In 2009, a video featuring hospital staff dancing with pink gloves to raise awareness for breast cancer went viral. Now, 15 years later, I was recently asked about the significance of the video.

If you are incredibly skilled at searching the internet, you might come across me stating that I am a nurse. I mentioned this when I initially heard that the video had gone viral. At that time, I thought someone had intentionally infected it. It’s amazing how much I’ve learned about technology terminology since then.

I served as the chief nursing officer at Providence St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Portland, OR, during the filming. I was not expecting its impact on the organization or the world. 

The switchboard was overwhelmed with calls, and the mailroom received sacks of letters. Parade officials invited us to participate in the local Starlight parade. While we were lining up, a woman approached me and shared that she had watched the video while receiving chemotherapy. She then removed her hat to reveal that she had lost her hair. We cried together.

If there was a theme among the stories shared, they felt connected to us. They did not feel alone in their fight. One husband shared that he thought that no one cared; his wife had lost her fight against breast cancer. Watching the video reminded him that, yes, people care.

Families spent their vacations visiting our city to see the “Pink Glove Dance” hospital and take pictures. Our human resources department was overwhelmed by the applications. At one point, the vacancy rate was 0.02%. We developed pins and handed them out at employee functions. Employees came back to ask for more for their friends and families. We ended up ordering 10,000 pins. 

What was unique about the video? 

Why did it have such a significant impact?

I have had 15 years to ponder those questions. A lot has happened since the video went viral. There were no TikTok or well-known influencers. YouTube was the dominant platform for videos. The footage was innovative for the times, but I believe it is something more — something relevant to today’s leaders and environment.

I have categorized it into three human needs:

The need for intimacy and joy — feeling emotionally connected to others and having an attuned connection with them.

The need for empathy — being able to understand how others feel.

The need for meaning — having a coherent set of beliefs about life and its purpose.

I recently had a conversation with a CEO who believed that the human need for meaning and empathy was considered a soft skill. The organization’s focus was on metrics and performance. I was brought in to support the chief nursing officer in dealing with the discontent among the nurses. The nurses felt they were nothing more than a means to get numbers. The CEO overlooked the fact that he was leading human beings who were caring for other human beings.

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as the nation wears pink to show support for those affected by the diagnosis of breast cancer. Might we in healthcare think about what we can do to support our team’s needs for joy, meaning, intimacy and empathy?

(The video has been reposted and now is in HD.)

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting and Chief Health and Wellness Officer for Mary’s Woods. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 35 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, American Nurses Association, Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare. She recently published “The Leadership Sandwich,” now available on Amazon.

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