Posted: 2/14/2023
More than 3,500 cards expected to be distributed during eighth 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’d 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’s the eighth 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.
This is the eighth year that Amy Artz, MSN, RN, associate nursing manager in Parkland’s Mother Baby unit, has taken part in the Valentine’s Day card distribution.
“It’s been a tough couple of years, and to be able to give our patients who are away from their families a special pick-me-up really brings a lot of joy to everyone,” Artz said. “A small act of kindness feels good and can put a smile on everyone’s face, even complete strangers.”
“Our support goes beyond what people traditionally think of as medical care and includes the emotional needs of our patients as well. We want to take their minds off their injuries and illnesses, if even for a moment,” said Donna Richardson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Parkland’s Chief Nursing Executive. “Signing and delivering these cards not only lifts the spirits of our patients, but it’s a great morale booster for our staff.”
Artz agrees, noting, “Creating and delivering these valentines to our patients provides a lot of happiness not only for our patients, but for us as well. Our patients are always surprised and grateful when they receive a valentine,” Artz said. “And while it brings our patients a lot of joy, it gives us a lot of joy, too.”
Showing that we care with this small but tangible expression of compassion is a way for our nurses and staff to go beyond traditional medical care and relate to the emotional needs of our patients as well, according to Richardson.
“Whether they are dealing with an injury or an illness, when a patient receives a valentine from the staff caring for them, it’s an unexpected gift that we hope will brighten their day and take their minds off their physical problems for a few moments,” Richardson added.
To watch the reaction of Parkland patients receiving valentines from nurses, please visit https://youtu.be/xRT1RcTV5KI
For more information about services available at Parkland, please visit www.parklandhealth.org.