The halls of Chinook Regional Hospital (CRH) are eerily quiet and still. She can feel the calm before the storm as her anxiety grows thinking about how busy these same hallways could be in a few weeks if the pandemic is not kept under control in the south zone of the province.
Preparation mode is on and the waiting game begins as workers begin blocking beds in preparation to accommodate the expected growth of COVID-19 cases throughout the city of Lethbridge.
Allison Herauf, a registered nurse at CRH has been working on a surgical unit for the past year and a half. She said all units throughout the hospital have been asked to assist in the preparation for an outbreak of coronavirus throughout Lethbridge.
Staff are being further educated on personal protective equipment and how to properly use the materials and dispose of them. Since positive patients are required to be on isolation precautions, rooms are also being stocked with any necessary equipment and supplies to decrease the amount of times a room needs to be entered.
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Chinook Regional Hospital has stopped non-essential visitors from entering the building and all staff must be screened prior to entering. The intensive care unit added additional beds as well going from 14 to 36 to create more room for critical cases requiring increased support that cannot be provided on the medical/surgical units such as mechanical ventilation.
Staff from quiet or empty units have also been asked to assist elsewhere, including other floors, the COVID assessment centre, emergency department, or at the front doors completing staff screening. Some units have transferred patients to other units to allow for more available beds if needed.
With over 1,600 cases throughout the province, the hospital is following all precautionary measures as Alberta’s peak is expected to show in the coming weeks.
“It can be stressful and nerve-wracking knowing what we’re dealing with, especially watching what’s happening in other countries like Italy and the United States,” Herauf said. “Although it’s hard to predict what the coming weeks and months will look like, we are all trying to do our part.”
Herauf added since she is working on a unit with open beds, she expects to be working with COVID-19 patients once beds begin to fill. She said she cannot deny the stress and nerves that come with the responsibility and severity of the pandemic.
Jillian Szing, a unit clerk in psychiatry said the cleanliness standard has skyrocketed since the appearance of COVID-19. All staff have been asked to wear masks for their shifts.
“We need to make sure employees and patients are staying safe and healthy, so if wearing a mask for our shifts helps that, then it is a necessity to continue to promote safety during this time of crisis,” Szing said.
Sanitizing, washing your hands and staying home are recommended actions during this time for all members of the community. Herauf said to continue to take care of yourself by eating well, getting exercise, drinking lots of fluids and not to deny any symptoms.
The nurse said it is important to isolate if you’re sick, go to myhealth.alberta.ca and take the self-assessment tool to get further direction. Then call 811 if your symptoms get worse.
“I imagine once this has passed, it will feel weird to go back to business as usual, following the state the hospital, community and world is in right now,” Herauf said.
To stay updated on COVID-19 cases throughout Alberta, visit alberta.ca.
