William Andrea, St. Luke’s Hospital
COVID-19 became real for nurse manager Ashley Hart in early spring, when St. Luke’s Hospital got a call confirming its first positive case. From there, she’d help transform Division 9700, the hospital’s medical-surgical and pulmonary unit, into one of three floors dedicated to treating the disease. As the division pivoted, Hart was in charge of securing personal protective equipment for her co-workers and distributing new information.
“I feel like everyone throughout the hospital’s—especially Division 9700’s—mindset was, ‘OK, it’s here, and now we’re going to work together so we can care for these patients and be there to support them,’” Hart recalls.
The biggest change was to the nurses’ workflow as they consolidated and took on new hospital tasks. Hart says the team stepped up and did what was necessary to best care for the patients.
In April, it felt like all the hard work had paid off when the staff lined the hallways and clapped for their first discharged COVID-19 patient as Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration” played over the intercom.
“I’ll be honest,” Hart says. “I got a little teared up just seeing her family waiting for her and being able to celebrate with her after not being allowed to see her.”
