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Discover Planetree at Enloe

Enloe Medical Center has begun to implement patient-centered initiatives that address some of the components of Planetree.

Human Interaction

The Planetree approach starts at the organization’s core and builds momentum outward.

“Renewing the Spirit of Enloe” staff training retreats are taking place to provide all Enloe employees with understanding and techniques related to Planetree.  Retreats provide caregivers with the tools for nurturing and healing, building on the strong caring qualities they already demonstrate. Our discussions focus on the patient’s perspective and the vital role staff play in personalizing care. 

Enloe also introduced a nursing model designed to improve interaction, communication and care. RN-directed patient-centered care is practiced on the various nursing units with the goal of enhancing delivery of care and increasing patient satisfaction. Over time, this approach will be rolled out to all nursing units.

Also, Enloe Volunteer Services provides a Patient Ambassadors Program that is designed to reduce the physical, psychological, social and spiritual anxiety of patients and their families. Compassionate volunteers, who receive in-depth training and orientation, visit hospital patients and offer help in a variety of ways. Tasks may include engaging in conversation, visiting, reading, playing cards, offering caring touch and providing access to healing arts. Patient Ambassadors may also support the nursing unit by assisting with administrative tasks.

Quiet Hospital Initiative

A calm, quiet place is ideal for the healing process—and a priority at Enloe. Our first step in managing noise was eliminating routine overhead paging in February 2008. We also dim the lights during certain times of the day to encourage quiet voices. The alternative forms of communication that we implemented after eliminating routine overhead paging support the Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goal to improve communication between caregivers. Additionally, in 2008, we added soothing recorded music to the the main hospital entrance and lobby as well as in the Emergency Department lobby, hallways and nurses station.

Nutritional and Nurturing Aspects of Food

Enloe introduced a new patient menu in the summer of 2009 in response to patient preference. This followed another menu refresh in spring 2008, providing a larger variety of selections including more vegetarian options.

Healing Environment

The physical environment is vital to the healing process of patients. The Healing Garden at the Enloe Regional Cancer Center provides a place of serenity and reminds patients of the beauty in life. The center was presented with the national Spirit of Planetree Arts & Entertainment Award in 2008 for its healing arts programs.

Enloe will incorporate the Planetree concepts into our new building and existing patient tower creating a healing environment through interior design. Features will include local artwork, furniture to accommodate overnight visitors and welcoming family lounges. Also, a meditation room in the new patient tower will offer family members a place to reflect, contemplate and feel a sense of peace.

Art Panels

The art panels on the Enloe Parking Structure are examples of Healing Environments in action. This collection of art, with the theme of healing power of nature, has been on display since April 24, 2009. Several of the panels were purchased during an online auction this summer. Several of these will remain as community art on the Enloe parking structure. Stop by and visit or take a look at the artists and artwork in our slide show, immediately below. There is now an opportunity to purchase the art:

 

Enloe Health Learning Center

The Enloe Health Learning Center, which opened in May 2009, provides patients, family members and community members access to a broad array of health, wellness and medical information. A team of dedicated caregivers and community members from Enloe, the Butte County Library and Chico State Library worked to develop a mission and core selection of resources for the learning center. The Enloe Health Learning Center is located at 1465 Esplanade in Chico. Learn more about this community resource or access our online catalog.

Sustainability Task Force

As part of Planetree’s commitment to community health, Enloe has created a committee that is working to expand the medical center’s recycling and ecologically sustainability practices that are good for people and the environment. 

Healthy Communities

Planetree is also designed to be a catalyst for health and wellness in the larger community. The first Planetree seminar, “State of Grace,” highlighted how art, creativity and intuition can rejuvenate caregivers and patients. We also offer ongoing free educational events for the community and for health professionals. At Right: The Enloe Regional Cancer Center helped Rosedale Elementary School students create Flags of Hope, where children could decorate and write messages on their own flags.

Book in Common

Enloe employees and community members are invited to read a “book in common” each quarter and share discussion over a brown-bag lunch. All Book in Common events are listed on our online community calendar. Lyon Books of Chico generously donates a percentage of the sale of Enloe's Books In Common to Enloe's Planetree fund, benefiting Planetree initiatives at our medical center.

