August 31, 2021  

As health care workers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center respond to the latest COVID-19 surge, our donors continue to be there, providing support to help our doctors, nurses and staff stay resilient and save lives.

“Over the last year and a half, we have gone through some challenging times due to COVID and other trials,” Jillian Maitland, RN, said. “However, it has also provided the opportunity for the (Emergency) department to demonstrate its resilience and determination to provide care to our patients despite the challenges.”

Since the start of the pandemic, hundreds of community members have supported the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Health Care Workers Wellness Fund. The generous outpouring has continued with donations that provide meals, nutritious snacks, hotel respite and other wellness initiatives to medical center employees to help them through long and exhausting shifts.

“These kind gestures are a reminder to the ED team that the community values what they are doing and cares about them as frontline health care workers and as people,” Maitland says.

This year, the Wellness Fund provided wellness initiatives such as Zen Boxes to Intensive Care Units and other units caring for high numbers of COVID patients. The boxes included meditation books, diffusers, sound machines, and posters of beautiful scenery so teams could create a space of healing, relaxation, and peace. In addition, the Columbus Symphony String Trio performed during staff lunch breaks (pictured top). The classical music helped staff recuperate between shifts.

Maitland stated, “I think at times we can lose sight of how impactful a thank you can be, but the community’s support and the wellness initiatives are a welcomed reminder and directly impact the stress the team is feeling on a daily basis.”

Pictured: ICU Staff at Ohio State East Hospital displaying bags of nutritious snacks.