The Well-being Word
January 28, 2022
Associate Vice-Chair of Well-Being
Last weekend I hit a wall. All the exhaustion and stress of the past few weeks caught up to me, and all I wanted to do was lay on my couch and watch a movie. Someone recently suggested to me, that as an anesthesia provider, I should watch the movie “The Rescue.” I was intrigued. How in the world would my interest in anesthesia possibly coincide with a documentary about the rescue of a soccer team from a flooded cave in Northern Thailand?
Without giving away too many spoilers, it takes a misfit team of hobby cave divers, several militaries from a few different countries, and one insanely brave anesthesiologist to accomplish this amazing feat.
Aside from being reminded again of the amazing power and magic of anesthesia, I realized what a great metaphor this movie was for our department as a whole. To achieve truly great feats, you need people of many different skills, passions, backgrounds, and training all working together.
Many of our day-to-day jobs here in the Department of Anesthesiology look vastly different from each other’s—but at the core, in one way or another, we are all moving toward a common goal: to take the best care possible of people, patients, and each other.
Please do yourself a favor and find two hours to watch this movie. I promise it will inspire you, and remind you to follow your passions and do what brings you joy, because someday, it could be your quirky passion and talent that saves the day! If nothing else, it will give you an excellent conversation starter next week at work!
Keep being your true authentic self here at WashU anesthesia. We are here for it.
Happy CRNA Week!
Happy CRNA Week to all our amazing CNRAs! Your dedication, expertise, and compassion bring the highest level of care to all of our patients, and I’m so grateful for each of you!
Calm
Don’t forget that all members of our department now have access to Calm premium!
Follow this link to create an account and verify your WUSTL email address, then download the app and log in to enjoy unlimited access to your favorite resources.
WashU Spring Wellness Challenge
Save the date: registration beings Feb. 18 for spring wellness challenge
This year’s Spring into Motion wellness challenge is an eight week challenge that aims to boost energy and improve your health as you enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle. Participants are encouraged to reach “wellness milestones” and eligible for raffle prizes throughout the challenge.
Registration begins Feb. 18 and can be done through the WashU Wellness Launchpad and opting-in to Spring Into Motion. The challenge begins March 7 and runs through May 1.
Additional emergency/back-up adult and child care services through Care.com
WashU began a pilot program with Care.com to help benefit-eligible faculty and staff find reliable, safe, and vetted adult and child care providers when regular care is unavailable. This benefit is in addition to the current back-up care offered through our partnership with Bright Horizons. Learn more about the Care.com pilot program or visit the Family Care Hub to view your back-up care options.
Wellness Walks
We had a blast at our first inaugural Wellness Walk at Tower Grove Park! Mark your calendars for the February Wellness Walk on Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. on the Hill.
Submit your photos
Have photos from last week’s snow? What about a great day in the OR or a happy hour with colleagues? We want to see them! Submit your photos with a short description via this form. Everyone who submits a photo will be entered into a monthly drawing for a Kaldi’s gift card!
