Caring for the Whole Person At 50 years of age, Quincy wanted to manage on his own. He felt too young for home care. But his condition deteriorated, and soon he could not adequately care for himself. Friends convinced him that hospice was the answer. Two registered nurses made the initial home visit. Upon arrival, they discovered a horribly messy house. Rolling up their sleeves, they went to work clearing pathways and organizing Quincy’s belongings. As the two nurses worked, they talked with Quincy. When they learned he had been too embarrassed to tell his sister about his condition, they convinced him to reconnect with her by telephone. Through simple acts of cleaning and communicating, the nurses opened the doors for visits from friends, medical personnel and family members. Just hours before Quincy died, he received a final visit from his sister. Because of their caring attitude, these nurses broke through the barriers Quincy had built up and helped him have a peaceful end to life. A Mission of Service The mission of Adventist Medical Center (AMC) includes delivering health care that nurtures body, mind and spirit through personnel, programs and services. Every job contributes to whole-person care. Each employee plays an important role. “Whole-person care is what sets us apart from other health care organizations,” said Wayne Judd, Adventist Health assistant vice president of mission and planning. “And when whole-person care is consistently delivered by whole people, Adventist Medical Center’s mission will be fulfilled.” He added, “Adventist Medical Center employees understand that the way they fulfill our mission is by being that mission to our community.” A Renewed Commitment All departments are involved in meeting the needs of AMC patients. Recently, each department reviewed what “whole-person care” means to its function and renewed a commitment to provide the highest quality of service to patients and the community. Many employees found new enthusiasm for their work when they fully realized the value of their contribution to patient care. One such department is plant services, which is responsible for grounds, maintenance, carpentry, electrical, painting and engineering. While these services may not immediately come to mind when thinking about patient care, they contribute in their own way. For example, maintaining a beautifully landscaped campus gives a positive first impression of the hospital and uplifts the spirit. Additionally, since electricity is vital when providing patient care, plant services provides alternate power through back-up generators when normal routes of power are interrupted. “I was impressed by the comments made by employees at our department meeting,” said Gene Domke, plant services director. “They put into words the commitment and dedication that I see in their daily work. I’ve met with several departments as they discussed their contribution to caring for the whole person. The AMC staff warms my heart as they approach their work with commitment and caring. As the opening paragraph in our mission statement reads, ‘The mission of Adventist Medical Center is to demonstrate the human expression of the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.’”
Caring for the Whole Person
At 50 years of age, Quincy wanted to manage on his own. He felt too young for home care. But his condition deteriorated, and soon he could not adequately care for himself. Friends convinced him that hospice was the answer.
Two registered nurses made the initial home visit. Upon arrival, they discovered a horribly messy house. Rolling up their sleeves, they went to work clearing pathways and organizing Quincy’s belongings.
As the two nurses worked, they talked with Quincy. When they learned he had been too embarrassed to tell his sister about his condition, they convinced him to reconnect with her by telephone.
Through simple acts of cleaning and communicating, the nurses opened the doors for visits from friends, medical personnel and family members. Just hours before Quincy died, he received a final visit from his sister. Because of their caring attitude, these nurses broke through the barriers Quincy had built up and helped him have a peaceful end to life.
A Mission of Service
The mission of Adventist Medical Center (AMC) includes delivering health care that nurtures body, mind and spirit through personnel, programs and services. Every job contributes to whole-person care. Each employee plays an important role.
“Whole-person care is what sets us apart from other health care organizations,” said Wayne Judd, Adventist Health assistant vice president of mission and planning. “And when whole-person care is consistently delivered by whole people, Adventist Medical Center’s mission will be fulfilled.” He added, “Adventist Medical Center employees understand that the way they fulfill our mission is by being that mission to our community.”
A Renewed Commitment
All departments are involved in meeting the needs of AMC patients. Recently, each department reviewed what “whole-person care” means to its function and renewed a commitment to provide the highest quality of service to patients and the community. Many employees found new enthusiasm for their work when they fully realized the value of their contribution to patient care.
One such department is plant services, which is responsible for grounds, maintenance, carpentry, electrical, painting and engineering. While these services may not immediately come to mind when thinking about patient care, they contribute in their own way. For example, maintaining a beautifully landscaped campus gives a positive first impression of the hospital and uplifts the spirit. Additionally, since electricity is vital when providing patient care, plant services provides alternate power through back-up generators when normal routes of power are interrupted.
“I was impressed by the comments made by employees at our department meeting,” said Gene Domke, plant services director. “They put into words the commitment and dedication that I see in their daily work. I’ve met with several departments as they discussed their contribution to caring for the whole person. The AMC staff warms my heart as they approach their work with commitment and caring. As the opening paragraph in our mission statement reads, ‘The mission of Adventist Medical Center is to demonstrate the human expression of the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.’”
Adventist Medical Center is committed to whole-person care, and every employee plays an important role. Groundskeeper Lester Phillips works diligently, regardless of the weather, to make the hospital's landscape beautiful.
