Temple Health team members are always going out of their way to care for others—which is why NICU nurse Antonnette Thompson, MSN, RN, CNE, MPH, BSHA, BSRT, ARRT (R) prepared 65 care packages for her Temple Women & Families Hospital colleagues who worked through the recent snowstorm.
“I’m always out in the community serving our neighbors,” says Thompson. “But I really felt compelled to do something when I heard about the storm. I only live 11 minutes from Women & Families, and I thought, ‘If people are coming from so much farther away to take care of our patients, I want to do something nice for them.’”
Thompson headed to the store and bought everything from socks, lotion, and combs to toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, and body wash. She also included affirmational messages to remind teams of the importance of their mission. She then brought the care packages to the hospital, where they were made available to team members—and the reaction was overwhelming.
“I had people texting and calling me all day to say, ‘Oh my God, that was so nice! We really appreciate it!’” Thompson recalls. “It was so exciting, and it felt so good. It shows that, if you pour yourself into others, the universe will pay you back tenfold.”
Sharon Kurfuerst, EdD, OTR/L, FACHE, Executive Director of Temple Women & Families, sees Thompson’s actions as a reflection of the hospital’s mission. “Temple Women & Families is all about caring for those around us, from our patients and community to our team members,” she says. “We’re proud to have employees like Antonnette, who embody that promise in everything they do.”
“At Temple Women & Families, we’re always here for you,” Thompson says. “Even in a snowstorm, we care for those who need us—and I wanted to let our team members know they’re cared for as well.”