Ideas That Work: Brightening the Days of Healthcare Professionals

At the beginning of the pandemic, Erin Donohue, BSN, RN, CCRN, and Allie Toczylowski, BSN, RN, CCRN, drew chalk artwork throughout the staff parking garages of the Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia. They wrote inspirational messages — “We got this,” “Thanks, healthcare heroes” and “We’re all in this together” — to lift the spirits of their overwhelmed colleagues. Eventually, they dubbed themselves “The Sunshine Committee” and started their own Instagram page (@the_sunshinecommittee). This year, they’ve been working on a new project involving “Sunshine Boxes.” The nurses reached out to local retailers for donations, which they used to create care packages perfectly suited for healthcare professionals. Each Sunshine Box includes coffee, compression socks, protein packets and bars, a to-go coffee mug, face wash and skin lotion. “We select random winners from our Instagram page and ship the boxes to their homes,” says Ms. Donohue. “Healthcare providers absolutely love the boxes, and we’ve received a great response to the initiative.” OSM