Finally I know where the Grinch lives.
Before Halloween was even over, the staff at Mission Memorial Hospital received a memo regarding Christmas decorating guidelines.
No name was assigned to the memo but if there were any questions you could contact MMH administration.
A decision was made to replace trees with wreaths in the nursing units. In all the years I worked at MMH, there has been a friendly decorating contest between all departments.
I don’t buy the memo’s rationale of infection control standards, overall safety and congestion concerns. Not once in all the years I worked at MMH was patient safety put at risk.
As a matter of fact, patients and their families, as well as staff enjoyed the decorations. They helped make a difficult time for patients tolerable. The friendly competition also built staff morale. Nurses in other worksites that I have spoken to report there have been no such draconian memos. They report their worksites encourage friendly departmental competition.
At the very least the writers of this memo should have had the courtesy to discuss their concerns with staff before implementing their guidelines. Guidelines that had no staff input.
So now I know where the Grinch lives. He is alive and well and living at MMH.
Linda Pipe
