Primary Care Nurse Managers
May 2022
Primary Care Nurse Managers
Primary Care
VA Long Beach Healthcare System
Long Beach
,
CA
United States
Pelavi Mandalia, RN
Christi Merced, RN
Walter Bautista, RN
Cheryl Schumacher, RN
Maggie Ashby, RN
Nyvea Garcia, RN
Michelle Keister, RN

 

 

 

I am proud to nominate my Primary Care Nurse Managers for the DAISY Award for being so instrumental in supporting COVID operations and being stellar servant leaders. They all have gone beyond the call of duty and deserve to be recognized for their continued courage and support for the mission during the COVID pandemic. They have worked as one team to plan, implement, and train other HCGs for covid vaccines, swabbing, and boasters.

The PC Nurse Managers have worked countless hours doing patient care and managing covid operations during the work week, evenings, and weekends. For over 18 months, our Primary Care Managers have started and sustained the COVID drive-thru operations for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients at the main facility and the CBOCs. PC averaged over 800 swabs per week for several months during the first year of the pandemic. Other VISNs reached out to PC to ask how we implemented the drive-thru, along with the standard work as best practices. Primary Care Managers are instrumental in starting and maintaining operations for the COVID vaccines and boosters. Primary care continues to collaborate with other HCGs to facilitate the timeliness of vaccines and swabbing. Several outreach events were held and coordinated by Primary Care to ensure underserved Veterans received their COVID vaccinations timely.

Primary Care Managers provided drive-thru flu shots while providing covid swabbing during the first year of the pandemic. Last year, Primary Care Managers coordinated the flu vaccines and covid vaccines to be given in one location to provide Veteran-Centric Care. COVID Vaccine gave over 8,000 flu vaccines which included the high dose vaccines. PC has given over 75,000 doses of the COVID Vaccine. Not only did PC vaccinate Veterans, but PC vaccinated DOD and Veteran family members who qualified for the SAVE Lives Act.

COVID vaccine clinic vaccinated over 3500 DOD members on the weekends. The CCHT program has supported the Covid Respiratory Demps Program which was known as best practices and is VISN 22 leader. During the pandemic, CCHT monitored and educated over 2000 Veterans and their families. During the first wave of the pandemic, Primary Care Managers supported inpatient operations by deploying over 50 primary care staff. During our last surge, CBOCs and PC face-to-face were on hold as PC deployed staff to support the mission. Primary Care Managers continue to work diligently to ensure access to care is timely while continuing to support COVID operations. VISN 22 has acknowledged the countless contributions to support COVID operations from our Primary Care Nurse Managers. Currently, PC is in partnership with specialty clinics to establish the Evusheld injections and monitor the effects of long-term Covid.