12. That’s the number of flights that Grace Kang, Ph.D., B.S.N., RNBC, UF Health Shands Hospital Admission Discharge Transition Unit, or ADTU, clinical leader, and her team ascend each day.
One step at a time, they take on each flight of stairs in the UF Health Shands Hospital stairwell — located near the Atrium elevators — to climb toward a healthier lifestyle.
“Every morning someone always asks what time we’re doing the stairs,” said Anna Torres, R.N., an ADTU nurse. Kang sprung into action after receiving the results from her biometric screening at the UF Health Annual Wellness Event for faculty and staff.
“I hate to exercise and I love bacon — but still, a cholesterol level of 241?” she said. Kang challenged herself to begin taking the stairs.
(From left) UF Health Shands Hospital Admission Discharge Transition Unit team members Juanita Colorado, B.A., U.A.; Taylor Reed, A.A., S.T.; John Stephen, M.S.N., NE-BC; Celeste Scott, B.S.N., RN-BC; Anna Torres, A.S.N.; Grace Kang, Ph.D., B.S.N., RN-BC; and Billie Fink, A.S.N.
Along the way, she discovered there was a 12th floor and was inspired by encouraging stairwell signage from the new Step it Up employee fitness initiative developed by the UF-UF Health Wellness Committee and GatorCare.
She encouraged her co-workers to join her and a new tradition was born. After reaching the top floor, ADTU team members take a selfie in front of the 12th-floor Step it Up sign and add it to a collage on their unit. Nurses from other units have joined in, too.
Kang challenges herself to accept every invitation to take the stairs, and has climbed as many as 48 flights in one day. Since changing her diet and exercise routines, her cholesterol has decreased. Torres said, “We motivate one another and Grace has truly inspired us to be aware of our health.”
LEARN MORE about Step it Up and other wellness initiatives at GatorCare.org/wellness.