\u201cIt\u2019s fellow RNs who know just how stressful the job is and can relate in a way that others can’t.\u201d — Megan D'Addeo, peer responder<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n UConn Health nursing leadership recognized this well before the COVID-19 pandemic, laying the foundation to establish a mechanism to allow nurses to take a step back from their assignment following a challenging event and meet with a fellow nurse who is trained as a peer responder.<\/p>\n The pandemic put the rollout on hold, but now the Peer-to-Peer Support Program is underway, with 15 staff nurses who have volunteered to serve as peer responders.<\/p>\n One of them is Megan D\u2019Addeo, who was recruited to participate by a former manager who thought she\u2019d be interested.<\/p>\n \u201cI agreed because I thought it sounded like something different that I could do to make a positive impact and improve morale,\u201d says D\u2019Addeo, who, shortly after graduating from the UConn School of Nursing in 2013, joined the UConn John Dempsey Hospital\u2019s surgery and orthopedics unit as a staff nurse. \u201cI initially went to the training in September 2019, before COVID was around, and could appreciate how much this service was needed even then. Since COVID, I think there’s an even greater need for this program as we all continue to process how much our work life has been affected.\u201d<\/p>\n The concept originates from the Connecticut Hospital Association\u2019s Safer Hospital Initiative, in recognition of the idea that nurses who are taken care of can take better care of their patients.<\/p>\n \u201cThe intent is to provide immediate support 24 hours a day to any nurse who experiences an adverse event or trauma on the floor,\u201d says UConn Health Chief Nursing Officer Caryl Ryan. \u201cIt facilitates a coordinated effort for that nurse to step off the floor to meet with a trained peer responder. This responder is someone who understands the job and the emotional toll events can sometimes take.\u201d<\/p>\n Lina Godfrey, who joined UConn Health as a staff nurse in 2004 and became an assistant nurse manager in labor and delivery and OB-GYN last year, says being a peer responder is about being there for her coworkers.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means we make the time to listen to and support each other,\u201d Godfrey says. \u201cOn labor and delivery and OB we do this on a daily basis. Sometimes it\u2019s as simple as giving someone a hug and sometimes it’s taking a few minutes of our time to listen and support. We are there for each other daily.\u201d<\/p>\n More formally, the Peer-to-Peer Support Program provides a mechanism to arrange a confidential meeting with a trained responder, and it can be during a shift, with supervisors arranging coverage.<\/p>\n \u201cNurses invest so much emotionally in their caregiving. It’s part of what makes them so special. It can take a toll, though,\u201d says the Rev. Catherine Wilcox, who helped organize the Peer-to-Peer Support Program while serving as UConn Health\u2019s chaplain (now semi-retired, she works part-time in that role). \u201cThis program is a place for a nurse to go for emotional support during a shift when things get particularly tough. I hope nurses will utilize this program at those times, and ask for support when in need. There’s a great group of trained peer responders ready to offer support.\u201d<\/p>\n Training is available on an ongoing basis for any nurse who would like to become a peer responder. Those interested can email Wilcox<\/a> or social work supervisor Deb Feigenbaum<\/a> to schedule a training session.<\/p>\n D\u2019Addeo says the fact that it\u2019s a peer offering the support rather than a counselor with a different background is what makes it effective.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fellow RNs who know just how stressful the job is and can relate in a way that others can’t,\u201d she says. \u201cI think it’s important for people to understand that this program isn’t intended to solve any problems or issues; for example, we can’t fix staffing\/assignments or change policies. But for anyone who feels like they could benefit from talking about a challenging shift that they\u2019re having, we’re here to help. Our goal is that by the end of the session, our coworker feels supported.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Lina](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Godfrey-Lina-20210317-TE-035-crop-800x1000-1-240x300.jpg\")