Trinity Health Foundation supports Trinity Health employees in a variety of ways.

GRACE Fund

GRACE is Trinity Health’s employee giving program where employees have the ability to designate a portion of their paychecks to this fund. GRACE has two purposes:

1. To assist employees facing a hardship situation for themselves or an immediate family member.
2. To assist with facility and equipment upgrades and enhancements.

Applications to receive funds are located in the Forms section of Trininet. Employees or co-workers complete the application and submit it to the Foundation. At that point, a confidential committee of Trinity and Foundation staff reviews the application and determines eligibility and funding details.

Last year, GRACE funded:

• 27 employee hardship requests

In total, GRACE awarded $67,077 last year!

Staff Education and Training

Trinity Health Foundation supports Trinity Health employees by providing funding for staff members to participate in educational activities, conferences, and training opportunities. The training staff members receive enables them to improve themselves personally and professionally. In addition to helping staff members learn the latest trends and techniques involved in patient care and safety, the Foundation also awards funding for staff in administrative and supporting roles to continue their professional development. While the people in these positions may not provide direct care, their roles are essential for the health system to function on a day to day basis. Some of the education and training opportunities that were funded include:

Human Resources
One of Trinity Health’s Human Resource (HR) professionals received funding to prepare for the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) Certification and Course. Upon completing this course of study, the staff member brought additional resources and knowledge to the HR department to help ensure that Trinity Health employees are provided the best service possible.

Trinity Homes
Funding enabled two staff members from Trinity Homes to attend the Complete Lymphedema Certification Course. Lymphedema is an accumulation of protein-rich fluid in the superficial tissues and is a very common and serious condition worldwide. It has important pathological and clinical consequences for the patient if left untreated.

The Complete Lymphedema Certification Course is an intensive 135-hour certification that trains medical professionals to successfully treat and manage lymphedema affecting different parts of the body and other related conditions. Through this course participants are trained in the four components of Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) and the management of lymphedema affecting a variety of peripheral body parts – upper and lower extremities, head and neck, exterior genitalia, truncal swelling, pediatric lymphedema, post-surgical and post-traumatic swelling, lymphedema caused by chronic venous insufficiencies and other pathologies, lipedema and more. Upon completion of this course, the participants will be able to establish a treatment plan for individuals with chronic extremity lymphedema and other conditions and perform the treatment accordingly.

Home Health & Hospice
Home Health & Hospice received funding to purchase the Physical Therapy Toolkit. The Physical Therapy Toolkit is a collection of 245 full-page illustrated patient handouts. The handouts are organized by 77 treatment guides and are based on current research and best practice. This resource contains easy to follow instructions and clear, simple illustrations and is a great reference for the family and caregivers. The toolkit assists in providing consistent instruction and quality across the spectrum of patient care.

Home Health staff members were also able to achieve LSVT BIG Certification. LSVT BIG is an intensive, effective, one-on-one treatment created to help people with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions address walking, balance, and other activities of daily living (for example, writing, dressing and getting up from low chairs) or even job-related tasks. LSVT BIG treatment is tailored to each person’s own abilities and goals so that they work toward what’s meaningful to them. Its holistic approach not only addresses movement issues; it also considers non-motor symptoms including emotional and cognitive changes. Research shows that LSVT BIG treatment can lead to faster walking with bigger steps and arm swings, better balance, and more ability to twist at the waist. Clinicians also report that LSVT BIG often helps people with buttoning their clothes, writing, and other smaller-movement (“small motor”) tasks, as well large movements (“large motor”) like dressing, getting up from a seat, and getting into bed. The training these staff members received directly benefits the patients they will be serving.

Laboratory
Trinity Health Foundation funded a laboratory staff member to attend the Clinical Laboratory Education Conference (CLEC), the most important annual event for clinical laboratory science educators. CLEC helps attendees identify trends and strategies, manage change, network with other educators, enhance instructional skills, and develop innovative teaching techniques.

Radiologic Technology
Funding was provided for two staff members from the Radiologic Technology Program, as well as for five students enrolled in the program, to attend the 70th Annual North Dakota Society of Radiologic Technology (NDSRT) Conference. The NDSRT is a membership society for all professionals in Radiologic Sciences working as advocates to promote quality patient care. NDSRT serves the needs of its members by providing education and means of networking and communicating information.

Family Birth Center
A staff member from the Family Birth Center participated in a conference to become a Certified Lactation Counselor.

“Thank you so much for granting me funding to complete the certified lactation counselor training and exam. Becoming a Certified Lactation Counselor is something I very passionately feel will benefit the patients I have the opportunity to work with and my co-workers with whom I collaborate. I am grateful for this opportunity and your assistance in meeting this goal. Thank you for all the wonderful work you all do for our community.”

Trinity Regional Eyecare
A staff member was able to attend the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting. AAO is the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons. During the meeting participants receive information on recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, are informed of advances in cutting edge research and technology, and participate in hands-on skills courses.

Intensive Care Unit

Funding was provided for a staff member from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to participate in an ICU Liberation Simulation conference put on by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. This event reviewed strategies and approaches to enable a more effective and lasting application of new guidelines related to pain, agitation, sedation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disruption.

Speech Therapy
Representatives from Speech Therapy attended an event focused on Medical Speech Pathology. This conference focused on the best practices in the diagnosis and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders for adults. Attendees learned practical approaches to managing these patients and evidence-based techniques for daily evaluation and treatment.

Health Information Management
A member of the Health Information Management staff attended the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Conference. This event focused on the knowledge, resources and tools needed to advance health information professional practices and standards for the delivery of quality healthcare.