Taking a job at a nursing home can be one of the most rewarding, or draining, experiences of one's life. It takes a very unique individual to perform the duties of a certified nurse's assistant, licensed practical nurse, activities director, or physical therapist without forgetting that the patient is a human being.
One of the most important experiences that a member of a nursing home's staff should undergo is team building exercises to improve communication and develop long-lasting bonds. Caretakers often must cooperate with a wide range of medical professionals on a regular basis. Without a healthy working relationship and strong communication between professionals, the healthcare of the patient will suffer.
A prize wheel can be the perfect complement to a healthy dose of compassion by injecting fun into one of the most draining, emotionally depressing workplaces in the country. By giving staff an opportunity to have fun and enjoy each others company, whether at an employee picnic or team building retreat, the door to strengthened interpersonal relationships can be opened and patients will directly benefit.
These amazing tools can even be used to complement speech therapy by providing patients an opportunity to practice their linguistic skills in identifying images placed in the slots around the spin wheel. Even for those residents with no cognitive impairments, a little prize wheel fun can help relieve suffering during difficult, often life changing experiences. Remember, not everyone in a nursing home is suffering from a form of dementia or preparing for the great beyond. Some unfortunate people find themselves sitting in a nursing home with debilitating injuries ranging from a severed spinal cord to severe head trauma. Often, these individuals are younger than forty years old.
An American made prize wheel can even be used to divide responsibilities amongst Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) by placing each nursing assistant's name into a slot in the prize wheel and spinning the wheel each time a new task comes up. This application, however, should not be considered when urgent tasks present themselves. In a medical emergency, every second counts. Using a little common sense with one's prize wheel can go a long way.
Many staff members at nursing homes enjoy giving gifts to residents on birthdays and around the holidays. With a prize wheel, deciding which employee buys gifts for which resident can be fun and charitable at the same time! In fact, participating in such an activity can have powerful team building effects.
For those who believe that working at a nursing home is an opportunity to help others, a prize wheel and a little compassion can make all the difference.
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