It's ironic. While health care professionals take good care of others, they're often the last people to take care of themselves.

With that in mind, a forward-thinking nurse at Piedmont Newnan Hospital created a program several years ago to help employees achieve their personal health goals.

"Whether it's to stop smoking, lose weight, get more exercise or reduce cholesterol, our REACH program was designed to help our own employees make a commitment and attain their objectives," said Betsy Jackson, RN, BSN, director of risk management at Piedmont Newnan Hospital. "At the time, I was director of employee health and realized that we needed a personalized way for employees to take better care of themselves."

Three years ago, Jackson assembled a team of employees to brainstorm and implement a workable program for the hospital's 1,100 employees. The result, REACH (Real Employees Addressing Challenges and Health), focuses on employee wellness initiatives.

"The vision was to go beyond just losing weight," she said. "It has broadened to include stress reduction, nutrition, exercise and smoking cessation."

Jackson's team consisted of a dietician, a health and fitness instructor, a representative from the hospital's food service department and the employee assistance program director.

"We came up with a meaningful name — REACH — then created a 12-week program that included a weekly newsletter, individual coaches that would work with each employee, and ways to measure our results. The first year, 130 employees participated."

The second year, the REACH team focused on walking. Each employee who participated was given a pedometer and the inspirational phrase "Reach 10,000 steps a day." Employees logged the number of steps they took each day and checked in on a Web site that listed how far the group had walked.

"During this eight-week program, we walked [the equivalent of trips] to Toledo, Ohio, and to San Francisco," Jackson said. "The site showed a map of where we had walked. It was a fun way for everyone to stay motivated and connected."

Coaches were assigned to participants, and weekly newsletters gave tips and encouragement. There was even a chart to convert other types of exercises into the equivalent number of steps. For example, 10 minutes of swimming equaled 203 steps.

Last year's REACH program had a poker theme, with participants earning playing cards for each activity they completed. The person with the best hand at the end of the eight weeks got a prize.

"This program benefits everyone who participates," Jackson said. "Employees who are happy will be more productive. There's a personal gratification, because of the individual's buy-in to a specific goal, and each person signs a commitment document, so they're accountable."