Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth formed its own orchestra during the pandemic, which has helped employees reduce stress and build stronger connections with peers, according to a Dec. 8 blog post on the American Hospital Association's website.
AdventHealth Orlando launched the staff-only orchestra in July 2020 as a way for staff members to decompress and heal from the trauma of the pandemic.
The orchestra unites front-line nurses, vice presidents, the system's chief information officer and other staff members located in the Orlando area. The group held its first performance in November 2021, playing Samuel Barber's "The Adagio" to honor front-line caregivers and those who lost their lives to the virus.
Since then, the orchestra has expanded and planned more performances, including one set for this month.
"The AdventHealth Orchestra has been a wonderful experience as well as an effective way to address staff burnout and promote resilience and mental health in the workplace," orchestra member Vincent Hsu, MD, an infectious diseases and preventive medicine physician at AdventHealth Orlando, wrote in the blog post. "Performers must listen, communicate and be accountable to one another in real time, while blending technical skills with an emotional depth — all of which builds empathy."
Read the full post here.