Our People priority was established as part of Providence’s Mission: Forward strategic plan to inspire people and teams, so that we can attract the best and brightest and support them to flourish. The Working Well series aims to profile PHC staff and medical staff who are living wellness at work. By sharing how your colleagues embrace wellness at work, we hope that this series is just one of the ways you feel supported to flourish at Providence. If you are looking for wellness resources currently available, please refer to this one-pager. Because the better we feel at work, the better we are able to care for others.
This week we are profiling Veronica Patricelli, who is a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) in the ED .
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness means being physically capable of performing both personal tasks and business/professional duties, as well as having energy to effectively interrelate with friends, family, colleagues, or clients.
Mostly, I think that mental health is a huge factor in staying physically healthy because my mental wellbeing directly affects how I will perform with physical tasks and/or even have motivation to do a job. Relationships, job satisfaction, feeling supported by colleagues or employers all play a part in having a heathy outlook on both personal and work life. Keeping those relationships healthy and having positive outlook is very important.
What is one of your wellness goals?
My wellness goals are to stay physically and mentally fit.
I personally make a huge effort to eat healthy, both to maintain my weight but also to keep my body in good health at a cellular level. I want to grow old in this body and would like it to work effectively for as long as I have. I exercise by going to the gym. For the last few months, I hired a personal trainer and am attending regular yoga classes. I love nature walks and do them when possible.
I am a fan of personal development and growth; I have taken seminars for personal development and self awareness. I also engage in groups such as Toastmasters, Masterminds, and volunteer for seminars to help others grow. I get a lot of motivation, inspiration and reinforcement of the work I am already doing on myself on a mental and spiritual basis. I like meditating and try to do it when I am participating in additional acts of wellness, such as when I get to the yoga studio early and can set time aside before class to meditate.
What do you do during your work day (and at home) to achieve wellness?
During the workday I like staying active by walking everywhere within the department. I enjoy having conversations with my colleagues and laughing a lot.
Do you have a wellness tips for staff/your colleagues?
I truly believe staying active leads to clarity of mind. Finding people to talk to and connect with is also very important. I like meditation and yoga. Nature walks, even short ones, helps to clear the head.
Providing the best care to the people we serve is dependent on our own health and wellness. We are working to deliver a comprehensive Staff and Medical Staff Wellness Action Plan, to help us create a healthy and safe work environment where everyone can flourish. If you have a wellness idea that could make a big difference to you and your colleagues, please send it to Ideas: Forward. If you have questions about this plan or feedback on wellness at PHC, please be in touch: missionforward@providencehealth.bc.ca.
