PACU RNs and CRNAs
June 2020
PACU RNs and CRNAs
at Beaumont Hospital - Grosse Pointe
PACU and Surgical Services
Beaumont Hospital - Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe
,
MI
United States
(PACU RNs): Anna Schweitzer RN, BSN, Ashley Cinpinski RN, BSN, Ashley McCree RN, BSN, Christina Yaldoo RN, Christine Cooper RN, BSN, Denise Duby RN, Denise Kerfoot RN, Elizabeth Latowski RN, BSN, Heather Hickey RN, BSN, Jill Richter RN, BSN, Karen Barszczowski RN, BSN, Karen Moses RN, Karry Strat RN, Kathleen Kastner RN, Kelsey Ketelhut, RN, BSN, Kelsey Kuczynski RN, BSN, Kimberly Nicholas RN, Kristin Burkhardt RN, BSN, Laura Thiel RN, Lauren Miller RN, BSN, Lauren Underwood RN, BSN, Lisa Halter RN, BSN, Lisa LaGore RN, Margaret Case RN, BSN, Michelle Husband RN, BSN, Nannette Zarb RN, Rebecca Jelalian RN, Sara Smith RN, BSN, Sarah Ziemba RN, BSN, Sharon Javery RN, Shelby Wouters RN, BSN, Stacy Laird RN, BSN, Patricia Kachmar RN, Stewart Schumacher RN, BSN
CRNAs: Kirk Sledzinski, Carol Burke, Suzie Derowski, Jillian Fisher, Jola Forthoffer, James Groh, Devone Jabara, Anita Lambieva-Mihaylova, Bob Losey, Louise Minore, Glenn O'Connor, Kathryn Powell, Jaime Puchalski, Laura Pytiak, Eric Reim, Shelly Reim, Earl Rupert, Renee Seago, Shelly Struhar, Caryn Strzalka, Victoria Toyeas, Amanda Van Natter, Mark Wagner, Jodi White, Amanda Winkley, Melissa Wolf, Christine Dex
CRNAs: Kirk Sledzinski, Carol Burke, Suzie Derowski, Jillian Fisher, Jola Forthoffer, James Groh, Devone Jabara, Anita Lambieva-Mihaylova, Bob Losey, Louise Minore, Glenn O'Connor, Kathryn Powell, Jaime Puchalski, Laura Pytiak, Eric Reim, Shelly Reim, Earl Rupert, Renee Seago, Shelly Struhar, Caryn Strzalka, Victoria Toyeas, Amanda Van Natter, Mark Wagner, Jodi White, Amanda Winkley, Melissa Wolf, Christine Dex
I want to recognize a group of extraordinary nurses who defined the word "team" during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PACU nurses and CRNAs have always been a close working team, but during the pandemic, they pulled together to become a close-knit family that went above and beyond for our critically ill GP patients.
March 20, 2020, is a day that many of us will never forget at Beaumont, GP. The contingency plans created by the CNO and Nursing Directors in the Command Center were being implemented almost as quickly as they were created and finalized. The critical bed needs for ICU patients quickly changed, and we needed to convert the PACU into a non-COVID ICU on a Friday afternoon. The PACU manager and lead CRNA were planning to potentially staff this area on Monday. That afternoon, these leaders worked quickly to find staff to open and cover this new unit throughout the weekend and finalize schedules for the next week. CRNAs and PACU nurses pulled together and made the switch to 12-hour dayshifts and 12-hour midnight shifts - some with less than 8-hours' notice. Not once did we hear a complaint. The most common question asked was "how can I help?" and "what do you need?" The typical work schedule for these nurses is dayshift Mondays-Fridays, with minimal weekend coverage for cases and overnight on-call shifts for emergency surgeries. Many of these nurses had not provided direct bedside care in many years, and the majority had never worked in an ICU. They were initially supported by the incredible ICU nurses, given education support and policies to review, and they quickly transitioned to independent practitioners at the bedside.
On April 3rd, again on a Friday afternoon, hospital beds for non-COVID patients became very sparse. There was an urgent need to increase capacity in the new PACU ICU and start accepting Progressive Care patients. The week that we hit our GP peak of 103 COVID positive patients in the hospital, we hit a record of 14 patients in the PACU ICU/CCSU. The team spilled out into the phase II rooms and it was truly an all hands-on deck approach. These nurses picked up extra shifts to cover their team and the patients. They adapted quickly to learning new skills that helped them provide safe bedside care. These nurses let their true colors shine during this crisis, and demonstrated the highest levels of commitment to our patients and hospital. They collaborated with each other to develop the best plan of care for each patient they touched. Nursing excellence was evident in everything they did to care for these vulnerable patients. The most amazing part of this story is that you could not feel any tension or anxiety when you walked into the PACU. If you were a stranger walking through, you would think that it was just another day in a hospital unit. They remained calm and compassionate amid a crisis, which exemplifies the highest levels of professionalism.
March 20, 2020, is a day that many of us will never forget at Beaumont, GP. The contingency plans created by the CNO and Nursing Directors in the Command Center were being implemented almost as quickly as they were created and finalized. The critical bed needs for ICU patients quickly changed, and we needed to convert the PACU into a non-COVID ICU on a Friday afternoon. The PACU manager and lead CRNA were planning to potentially staff this area on Monday. That afternoon, these leaders worked quickly to find staff to open and cover this new unit throughout the weekend and finalize schedules for the next week. CRNAs and PACU nurses pulled together and made the switch to 12-hour dayshifts and 12-hour midnight shifts - some with less than 8-hours' notice. Not once did we hear a complaint. The most common question asked was "how can I help?" and "what do you need?" The typical work schedule for these nurses is dayshift Mondays-Fridays, with minimal weekend coverage for cases and overnight on-call shifts for emergency surgeries. Many of these nurses had not provided direct bedside care in many years, and the majority had never worked in an ICU. They were initially supported by the incredible ICU nurses, given education support and policies to review, and they quickly transitioned to independent practitioners at the bedside.
On April 3rd, again on a Friday afternoon, hospital beds for non-COVID patients became very sparse. There was an urgent need to increase capacity in the new PACU ICU and start accepting Progressive Care patients. The week that we hit our GP peak of 103 COVID positive patients in the hospital, we hit a record of 14 patients in the PACU ICU/CCSU. The team spilled out into the phase II rooms and it was truly an all hands-on deck approach. These nurses picked up extra shifts to cover their team and the patients. They adapted quickly to learning new skills that helped them provide safe bedside care. These nurses let their true colors shine during this crisis, and demonstrated the highest levels of commitment to our patients and hospital. They collaborated with each other to develop the best plan of care for each patient they touched. Nursing excellence was evident in everything they did to care for these vulnerable patients. The most amazing part of this story is that you could not feel any tension or anxiety when you walked into the PACU. If you were a stranger walking through, you would think that it was just another day in a hospital unit. They remained calm and compassionate amid a crisis, which exemplifies the highest levels of professionalism.