Joplin RN honored for leadership in workplace wellness

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Joplin-based registered nurse Kris Drake has been recognized by the Missouri Council for Activity and Nutrition (MOCAN) for her outstanding efforts to improve health and well-being in her workplace and community.

On July 23, Drake will receive the MOCAN Healthcare Professional Award – Excellence in Connecting Health to the Community at the organization’s quarterly meeting in Columbia.

Drake has improved and expanded the opportunities for wellness at Freeman Health System, a 485-bed, three-hospital system serving Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas, said Donna Mehrle, nutrition and exercise physiology associate for University of Missouri Extension, which administers MOCAN.

Since 2002, Drake has led the Freeman Wellness Committee, steadily growing its programs and services for more than 4,000 Freeman staff. Examples of her work:

-Forging partnerships with the YMCA to offer free or discounted physical activity programs to Freeman employees and their families.

-Linking Freeman employees with other staff who want a supportive friend through the Workout Buddy program.

-Making walking maps readily available online and around the hospital campus so patients, visitors and employees can easily take a designated walking route.

“Kris has been responsible for the growth of wellness programs within Freeman and the community overall for well over a decade,” said Shelby Allen, prevention and wellness supervisor for Freeman Health System.

Drake was instrumental in helping Freeman sign the Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge, which increases patient, visitor and employee access to fresh fruits, vegetables, as well as trans-fat-free menu items in hospital cafeterias and vending. Since the signing of the pledge, Freeman employees have reported a 42 percent increase in vegetable consumption.

Not only has Drake developed innovative health and wellness programs for Freeman employees, she also has paved a way for the future through the Freeman Health Academy, said Allen. Launched in 2010, the academy gives area youth a firsthand look at health care careers during after-school and weekend workshops as well as summer camps. To date, more than 5,000 elementary, middle and high school students have participated.

About MOCAN: The Missouri Council for Activity and Nutrition (MOCAN) is a coalition comprising representatives from state and local agencies, institutions, organizations, other coalitions and individuals united in their commitment to prevent and reduce obesity and other chronic diseases in Missouri. For more information, go to www.mocan.org.