May 2022 Honoree
Adult Urgent Care Clinic Charge Nurse & Lobby RN Team
Agnes Feliciano – Lobby RN • Ayala Mirande – Charge Nurse and Lobby RN • Emilia Patrick – Lobby RN • Joann Lin – Charge Nurse and Lobby RN • Jun Li– Charge Nurse and Lobby RN • Kim Nissen – Lobby RN • Renee Albright-Rueda – Charge Nurse and Lobby RN • Victor Chew –Lobby RN • Jimmy Sun – Lobby RN • Debbie Oldham – Lobby RN • Bobbie Sandoval – Lobby RN • Amanda Dowden – Lobby RN • Mia Jensen – Lobby RN • Nhu Doan – Charge Nurse and Lobby RN • Eileen Velasco – Lobby RN • Ricky Caudill – Lobby RN • Karen Huang – Charge Nurse and Lobby RN • Gregory Middleton – Lobby RN • Katrice Pagsambugan – Charge Nurse and Lobby RN • Desiree Roman – Charge Nurse and Lobby RN • Erika Vitali – Lobby RN • Yong Luo – Charge Nurse and Team Lead
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, this leadership team has gone above and beyond to provide urgent care patient services at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. During a period when much was unknown about COVID and information was rapidly changing, the ZSFG Adult Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) became the primary outpatient clinic for managing ambulatory patients experiencing respiratory symptoms and lower acuity patients under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19. The Charge Nurse and Lobby RN team worked hard to stay on top of the ever-changing treatment guidelines and protocols to ensure that our patients received the best care and the most up-to-date education about this virus. By operationalizing a lobby screening program, the Team effectively managed the surging patient flow from the ED to UCC, which had increased by over 30% since the start of the pandemic in 2020. When most ambulatory clinics were providing largely telehealth services, UCC continued to accept drop-in patients who wanted to see a provider face-to-face. To ensure patient, staff, and community safety, the Team adopted additional operational protocols to minimize exposures, including completing phone intakes for patients prior to appointments and utilizing a provider/nurse buddy system when managing PUIs to reduce PPE usage. In a time when minimal services are provided in most organizations, UCC continued to expand services by providing clinical support and triaging to the lobby screening process. The protocols and guidelines the Team developed enhanced the visitor screening process and allowed for the notification to clinics receiving patients who had screened positive. Including triaging services in the lobby facilitated the movement of patients who were clearly in respiratory distress directly to the UCC or the ED, thereby expediting patient care and improving outcomes. The processes of clinical support and triaging were especially helpful during surges and peak times throughout the day, allowing UCC to manage the surging patient flow. Through their commitment, UCC has subsequently reduced the hold times for referrals from the ED to UCC from 15-20 days/month to zero since the start of the pandemic. More importantly, this Team did all this amazing work while supporting and caring for one another. Likening themselves to the Golden State Warriors, the staff playfully referred to themselves as "COVID Warriors," adopting a “we” mentality to overcome the unprecedented challenges in the department resulting from the pandemic. Through everyone’s hard work and efforts, this Team has demonstrated that any crisis can be overcome when a team WORKS!
Thank you for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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