, and even hand gestures to help communicate with the patient. It is important not to over-exaggerate these motions, though, as that could make the patient feel that you are mocking them or not taking them seriously.
Adapt
Sometimes, it may take several tries before the message that you are trying to convey can get across. You may have to talk louder than your normal speaking voice or repeat some your message several times before the patient can hear what you are saying. They may even be confused by the message you are trying to send. It is important that you do not become upset with the patient. While it may be frustrating, it is not their fault. These conditions may become worse in patients with dementia. It is important to be understanding; they are trying their best to work with you. You just may have to try a little harder with them.
Keep Them Comfortable
This goes beyond flipping the patients so they do not get bed sores, or administering the proper medication; for many patients, nursing homes are a final resting place. Keeping them comfortable is just as important as any other nursing duty. If you see they are cold, (as many older people tend to be) provide them with a warm blanket. Play music that is familiar to them. When patients with memory issues are having a bad day, this music can help soothe them. Try talking to them about more than just their condition. Create a bond with them by asking about their childhood. Try to stay away from topics about their spouses or children, though. Remember not to treat them like they are sick. It is important that they remain as engaged in everyday life as possible.
Working in geriatrics can be difficult, but very rewarding. People from all walks of life come in to be cared for. They have lived through so many experiences, and now you are helping them to remain peaceful and comfortable during these new experiences. Watching a withdrawn patient become more engaged, seeing a patient’s face light up when their family comes to visit, or even watching a patient with memory issues have a good day makes everything worth it. Similar to pediatrics, takes a special kind of nurse to work in geriatrics. Our nurses are some of the best in the business.
