Nursing Faculty

By Lisa Jane Laird granted vacation leave to her husband, Deputy Chris

Hailed as health care heroes, Snow College’s nursChappell, to take care of their five children full time. ing faculty performed many acts of care and service During Chappell’s time in New York, the eastern through the spring and summer in response to the states were the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis in worldwide coronavirus pandemic the United States. Since then, cases have increased

Nursing faculty cared for patients who had contracted COVID-19 both in New Kami Tyler, practical nursing instructor, helps with personal protective equipment and York City and in Snow College’s sixmedical supply donations headed to the Navajo Nation. county service area. They also led efforts with their students and communities to gather medical supplies and gear for the Navajo Nation, one of the areas in the U.S. that was hardest hit by COVID-19. The Navajo Nation covers portions of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Toward the end of spring semester, one faculty member and two alumni traveled to New York City to assist with surges. Rebecca Chappell, Snow College nursing instructor, was among 100 Intermountain Healthcare providers loaned to work in New York hospitals. She was joined by Snow College alumni Trina Johnson (’01) and Shelly Wood (’08), who are nurses at Sanpete Valley Hospital.

Chappell worked in New York Presbyterian Queens Hospital from April 16 to May 2. In addition to her regular employment at Snow College, Chappell is a nurse in the Sevier Valley Hospital emergency room and an emergency medical technician for Sevier County.

To support Chappell’s service, Snow colleagues finished her spring courses for her. Nursing students were supportive of her decision to volunteer, and Chappell noted that the Sevier County Sheriff ’s Office

dramatically throughout the country. “When I was in “Our students juggle classes, family, and up to two or New York City, people still didn’t really know what we three jobs.” Once the pandemic started, students also were dealing with,” said Chappell. “We’ve learned a lot managed home schooling and child care. more about the disease and now that it has hit Utah Department Head Amber Epling said, “Some we know so much more. We will take it more seriously hospitals slowed down, and the student employees to stop the spread. We know that social distancing, had to pivot temporarily in their roles. Several became masks, hand washing, and cleaning work.” Chappell greeters and performed testing at the entrances.” plans to incorporate this experience into her fall registered nursing classes. Other faculty and students were concerned about shortages of medical and food supplies on the Navajo Meanwhile, back home in the six-county service Nation and connected with Navajo Strong, a Utah area, Snow College nursing faculty and their students County effort that is gathering and delivering supsupported coronavirus efforts either as health care plies to Kayenta, Arizona. Tyler and fellow instructor employees or as volunteers who gathered donated Bridget Bennett received permission to donate gloves, medical supplies for the Navajo Nation. masks, shoe covers, and cleaning supplies from both Both faculty and many of their students are private faculty donations and the Snow College nursemployed in care centers, clinics, and hospitals in the ing program’s surplus inventory. area. Kami Tyler, practical nursing instructor, said, Collection efforts continue for medical Kami Tyler (front) and her sister Chelsea Bartleson (back) unload supplies. Below right: The ambulance bay of New York Presbyterian, where Rebecca Chappell worked in April and May. supplies, and deliveries now include food, bottled water, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and other hygiene products. Items are delivered every two weeks, and sometimes Tyler will join the convoy to Kayenta. Should the pandemic deepen this fall, Epling said nursing faculty are prepared to work in Central Utah’s rural hospitals during any surges in hospitalizations. The nursing department can also loan students to local health departments for phone calls and contact tracing.