Patients at Parkland to receive Valentines from nurses
More than 3,500 cards expected to be distributed during ninth year of the event
In the days before social media, texting and cell phones, every February youngsters anxiously dragged their parents to the corner store to pick out the perfect package of valentines to pass out to classmates. After the school party, they would carefully open their cache of tiny white envelopes and beam at the array of cards sporting superheroes and colorful cartoon characters. Nurses at Parkland Health hope to replicate that feeling and put smiles on countless faces by delivering valentines to every patient throughout the system from Feb. 9-14. It is the ninth year Parkland nurses have spread the love on Valentine’s Day.
Parkland’s Professional Excellence in Nursing (PEN) Council sponsors the project and provides English- and Spanish-language valentines for their colleagues to personalize for their patients. Parkland’s leadership also takes part in sharing their heart by signing cards. Nurses plan to deliver more than 3,500 signed valentines to hospitalized patients and those in Parkland’s network of community-based health centers. Signing and delivering the cards, they say, is something they look forward to in the days and weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day.
“I remember exchanging valentines as a child, and I remember feeling special. Most of the students in our class were from low-income families who did not participate in a lot of activities, but for some reason every child on that day always had a valentine,” recalled Tina Madrid, associate unit manager in Parkland’s 7 Plastics department. “The one that stands out the most was when I was in second grade and my teacher, Mrs. Smith, made each student their very own card. It was my favorite character, in my favorite color. The best part was she did it all herself.”
The personal notes are what makes the day even more special, according to Parkland’s Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive Donna Richardson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC.
“Our nurses and staff support goes beyond traditional medical care and includes the emotional needs of our patients as well. We want to take their minds off their physical problems, whether it is an injury or illness, if even for a moment,” Richardson said. “It’s a way to hopefully put a smile on their face and brighten their day.”
Victoria Jimenez, a senior registered nurse in Parkland’s Homeless Outreach Medical Services (HOMES) program recalls decorating an old shoe box with red construction paper and being so excited to see what cards and treats she would receive from friends.
But while she fondly recalls the days of her youth, Jimenez relishes today.
“I think it is important to pass out Valentine’s Day cards to patients because it shows we care holistically about their well-being,” she said. “In a sense it reminds them how we are focused on more than their lab results and blood pressure numbers.”
Some patients are surprised, and others amused, she notes, when presented with a valentine. “One patient told me once with a smile on his face, ‘just like elementary school!’,” she said.
Jillian Alcorn, a senior registered nurse in Parkland’s Burn Acute Care Unit agrees.
“Some of the reactions from patients have been laughs and smiles, mostly,” said Alcorn, who has been passing out Valentine’s Day cards to hospitalized patients since the program began. “They say ‘thank you’ and really seem to appreciate the act of kindness and the fact that we’re thinking about them.”
“It brings me joy to see our patients smile. Some patients blush and say, ‘thank you,’ others said they had never received anything like this before. I remember one patient saying, ‘when do you all have time to make us feel special? You all are so busy’,” Madrid said, adding, “No one wants to be in the hospital and if, just for a second, something small like a card can make you forget, I would do it over and over.”
For more information about services available at Parkland, please visit www.parklandhealth.org.
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