COVER STORY
Hospitals
stepping up By Ann Katzenbach
As the COVID-19 virus swept across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, there was a time in mid-April when the number of cases in Fall River and New Bedford surprised the epidemiologists.
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hile other mid-sized cities in the state were in emergency mode with many new cases, the infection rates in the cities of New Bedford and Fall River were noticeably lower than those in cities of similar size. Today, in the ever-evolving crisis, the cities and surrounding towns have caught up a bit. Still, the pandemic is being managed by dedicated teams of health workers and officials. As Damon Chaplin, Director of New Bedford’s Health Department says, “There are things that are happening so quickly. Information is changing so quickly. We’re reactive right now, so we want to get into a proactive state.” Steward Medical Group, which has hospitals throughout the United States (including St Anne’s Hospital in Fall River and Morton Hospital in Morton), began taking proactive steps early. Since the beginning of the outbreak, these two hospitals have collaborated and sorted out their patients, with Morton treating diagnosed COVID-19 patients and St. Anne’s acting as an isolation facility while still dealing with other emergencies. Fifty-five nurses from Saint Anne’s volunteered to work at Morton in the ICU where they have taken 8-12 hour shifts day and night. Patients arriving at the hospitals with serious symptoms are tested immediately and sent to Morton. Others with
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less-severe symptoms are tested and sent home and told to self-isolate or they can be isolated at the hospital. Their test results come back in 12 hours.
Together, six feet apart
“In a crisis, people come together,” says Cheryl Carole Billington, Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer at
June 2020 | The South Coast Insider
Saint Anne’s. “Our list of nurse volunteers willing to work at Morton was developed within hours.” She says this meant new roles for many workers at both hospitals, so there was a need for flexibility and enhanced support. She adds, “Caring for very sick or dying patients is very emotional and consuming. Our nurses worry about their patients Don’t let COVID-19 keep you from getting the urgent care you need. Hospitals still encourage everyone to not hesitate to call 911 in case of an emergency.
