FRANKLIN — In a space dominated by spinning balls, spares and strikes, there is an effort to keep nurses on the job.
There’s a desperate need for nurses in healthcare, from hospitals to nursing homes. Healthcare employees say the battle to keep good-quality staff members is real.
Johnson Memorial Health in Franklin has turned to bowling to support its staff in hopes they stick around.
Each year employees of the hospital host a bowl-a-thon, which raises money to both fund tuition reimbursement for nurses and improve the workplace.
“What we try to do is have peer support,” Stacey Hummel, RN and Maternity Center Manager at Johnson Memorial, said.
Through the fundraising event, one group of employees received $12,000 to undergo training to create a team that focuses on helping employees during personal emergencies.
“Now, we can respond if there’s a tragic event at the hospital. If someone loses a patient or a staff member passes away — anything stressful, our team will respond,” Hummel said.
This year, the teams were dressed up as their favorite TV show characters as they bowled.
The hospital is finding success in the annual employee-led effort, especially when it comes to encouraging people in other parts of the building or community who may be interested in becoming a nurse.
