Healthcare Heroes: Alumni Faces on the Frontlines

The saying is true: “Not all heroes wear capes.” Heroes also wear scrubs, lab coats, gloves, surgical masks, goggles, and face shields. While the bravery and selflessness of healthcare workers were evident before COVID-19, these medical professionals have risen to the challenge and continued to save lives even now at the risk of their own. LRCA is proud to claim many of these heroes as our alumni. Several alumni share their recent experiences here.*

How has COVID-19 affected your work?

Kristen Wheeler, RN (’12) Emergency Department, UAMS

Kristen: Work has changed drastically. Every aspect of patient care in the emergency department is different. From rationing out PPE and wearing masks constantly throughout our entire shift, to figuring out how to balance taking care of critically ill patients while protecting yourself.

Jillian Massiet, RN (’12) TSICU/CVICU, UAMS

Jillian: One of the ways is the elimination of visitors. The patients in the ICU are incredibly sick and aren’t allowed to have family with them. We have had to step in and be there for these patients like their families would be. Whether this means spending extra time talking to patients, holding their hand when the times are difficult, or praying for them, we have to act as family to them. This has also been very rewarding. Knowing that, as a nurse, I am making a difference in the lives of these patients is motivation to keep working hard!

Chase Wingfield, M.D. (’10) Resident Physician of Internal Medicine, Overland Park Regional Medical Center

Chase: We’ve all been directly exposed to COVID patients despite our best efforts to screen and whatnot. My hospital (and the others where I work) have had to implement many different screening measures to all faculty, staff, doctors, nurses, and incoming patients in order to best limit exposure. We also haven’t been allowing any visitors of any kind into the hospital unless [the patient is] pregnant or there’s been a death, in which case they are allowed one visitor. Our ER is locked up tight and looks like how it is in all of the quarantine movies where it’s just plastic sheets and walls separating hallways and duct taped top to bottom in order to limit airflow and traffic.

Lesley Charles, CRNA (’05) Baptist Health Medical Center

Lesley: While the surgery caseload has been much lower during the pandemic, our anesthesia department has been needed in some new capacities. Our group developed COVID-19 anesthesia teams that we rotate our providers through, in which we respond to and treat incoming patients who are both suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19. In these situations, our roles include intubations, arterial and central line placements, etc. There is, of course, a risk for contamination when we do these procedures, so we have gone through training on how to use the proper equipment in order to keep ourselves and our patients safe.

Jessica Davis Thomason, RN, MSN (’06) TSICU/CVICU, UAMS

Jessica: COVID-19 has affected our work mainly with the limiting of family members in the hospital setting. Working in an ICU this has been especially difficult for patients who are unable to communicate or during end of life care. Of course, in certain instances, we have allowed minimal family, but have utilized smart devices to video chat with family members multiple times throughout the day. This has helped tremendously, but of course, is not a replacement for their loved ones' presence.

What has been the most challenging part of your job these past few months?

Caleb Craig, Pharm.D, BCPS (’04) Clinical Pharmacist, St. Joseph Hospital Denver, CO

Caleb: The biggest challenge we've run into in the pharmacy is supply chain issues with breathing medications and medications that help patients tolerate ventilators that help them breathe. Some protocols have been altered to conserve drugs, but this results in patients being uncomfortable while a ventilator helps them breathe. The visitor restrictions have been emotionally challenging for many, especially for births and those at the end of life. Many family members have not been allowed to celebrate a new life added to their family until the baby has left the hospital. Many family members have not been allowed to be with a loved one during the last moments of their life to prevent spread of the virus.

Kristen: The most challenging part has been the isolation. As an ED nurse constantly exposed to COVID patients while working on the frontlines, I have to self-isolate in order not to potentially spread the virus. I don’t see my family or friends outside of the hospital. I don’t go to the grocery store unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. I don’t do anything besides go to work and go home. The isolation is also difficult because UAMS has a no-visitor policy at the moment. Every patient we see is alone. We have to turn away the family members that so desperately want to be there for their ill loved ones. Patients that are intubated or close to dying are alone. We have become their family members. Having to break the hearts of the patients and their families has been probably the hardest part.

Ben Emanuel, RN (’09) CVICU, CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

Ben: I have a one-year-old boy and my wife at home that I constantly had to worry about getting them sick. Always just feeling dirty when coming home. Another very hard thing is dealing with guilt, not being in direct patient care of the COVID patients and having very close friends and family who are dealing with it made a lot of us on our unit feel guilty.

Jillian: Another challenge during this time is the social isolation. Unfortunately, this time is characterized by a lot of fear. Some friends and even some family have been fearful being around healthcare workers for fear of being exposed to the virus. For this reason, my coworkers have become even more of a family than they were before. God has really blessed me with the best coworkers. We support each other and are there for each other in ways that are hard to explain. My parents have also been my rock through this time. It’s hard to imagine going through this time without them.

