When Donielle Finding, MSN, MBA, RN, CCRN, became nurse manager of the ICU at Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital nearly four years ago, she asked the unit’s Shared Governance Council to find a community service event the team could participate in. “It’s always been important to me to do community events because it’s good for employee and community engagement,” says Finding, who was named Director of Nursing for Critical Care and Emergency Services at Medina Hospital earlier this year. “It’s fun, and it brings the team together.”
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Nurses on the Shared Governance Council decided to create a Relay for Life team to support the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Medina County. Since its inception in 2015, the team – aptly named ICU Care – has raised more than $30,000 through a series of fundraising efforts that grows each year. “I had no idea what we were getting into when we started!” says Finding.
The ICU at Medina Hospital only has about 35 employees, but their commitment to Relay for Life is amazing, says Finding. A dedicated team of clinical nurses, PCNAs and the health unit coordinator go far beyond fielding a team of walkers for the 24-hour grassroots event in June at the Medina County Fairground. They have instituted and implemented new ideas for the ICU Care team each year, including the following:
Three of the nurses who are instrumental in organizing the efforts of the ICU care team are Steve Depp, BSN, RN, CCRN; Shanna Godsey, BSN, RN; and Lauren Rogers, MSN, BA, RN, NE-BC, RN-BC.
While Finding touts ICU Care’s work with Relay for Life, she’s equally proud of the employees’ work ethic. “On top of all their engagement with Relay for Life, they also provide quality care for our patients,” she says. “It’s amazing how that engagement and the care that they give goes hand in hand.”
Finding also believes that participating in the ACS events is a stress reliever. “What our nurses deal with in the ICU setting can be so stressful,” she says. “It’s good for the nurses and their well-being to have this outlet.”
And most importantly, it’s good for nurses to be involved in the community they serve. “Nursing is such a trusted profession,” says Finding. “Reaching out to the community is important so we continue to keep that trust with our patients.”
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