Page 6 - Silver Linings Issue1

COVID-19
HEROES ON THE FRONTLINE
We continue to encourage each other and lift each other up. That’s what’s important. We all work together and we all chip in.”
The fellowship that exists among those who care for others has become even stronger throughout the COVID-19 crisis. They take heart that other like-minded workers are showing up every day to treat patients as well. They lean on one other, inspire one other and, as several frontline workers have said, “have each other’s backs.”
“The best thing to do is to come
into work every day with a positive attitude and allow everyone to feel what they’re feeling. I’ve just been accepting the situation for what it is,” says Katelyn Murray, a unit clerk on Silver Hill Hospital’s inpatient unit. “We all have each other’s backs here.”
Sarah Bennetta, a nurse of 20 years at Silver Hill, says she is happy to be on the front- lines and is grateful to be
a nurse during this time of crisis. The virus is scary, she admits, but nurses and others working directly with patients must
temper their fear and remain calm
and positive.
“I do a lot of debriefing throughout the day just to reset myself so I don’t project
to my patients any anxiety I may be having
over this whole thing,” she says. “I say: ‘Let’s talk about something else other than what’s on the news 24/7. Let’s listen to some music. Let’s do some mindful coloring. Let’s talk about your plans
have gone a long way to alleviate concerns of staff.
“Sure, I think that’s just being human,” she says about being
for the summer.’ It’s important to let them know that this will pass. As staff, you want to project a positive attitude and not bring your own fears into the workplace.”
Day after day, night after night, our providers count on each other to make it through these unprecedented times.
fearful of the virus at work. “I think a lot of staff has had those thoughts.
At the same time, we’re fulfilling
our mission. Our patients are here because they need help and they rely on us. As a team we’re only growing stronger together. It’s amazing how in times of crisis the hospital comes
Nicole Kennedy, a
senior residential
counselor of 10
years at Silver Hill,
says the safety
precautions the hospital has put
together. It’s really an amazing thing to see.”
For some, such as Dr. Petra
Pilgrim, the crisis has provided
an opportunity to forge closer relationships with patients. The way treatment is administered may have changed in some ways, but it’s still treatment just the same.
“At the end of each day, even
though I feel exhausted, I feel I’m being productive and really doing something to help,” says Petra, who runs Silver Hill’s Steward House. “I feel like I’ve bonded with my patients more. It’s been a break from what had been normal: You can forget the original joy of just being with your patients and providing a service that is helpful to others.”
Patients have taken notice of the exceptional care provided by Silver Hill’s compassionate caretakers in this time of uncertainty.
in place – such as stringent
screening at admissions and
requiring all patients and
staff to wear masks –
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Katelyn Murray, Unit Clerk