Community feature: Healthy Monday at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

The Healthy Monday Nurse Wellness Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital uses tools from several different Monday Campaigns to promote wellness among their nurses.

Elena Ladas, PhD, recognizes that nursing is a profession that can carry a “high emotional burden” on top of the day-to-day stress that nurses face. Michelle Bombacie, program manager for the integrative therapies program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, is dedicated to making nurses’ lives easier through the Healthy Monday program.

The program initially began as a Meatless Monday campaign, and to launch, Bombacie received all of the materials from The Monday Campaigns. After assessing the needs of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital nurses, however, they began to craft a wellness program specifically tailored to their desire to reduce stress and get more exercise.

Having an accessible program that fit neatly into their daily life was important to nurses, given their busy and demanding schedules. For example, nurses may find stress reduction resources while on their computers completing patients’ charts. These specific nurses had an interest in movement, so their Healthy Monday program includes dance movement and yoga. Bombacie is a licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist, and uses her knowledge on aromatherapy, acupressure, and self-massage to help nurses manage stress. Finally, by simply writing positive intentions in the nurses’ workroom and checking in with them throughout the week, Bombacie has made it clear to the nurses that she cares about their self-care and wellbeing.

^{Michelle Bombacie leads New York Presbyterian Hospital nurses in a dance movement class. Sourced with permission: The Monday Campaigns}

The Healthy Monday Nurse Wellness Program is one example of how a thoughtful needs assessment can lead to a comprehensive, tailored, and effective program for a specific population. By determining participants’ needs, evaluating program effectiveness, and engaging directly with participants, those planning the Healthy Monday Nurse Wellness Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital were able to promote nurses’ health in an accessible and beneficial way.