Simply To Go boosts health of MUSC nurses

Mikie Hayes
October 22, 2018
MUSC Health employees who helped coordinate the Simply to Go program
MUSC Health employees who helped coordinate the Simply to Go program. Photo by Sarah Pack

If you heard your mom say it once, you heard it dozens of times: Eat your fruits and veggies. Let’s face it, they are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals, not to mention being super good for your health. As it turns out, nutrition experts and the United States Department of Agriculture agree with mom and recommend eating a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. But sometimes that’s easier said than done. For nurses, the front-line caregivers who frequently endure grueling hours and challenging workloads, it’s often a struggle to fit healthy eating into their overburdened daily routines. 

From the time nurses begin their training, instructors hammer home “put patients first.” Nurses quickly learn to sacrifice their own needs to care for others. In fact, a recent survey of MUSC Health’s 2,700–plus nurses showed that 75 percent said they put the health, safety and wellness of patients before their own. 

According to the American Nurses Association, this type of selflessness can result in behaviors that put their health at risk. Rushed or unhealthy eating, a lack of exercise and poor sleep all negatively affect their health and well-being. Studies also find that between 49 and 55 percent of U.S. nurses are either overweight or obese, and while eye opening, these statistics are not necessarily shocking. 

Nearly half of MUSC Health nurses admitted on the survey that they ate at fast food restaurants once or twice a week, while 31 percent do so three or four times a week. 

But is that really their fault? Maybe not. MUSC Health nurses on many occasions made it known that there weren't enough healthy food options in the cafeterias, where grabbing a pizza or burger takes all of about a minute and can practically be polished off on the way back to the unit. Add to that the expense — fresh salads and vitamin waters were considerably more expensive than sub sandwiches and fountain drinks. 

When you’re hungry and in a rush, you eat what fills you up quickly and inexpensively, they contended. 

In no way unique to MUSC, this issue reflected a nationwide concern, and national nursing leaders saw an opportunity to promote the practice of “self–care” so nurses were in a better position to care for themselves and ultimately their patients. Energy, optimism and compassion can sometimes be hard to muster when you’re running on empty. 

The American Nurses Association launched Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation to support nurses in taking steps to improve their nutrition, physical activity, quality of life, sleep and safety. Food service experts Sodexo made a multi-million dollar contribution to the ANA to fund HNHN and committed to increase the number of healthy food options offered in its cafeterias across the country. Simply To Go was born. 

ANA leaders approached Jerry Mansfield, Ph.D., RN, MUSC Health’s executive chief nursing officer and chief patient experience officer, to spearhead Simply To Go. MUSC would be the first organization in the U.S. to participate in the innovative nutrition pilot program. It launched in June. 

Sodexo dietitians and chefs sought suggestions from MUSC Health nurses and crafted menus with healthy, locally sourced food options based on that input. The food is prepared fresh every day and is available at all three MUSC cafeterias. Each package has a label that identifies how many servings of fruits, vegetables or grains it contains. So in the nursing world, when there’s little time to eat, just by recognizing the stickers, they can zero in on what’s healthy and grab it. 

Among the many new selections offered, nurses and other employees enjoyed the Greek and Korean noodle salads, fruit cups, whole grain sandwiches and wraps, hard-boiled eggs and almonds, celery sticks with ranch dressing and yogurt parfaits. 

The pilot study ended in August. Results were impressive. Nurses improved their eating habits, tripling their daily consumption of fruits and vegetables over the course of the 60-day program. 

Seventy-two percent of MUSC nurses consumed three or more servings of fruits and veggies a day, and 17 percent hit the five servings every day. The items were such a hit, Sodexo will continue to offer the new menu items indefinitely.  

MUSC Health celebrated the success of the pilot along with several national leaders from both the ANA and Sodexo Foods at a special event and healthy food tasting Oct. 9.

Bonnie Clipper, DNP, RN, vice president of innovation at the ANA, was on hand to congratulate MUSC nurses on their success. She was impressed by the level of commitment and leadership shown by Mansfield; Andrea Coyle, RN, MUSC Health Professional Excellence and Magnet Program director; and Debbie Petitpain, a Sodexo registered dietitian. 

She also appreciated the nurses’ willingness to participate in the pilot and share personal details about their nutritional habits. “This truly did impact health,” she told the audience. Mansfield agreed. “Today’s celebration edified the commitment, through the Medical University of South Carolina’s health and wellness journey, ‘IMAGINE–U,’ to the health and well–being of all care team members. We believe that if nurses take better care of themselves, they’ll be advocates for other care team members and ultimately the patients, families and community at large.”

Adult Emergency Department nurse Dana Foster, RN, shared firsthand how important the program is. “It’s always been important for me to eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle, but as a nurse working 12 or 13 hours a day, sometimes it gets a little hectic, and I can forget to take care of myself. We all know what it’s like when we’re working long, hard hours, and you hit that point in the day at four o’clock, five o’clock, and you’re just thinking, ‘Wow, I’m hungry,’ and you run to the cafeteria,” Foster said. 

In the past, she said, often the go-to items were chips, candy or fast food. “But now, because of Simply To Go, there are options like grapes and cheese and yogurt parfait, and yesterday, I actually had a yogurt parfait and grapes and cheese for my break.” 

Foster’s appreciation went beyond the availability of healthy food. “I think that MUSC has done a great job. I’ve been here for two years, and I was a student here. They’re constantly evolving. And as a nurse, it’s my responsibility to take care of the health of my patients, and I’m grateful to work for an organization that feels the same way about me.”

 

About the Author

Mikie Hayes