A PUBLICATION OF PEACEHEALTH ST. JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION
inspire Summer 2020
PREPARING SAFE AREAS FOR COVID-19 CARE Last March PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, like much of the world, was forced to pivot operations in the face of a fearsome new enemy – the novel coronavirus. As the nightly news warned us of overcrowded hospitals in Italy and New York, we too prepared for a possible surge.
Caregivers rose to the challenge of quickly creating a COVID-19 special care unit.
With the support of a multidisciplinary leadership team, our ICU Nurse Manager Cedar Anderson enlisted caregivers to transform the Intensive Care unit into PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center’s official COVID-19 unit. In a short period of time they increased our intensive care space from 24 beds to 43 beds using alternative spaces with temporary walls and barriers. Shortly thereafter, your contributions to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund helped us construct more permanently separated spaces to care for COVID-19 patients. Thankfully, as of this writing, PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center has never had more than 11 COVID-19 positive inpatients on any given day. However, since Whatcom County is experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases we are again preparing for a possible surge. The good news is that we have had time to learn, adapt and prepare for a second wave.
Temporary walls were constructed to prepare for a possible surge.
You have helped us to create safe, dedicated spaces to care for COVID-19 patients that are physically separated from other areas of the hospital. We have access to rapid testing, a reliable supply of medications, and adequate supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) to care for everyone who comes to us. In short, with your help, WE ARE SAFE, OPEN AND READY to care for our community. Thank you!
Today COVID-19 patients are cohorted in more permanently separated spaces.
Roseanna Bell Chief Nursing Officer
Special Edition: Your COVID-19 gifts at work!