‘Honoring Life and Loss: Grief Awareness for Faculty and Staff’ returns this May
As an established Michigan Medicine tradition, Honoring Life and Loss: Grief Awareness for Faculty and Staff has been recognizing grief and loss in the workplace since 2013.
This year, however, brings us to a more poignant moment – our losses have been pronounced and our need to grieve immense. Our collective grief has permeated most aspects of our lives this year. What are we carrying in our bones? What can we do to help ease the burden?
This year’s events will cover the breadth of loss that one experiences in a health care setting and in life.
We invite you to pause with us and honor the impact of grief and loss from this past year and build resilience as we move forward.
Schwartz Rounds: Sharing Stories of Grief – Family Perspectives: Noon – 1 p.m., May 1 (1.0 Nursing Contact Hour and 1.0 CEU for Social Work approved)
This Schwartz Rounds discussion will focus on hearing stories from family members who have experienced grief within our healthcare system. Open dialogue for all members of the Michigan Medicine community is encouraged. For more information about Schwartz Rounds, visit: http://www.theschwartzcenter.org/supporting-caregivers/schwartz-center-rounds/
Coping with Grief: Education and Support: 5-6 p.m., May 8
Grief has been a constant companion over the past few years. In honor of Grief Awareness Month through the Honoring Life and Loss: Grief Awareness for Faculty and Staff initiative, please join staff from the Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience as we talk about grief, loss and how to cope. We will provide some education and information, while also creating a space for your stories. We look forward to sharing these heartfelt moments with the Michigan Medicine community. Please register at the link below:
https://umich.zoom.us/j/93867994442
Chair Massage Event: Noon – 2 p.m. 6-8 p.m., May 10
RelaxStation staff will be providing chair massages in recharge rooms.
Discovering Compassion in Loss: Building Sustainability for All conference: 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., May 15, with optional networking from 4-5 p.m. with resource sharing event.
U-M Health Nursing Professional Development & Education is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
For information about receiving nursing continuing professional development contact hours, contact PDE Planner Diane Wyse.
7.0 Social Work CEUs pending.
Weber’s Inn, Ann Arbor
This full-day conference is a way to recognize professional grief, which is frequently experienced but often hidden, while also building knowledge and skills in grief and loss related to death and non-death loss. By embracing healthy coping behaviors and a supportive work culture, we hope to decrease compassion fatigue, mitigate occupational stress and burnout, and increase the joy and fulfillment in this type of work. Breakfast and lunch provided.
Selected Topics for the event:
- Vicarious Trauma: Preserving Self while Caring for Others
- Panel presentation focused on regaining compassion during difficult times
- Table discussion to promote community and share wisdom
- Loss and grief related to Alzheimer’s and dementia
- Video presentation and Q&A with award-winning nurse educator Barbara Karnes R.N.
Register in advance for this event:
Breaking Bad News: 1-2 p.m. or 5:30-6:30 p.m., May 24
U-M Health Nursing Professional Development & Education is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. For information about receiving nursing continuing professional development contact hours, contact PDE Planner Diane Wyse.
1.0 Social Work CEUs pending.
Across Michigan Medicine, staff and faculty find themselves having to deliver serious news to patients and families. This somber moment for clinicians and patients can be challenging. During this session, we will discuss strategies and develop skills for Breaking Bad News with grace and compassion. These essential tools can be used by any individuals who work in health care. The use of levity in approaching this topic will be deployed as well as considerations for self-care. The came content will be presented at two times on the virtual platform.
Register in advance for this event:
1-2 p.m.: https://umich.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIudu6vrTksHtyqDGYzuj-v7FBRv_4eQ3CT
5:30-6:30 p.m.: https://umich.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwqcOGgrT8pGdCQw0NZ2ueJZ_WX56dDuQrH
Coping with Grief: Education and Support: noon-1 p.m., May 30
Grief has been a constant companion over the past few years. In honor of Grief Awareness Month through the Honoring Life and Loss: Grief Awareness for Faculty and Staff initiative, please join staff from the Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience as we talk about grief, loss and how to cope. We will provide some education and information, while also creating a space for your stories. We look forward to sharing these heartfelt moments with the Michigan Medicine community. Please register at the link below:
https://umich.zoom.us/j/91402948452
Grief and Healing Wall: all month long
Honoring Life and Loss: A special project to encourage staff, faculty, patients, families, and all caregivers to share expressions of grief, loss, healing and hope.
Despite our distance, we all have universal experiences of loss and finding new ways to connect is important. Please share your thoughts, messages and other expressions of grief and hope virtually. Your messages will be collected and displayed by Gifts of Art volunteers and staff on the 2nd Floor in UH during May. Click here to enter your message grief wall.
