Here and There: Day in the life of an oncology nurse, building beds, Day of the Dead celebration
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Learn how an oncology nurse invited social media followers to catch a glimpse into her workday, why colleagues in Eau Claire built beds, and how staff in Arizona celebrated loved ones who have passed away.
"Here and There" gives you a glimpse at happenings across Mayo Clinic, giving special attention to the lighter moments. If you and your colleagues had some fun or stumbled across something interesting, drop the News Center team a note, and include a photo or video if you can.
See what your colleagues have been up to recently.
Day in the life of an oncology nurse
When leaders at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato searched for a volunteer to create a video to show the day in the life of an oncology nurse, Kerry Olson was all in.
Olson has worked at the Andreas Cancer Center for 20 years and was eager to give Mayo colleagues and followers of the Mayo Clinic Health System Facebook page a glimpse into her daily routine.
She took viewers through a full day while recording her many activities on her cellphone. That included everything from eating breakfast, getting ready for work and preparing for patients, her nightly workouts, and even a few Skol chants for her favorite football team.
Olson says she loves her job and enjoyed taking followers along.
Watch the video below:
"Many people ask me how I do this job and if it is depressing, but I think about it in a different way," Olson says. "We try to bring happiness to the hardest time a person can go through in their life."
She says that means having a positive attitude and getting to know her patients and their families.
"I have had patients recently tell me that they feel like coming to our department is like 'coming home,' and that brought tears to my eyes," Olson says.
She also credits her entire team for the positive vibes at the cancer center.
"We have the most amazing team – nurses, providers, scheduling and support staff, and our patients feel this teamwork," Olson says.
Celebrating Dia de los Muertos
The Latinos Mayo Employee Resource Group in Arizona hosted its inaugural El Dia de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2.
The "Day of the Dead" is a Mexican holiday celebrating loved ones who have passed on with food, drinks and shared memories.
"One of the most beautiful things about working at Mayo Clinic is that we can bring our entire authentic selves to work," says Nataly Bañuelos, Research Administration, who led the event planning committee. "Dia de los Muertos is the time of year when we get to do just that: remember our loved ones and welcome them."
She adds that her colleagues helped to bring the event to life without hesitation.
"We are so thankful for the turnout and were moved by the treasured memories and stories that our colleagues were able to share. While grief may be extremely difficult to navigate, it's what makes us human, and more importantly, what brings us together," Bañuelos says.
The Latinos MERG supports the Hispanic community through outreach, cultural events, staff engagement and development activities aligned with the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.
View a slideshow with photos from the event:
Building beds for children in need
Earlier this month, more than 50 dedicated staff from Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and their families volunteered their time to join forces for a great cause.
They assembled 20 beds — complete with mattresses and bedding — which will be donated to children in the community who lack a bed.
The Mayo group teamed up with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit organization that provides beds and bedding to those in need.
Learn more on the Sleep in Heavenly Peace website.
