The physical and emotional well-being of approximately sixty employees of Arkema, Inc., a chemical plant located in King of Prussia, was front-and-center on June 25 and MCES was there to provide relevant information during an informational session designed to improve safety and wellness at Arkema.
Arkema’s finance department holds sessions once per month to address issues relating to health and safety, bringing in outside speakers to discuss topics and offer information. This month, MCES Risk Manager, PI Director and Patient Safety Officer Chris Mamrol, RN, and Development Specialist and Allied Therapist Gabriel Nathan were invited to present some important aspects of physical and emotional wellness.
The presentation began with a brief overview of MCES and its services, as well as MCES’s role in the community relating to suicide prevention. Some statistics relating to suicide gathered from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention were shared, as well as various MCES-initiated suicide prevention projects and resources. Everyone present received a MCES A.C.E. (Ask, Care, Engage) card, which is a pocket-sized card that gives instructions on what to do if you encounter an individual who is or may be suicidal.
Chris who presented on the topic of common medical emergencies that may occur in the workplace. He discussed heart attacks, and the different signs and symptoms that may manifest for men and women. Chris then spoke about strokes, providing information about the difference between ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and signs an individual who is experiencing a stroke may exhibit (facial droop, hemiparesis, slurred speech, sudden vision changes, etc). He concluded his portion of the presentation with a brief overview on Lyme disease and seizures.
Gabriel, who facilitated a variety of educational and recreational groups on MCES’s inpatient unit for several years, spoke about stress, in the home and in the workplace. He emphasized the need for self-care strategies and activities like yoga, deep breathing, and meditation to help people cope with anxiety and pressure and to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Gabriel led the Arkema employees through a little bit of mindfulness work, controlled breathing, tension-and-release, and a guided visualization designed to relax and center them for the remainder of their work-day.