Pomerene ‘signs’ on to honor staff for National Hospital Week
This sign and decorations in the front of Pomerene Hospital boasted 350 blue pinwheels, one for each staff member at the hospital. Pomerene recently celebrated National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week, honoring and celebrating its staff members.
With National Nurses Week being observed the week of May 6-12 and National Hospital Week taking place May 13-19, it was a perfect time for the Pomerene Hospital leadership team to honor its 350 employees for their dedication and service to the Holmes County community and beyond.
In doing so, the hospital placed an enormous sign reading “Celebrating Healthcare Heroes” along with 350 blue pinwheels in honor of each of their employees in front of the hospital as a way of saying thank you and recognizing their efforts.
“It was important to us that we dedicate these two weeks to our people,” said Katie Wright, chief nursing officer at Pomerene Hospital.
During the two-week celebration, the hospital provided plenty of special moments for the entire staff including bringing in a variety of food trucks, events and celebrations dedicated to each specific unit and department. Doctors brought in special treats, and people from the community even reached out to offer their gratitude by bringing in some sweet treats.
The sign in the grassy hill outside the hospital was provided by Card My Yard of Wooster, which put a shiny emphasis on the festivities.
“One of the things we really wanted to stress to the community was our appreciation for every single one of our staff here at Pomerene,” Wright said. “Each person here means so much to us.”
The two weeks also included a giant wall poster titled “What’s Your Why,” which allowed staff to jot down what being part of the Pomerene family means to them. In addition, Pomerene IT specialist Stephanie Yoder assembled a 20-minute video on that topic, and Wright said a definitive theme came through with almost every video interview.
“Probably 90% of them talked about Pomerene being like family,” Wright said. “Everyone knows one another. When something good happens, we celebrate it together. When something tragic happens, we rally around one another.”
She said as someone who hails from New Philadelphia and grew up outside Holmes County, it didn’t take her long to understand the value and importance both the county and the hospital place on being a family.
“It’s an amazing place where everyone is so supportive,” Wright said. “We have employees who were born here and now work here. We have people who have been working here for decades. That’s why celebrating these two weeks was so important for us.”
Now more than 100 years in existence, the hospital has played an important role in Holmes County for more than a century and continues to rack up state and national honors for its service and dedication to community.
Wright said while doctors and nurses may receive the recognition, it takes an entire community of dedicated employees to make Pomerene a success.
She said the people behind the scenes, like cafeteria workers, environmental services workers, maintenance workers and more, serve critical roles that are valuable to completing Pomerene’s service to community and to those who entrust themselves and loved ones into their care.
She said many of the doctors and nurses who care for patients not only work here, but also live in Holmes County and share lives with the people who visit for care.
“We want our patients to never have to leave Holmes County for care,” Wright said. “If we can’t provide a service, we find the very best out there that can because taking care of people is what we do.”
To learn more about the hospital, visit www.pomerenehospital.org.