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Yorktown Woman Aims To Improve Patient Experience At White Plains Hospital

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Jennifer Shannon tried to “Net Positive Results” Wednesday, one of 14 games set up at the third annual White Plains Hospital Carnival to reinforce best practices and communication that will enhance the patient experience.

Jennifer Shannon aims for the right response to patient complaints, concerns and goals.

Jennifer Shannon aims for the right response to patient complaints, concerns and goals.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly

White Plains Hospital Olympics highlights waste management.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly

To “Net Positive Results,” Shannon, nurse manager for the Cardiac Care Unit, chose a card with a patient complaint, concern or goal on one side of a ping pong table and had to hit the card on the other side of the table with the appropriate response.

“It’s a table tennis game which emphasizes key phrases and communication techniques that you should be using with patients,” said Jessica Gleason, patient experience coordinator for White Plains Hospital.

Gleason put together the Carnival three years ago and each has a theme. This year’s theme is the Olympics, so staff earned points for participating in each game and won popcorn, cotton candy or ice cream.

“If you work at the hospital you impact our patients and our visitors every day,” she said. “So we’ve put together a day that brings our staff together in a fun interactive way to reinforce that we all play a role in it.”

Lucy Aldarondo, of Port Chester, played “Putting the Patients First.” While putting, she listened to sounds familiar to many hospitals patients, like IV pumps and nursing stations.

“As hard as it is to even try to sink a put, think about how hard it is for patients to try to sleep through these noises,” Gleason said. “We’re trying to make it a quieter healing environment.”

Phil Massaro played “Shooting For Tidiness,” which asks participants to ball up hospital scrubs and toss it through a mini-basketball hoop. If it goes through the hoop, you balled it up properly and if it gets stuck in the hoop then you did not. 

Both Annette O’Brien of Yorktown and Saungi McCalla of Mount Vernon took up archery at the Carnival in a game aimed at reinforcing good communication and making a positive impression on your patient.

At another station, Peggy McKenna of Pelham Manor changed the diaper of a toy baby.

Michael Barbara, of Yonkers, and Michael Janos, of Tarrytown, walked away from the Carnival with cotton candy.

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