Supporting healthcare staff through COVID

2022 Conference Recording | Free for Members.

Summary:

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on healthcare settings and healthcare staff and has continued to do so for over 2 years after its inception. Healthcare staff have endured higher levels of stress and anxiety, have adapted to changing workplace practices, processes, and staffing challenges, have experienced professional and personal challenges, and in metropolitan Melbourne have lived through multiple extended lockdowns. All of which impacts the health and wellbeing of staff.

At Austin Health, which is a large metropolitan health service in Melbourne, therapeutic horticulture programs and initiatives have been instigated to provide support for its healthcare staff. This presentation will share about the development of new facilitated therapeutic horticulture sessions to support new graduate nurses and the subsequent development of a new organisation wide Healthcare Worker Wellbeing program that provides facilitated horticulture, art, and music sessions to support all staff. The presentation will also share the Vase of Appreciation initiative that also commenced during the pandemic to provide a thank you for staff with the foliage and flowers all sourced from the hospital’s gardens.