Blessing Hospital has earned national recognition for its efforts to increase organ, eye, and tissue donor registrations across the state through the Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL) Hospital Organ Donation Campaign. The WPFL is a national initiative that unites the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the organ donation community with workplaces across the nation to raise awareness about the importance of donation.
Blessing Hospital’s Life Team recently accepted the WPFL Platinum award from the Health Resources & Services Administration and the regional Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network for, “Saving and improving lives during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by encouraging hospital colleagues and community members to register as organ, eye and tissue donors.”
Blessing Hospital was one of 1,657 organizations to participate in the 2021 campaign.
The Life Team conducted multiple awareness and registry activities between October 2020 and April 2021, responding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and prompting new donor registrations. Awareness and registry activities included a social media campaign in which Blessing Health System employees were featured sharing personal stories of organ, eye and tissue donation; a Gift of Hope flag raising ceremony in front of the hospital to honor donors, recipients, and their families; adding the State of Illinois organ and tissue donor registry as a link on the health system website, creating Donor Sabbath and Donate Life Month displays; providing organ and tissue donation Q&A social media sessions; and Be Well with Blessing Health System television stories featuring the need for organ and tissue donation.
The Blessing Hospital Life Team is a multidisciplinary group that works with Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network regarding hospital organ and tissue donation policies and procedures, including staff education; and public awareness and outreach.
Every ten minutes, another person is added to the organ transplant waiting list, reaffirming the critical and growing need for registered organ, eye, and tissue donors.
In the photo, left to right are Michael Richard, RN, EMS; Rita Schaefer, RN, Nursing Professional Development/Emergency Department; Shanna Winter, RN, Nursing Professional Development/Critical Care and Life Team facilitator; Abbie Hochgraber, RN, associate nurse manager, Progressive Care Unit; Beth Wiemelt, RN, associate nurse manager, Cardiovascular Unit; Betsey Powell, administrative assistant; and Rick Rettke, RN, nurse manager, Critical Care and Life Team Chair. Life Team members not pictured are Tracy Armstrong, chaplain, Volunteer Services; Michelle Summy, RN, ICU; Erica Roberts, donation liaison, Gift of Hope.