Jessica: The most challenging thing has definitely been facilitating family presence through technology. The ICU is a very busy environment and as an RN, we have to be diligent in making time to include family.

Bonnie Sullivan, M.D. (’07) Clinical Geneticist, Children’s Mercy Kansas City

Bonnie: Trying to counsel families has become so difficult. I give difficult diagnoses, many of which are lethal conditions. Traditionally, I have a genetic counselor with me to walk through this process and help provide support, but we cannot go together in person due to physical distancing. I just cannot give such diagnoses and counsel via telehealth because it feels so inhumane. Even when I meet with parents in person, I have to wear a mask, as do they. It is so difficult to gauge facial expressions with a mask on. I feel that the family does not always see how devastated I am to give such sad information. I am not supposed to hug a crying parent or even shake their hands, both of which were previously typical for me. We are limiting visitors here, so it is not uncommon to have only one parent with their child and have the other parent on speakerphone. I am used to talking with multiple family members and for my little patients and their parents to have such direct support. That has all changed, and I ache for my families.

What has been the most rewarding part of your job these past few months?

Chase: It’s been really rewarding to see the reaction that we’ve had from the community and the support they’ve given us. Our [hospital] walls are painted with handwritten letters, pictures drawn from children at school, etc. thanking us for coming to work. It’s really heartwarming to feel their appreciation in keeping our community safe and healthy.

Haven Crabtree, RN (’13) Neurology/Neurosurgery UAMS

Haven: It is definitely a stressful time, but it is rewarding when you get to care for a patient with COVID-19. One in particular stood out to me. I’m sure I will never forget her. She was stable when I first assumed care of her, but she started crashing about two hours later, and she crashed fast. She woke up suddenly short of breath. All of the usual things that help patients in this situation were not helping. I called the doctor, and my patient had to make the conscious decision to be placed on the ventilator. She had no family with her and it was 4:00 in the morning. She was shaking and crying because she was so scared. I was able to hold her hand, pray with her, reassure her, and help her call her family before she was intubated. I was so thankful and grateful that I got to be a loving presence for her in one of the scariest moments of her life.

Jenna Henrich Hardy, PT, DPT (’11) Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation - Frisco

Jenna: Our hospital is receiving many post-positive COVID-19 patients who were previously on a ventilator and now extremely debilitated. It has been so rewarding to help these patients regain their strength, confidence, and finally go home to their family. They usually come to us at a total assist level for all mobility. We have the opportunity to mobilize these individuals safely and maximize their functional independence upon discharge.

Lesley: I am very thankful to work for a group made up of supportive people that I deeply trust and respect. While our job can certainly be stressful at times, I couldn’t ask for a better work family. Patients, COVID positive or not, have been understandably more anxious and unsure of what to expect while they’re in the hospital during this time. I hope and pray that we have done our job in answering their questions, explaining what we know at this time, and easing some of their fears and concerns.

Bonnie: Despite everything going on, it is amazing to see how patient people are and the support from the community. It is easy to get discouraged watching the news or looking at social media, but then picking up takeout for my staff is always met with a “thank you for what you do,” which is quite uplifting. I feel that the community is cheering us on.

Caleb: Seeing people genuinely care about minimizing harm to others has been rewarding. Most people that I see around town are generally doing a good job staying reasonably far apart and wearing masks. Seeing people offer to help has been rewarding as well, like running errands for immunocompromised friends or at-risk elderly people in the community.

How has this time affected your personal life?

Abby Emanuel, RN (’11) Travel Nurse, Medical Solutions

Abby: I started travel nursing right at the start of the pandemic, so I have been away from my family since March. I’m thankful in a sense that I can be away and not expose them even though I miss them! Personally, it’s been hard being in a new city during a pandemic. Meeting new people and experiencing the city has looked a lot different than I imagined!

Caleb: When I look to the West and see the Rocky Mountains, I'm sad that we can't go now. It is a reminder to be grateful for all of the fun we've had and will have in the future. We've missed going skiing since all of the ski resorts closed down, but are excited to hike in the mountains with lots of open space this summer!

Lesley: I have tried to be very conscientious about not bringing anything home with me from work. So, aside from wearing the appropriate PPE at work, I have tried to be mindful to change scrubs before I come home, disinfect what I can, and really commit to social distancing. I have a fouryear-old daughter, and her health and the health of my family have been a top priority!

Chase: It would be nice to meet my friends out for dinner, though that hasn’t and can’t happen at the moment. I could also stand a nice haircut pronto. I usually get my hair cut every three weeks. Now I’m approaching four months since my last one. And, I have engagement photos coming up in a couple of weeks!

LRCA extends a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to all of our alumni working the healthcare frontlines and in other capacities where health and safety is at risk for others. You are all true Warriors. May God continue to protect you and surround you with His love and peace.

*Alumni provided feedback in April 2020. Some referenced procedures and protocols may have changed since that time.