Thanks to Cura’s Comfort Cart, family members at Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, are comforted when experiencing the loss of a loved one.
Created by Jessica Kotuba, Cura Hospitality patient services manager, The Cura Comfort Cart offers a variety of complimentary snacks including chips, pretzels, and cookies; coffee, hot water for tea with tea bags, bottled water and other beverages. “The Cura Comfort Cart is ordered by nursing for families in need when they have received unexpected news or that a loved one has passed,” says Jessica. If the cart is called for in the morning, Jessica may also feature muffins, Danish, or donuts.
Cura’s Comfort Carts have been in circulation at the hospital since the beginning of the summer with the support of Cura Hospitality Dining Services Director Windy Flynn who purchased five visually appealing carts. “We wanted the presentation of the cart to be professional and welcoming,” Jessica says.
Carts are signed out daily with overwhelmingly positive feedback! “Nurses love it! I’ve had numerous comments including one assistant nurse manager who pulled me aside and said ‘We are doing a good job and appreciate our hard work,’” says Jessica, who adds that contact information is on the cart for nurses to call for a refresh.
According to Assistant Nurse Manager Keith Young, BSN, RN who works in the AHN Allegheny General Hospital cardiac intensive care unit, “This new comfort cart provides in-room necessities family members need so they can spend more time with their loved one. Our healthcare dining team does a great job creating ideas that will enhance the patient/family experience.”
The carts are so popular with nursing that other AHN member hospitals have expressed interest in the carts, as well as other acute care facilities throughout the country that are managed by Cura.
Many thanks to Jessica, Windy, and the dining team at Allegheny General for thinking out of the box to design this simple gesture of hospitality that lets our clients, medical staff and most importantly the families we serve, know that Cura cares!