Our first book selection for the Planetree Book in Common was “A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose” by Eckhart Tolle. Others have included "The Soloist" by Steve Lopez; “Healing Conversations: What to Say When You Don’t Know What to Say” by Nance Guilmartin; "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser; and "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson.

Spirit of Planetree Awards

Enloe’s annual Spirit of Planetree Awards recognize a caregiver, program and physician who embody the Planetree philosophy and achieve extraordinary results in patient-centered care. Following are recipients for the 2010 Spirit of Planetree Awards.

Caregiver Award: Gail Cunha, RN As Nurse Manager of the Definitive Care Unit (DCU), Gail mentors her team on best practices and enhancing the patient experience. Gail is also innovative when developing solutions to issues that previously seemed insurmountable. She has successfully implemented many Planetree initiatives, including rounding with patients, the Quiet Hospital initiative and a follow-up process to ensure patients’ needs have been met after discharge. Gail also helps orient new employees to the Planetree patient-centered approach to care.

Program Award: Enloe Stroke Program The Stroke Program has been recognized over the past five years by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines (GWTG) award. It received the Gold Award in 2008 and the Gold-Plus Award in 2009. To receive the Gold-Plus, Enloe achieved 85 percent or higher adherence to all GWTG-Stroke Performance Achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month intervals. With a focus on high-level expertise, commitment and patient-centered care, the Stroke Program uses the motto “Time Lost Is Brain Lost” to educate the community about the need for quick response to stroke symptoms. It provides stroke education in various locations throughout the community. It also organizes the Stroke Support Group, which has met monthly since January 2009.

Physician Champion Award: Scott Mellum, MDObstetrician/Gynecologist Scott Mellum, MD, is sensitive and caring with patients and incorporates their spirituality into their care. He treats all patients he is covering for other doctors as if they were his own and is always pleasant. Dr. Mellum is widely known as a physician who makes patients feel cared for and valued. He is compassionate, professional and communicates well with the entire care team, as evidenced by this co-worker’s comments: “I value knowing that when I refer patients to him, they will receive excellent medical care with a caring heart.”

The Spirit of Planetree Award recipients were recognized at the 2010 Enloe Gala on March 20.

Arts and Entertainment

As a Planetree affiliate, Enloe recognizes and honors the powerful role of the arts in our lives. Music, artwork, crafts, therapeutic movement, and writing offer engagement and enjoyment to enhance the clinical and healing environment. Through partnerships with California State University, Chico, and Chico Performances, Enloe continues to develop and support music as a healing art at the medical center and in the community.

Enloe collaborated with the university’s Music Department to create a "Music for Healing and Wellness" independent study course for senior music majors since Fall 2008. Top right: Harpist Lauren Sharkey and flautist MaryAlice Kolko perform at the Cancer Center Atrium through Chico State's music for healing course."

Enloe is a co-sponsor of the Chico Performances' Joe Craven with Laura Love & Orville Johnson musical event at Laxson Auditorium on Thursday, April 30, 2009. Enloe also helped to bring performances by Soweto Gospel Choir and the Bluestones to Chico and Enloe. Bottom right: During their 2008 visit, Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir spent an hour delighting the medical center's four floors singing for patients, visitors, employees and physicians.

The Enloe Regional Cancer Center received the national Spirit of Planetree Arts & Entertainment Award in 2008. The Spirit of Planetree Awards were created to publicly recognize those who personalize, humanize and demystify the health care experience for others and support extraordinary achievement in patient-centered care. Among the Cancer Center's projects are the Healing Art Gallery, shown at right; live music; VIVA!, a support program for kids living with loved ones with cancer; Telling Our Stories, writing for anyone touched by cancer; Faces of Hope, a photo gallery; and the Enloe Cranes Project, an origami folding and cancer awareness program.

How do I become involved?

If you are interested in learning more about Planetree, wish to become involved or to have a Planetree presentation at your organization, contact Traci Hunt, RN, Planetree Coordinator, at 332-5541 or Traci.Hunt@enloe.org.

Enloe Medical Center Planetree Fund

Donations to this fund will support Enloe’s Planetree programs and services designed to provide patient-centered care in a healing environment.  To make a donation or learn more, contact the Enloe Foundation at 332-4550 or foundation@enloe.org.