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November and the end of Daylight Saving Time marks the transition from fall to winter. To cheer on team members working hard through the longest night of the year, UVA Health annually hosts its Fall Back Celebration as clocks fall back an hour. This year, it happened in the very early morning hours of Nov. 5.

“This is a time where we all come out and throw a big party for the night shift,” says Elizabeth Carey Feola, Rewards and Recognition Specialist, who led the planning of this year’s "Back to the Future"-themed celebration that kicked off at midnight and ended at 2 a.m. when clocks were officially turned back an hour.

The Rewards and Recognition team played 1980s music. Some attendees dressed in 80s garb! Higher Grounds in the East Hospital Cafeteria provided a complimentary drip coffee bar and free hot chocolate-to-order for team members. Morrison Catering provided snacks and snack boxes.

Leaders delivered snack boxes to all units including labs, Pegasus, Call Center, and Cardiac Monitoring Unit.

Custom cookies were ordered from local Jaclyn's Cookies in the shape of clocks. It’s unlikely that the more than 400 team members who attended, forgot to set their clocks back this year! 

Attendees felt like the celebration was a fun way to be appreciated when working an extra hour; get a break during a long shift; and see people from other departments. Participants also were impressed by the quality and amount of treats, and that snack boxes were delivered to those who couldn’t attend so everyone got something — even if they were busy.

Feola set up a poster board on which team members wrote why they love working night shifts. Answers ranged from "It's a vibe!" and "Works with my child's schedule," to "Teamwork!" and "Not a morning person ;)"

Indeed, Feola explains that nurses, nursing assistants, and other team members choose to work the night shift for various reasons: evenings are typically quieter; there is more time for patient care; and there are more opportunities to bond with fellow night shift team members.

On the other hand, night shift team members have fewer opportunities to interact with other departments at UVA Health, so the Fall Back Celebration gives these team members the chance to connect in person with resource representatives who otherwise work daytime business hours.

This year, Faculty and Employee Assistance Program (FEAP); Hoos Well, the award-winning, comprehensive team member well-being program; Nursing Professional Governance Organization (NPGO); UVA Security; and others were on hand throughout the celebration. 

The Fall Back Celebration is just one of many reasons Feola says she enjoys her role as a rewards and recognition specialist. “I get to use my creative abilities to bring joy and appreciation to people who have committed their careers to UVA Health,” she explains.

Her children were born at UVA Health University Medical Center, so she knows firsthand the importance that recognition has on career satisfaction and patient care. “I have a real place in my heart for this work because I spent nine days and nights of my life — and the first nine days of my son’s life — in the NICU [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit],” she says.

“When somebody walks into your room and they're happy — it makes a huge difference. It directly affects the patient.” At work, she often sees the team members who cared for her and her children. Explains Feola, "They helped me through the most challenging days of my life and I'm forever grateful!"