Prepare to Care
2020 2021
ANNEX P: PANDEMIC 3/9/20
On Monday, March 9th , Kara Hayden was directed by Emergency Management Services to announce to all employees “Attention please, Hospital Emergency OperAnnex P full activation. Attention please, Hospital EmerAnnex P full activation. Attention please, HosAnnex P full activation.”
April 21, 2021
Dear Staff, How quickly the year has passed by. Last May, who would have thought our plans for this year’s employee recognition festivities would again require the same pandemic protocols. Yet here we are! While we continue with the masking, hand washing and social distancing, the spirit of our employee recognition event will remain a heartfelt celebration of your commitment and dedication to Fairview Hospital. The milestones that you will be honored for are “years” of service, but our real appreciation and gratitude is for the care and compassion you all provide each day to every patient and their family. Your trust and respect for each other, and for Fairview Hospital, truly represents our culture of caring for the community we are so privileged to serve. We want to thank the Fairview staff, physicians, leaders, office, and practice staff who have contributed to the writing of the book, Prepare to Care, this year’s Hospital Week’s theme. We hope you enjoy the pictures and stories about our experience these past 15 months. You have demonstrated again and again, your ability to care in creative ways. What you will see throughout the book are reflections and stories that embody our organizational values of: Compassion Commitment to each other and patients Respect Trust Teamwork Stewardship And above all, Excellence! You each portray these values daily!
We all know 2020 has been a difficult year, but it has also given us opportunities to use each encounter to exceed our communities’ expectations. We thought we would end with a quote from Winnie the Pooh. “Promise you will always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think”. We appreciate all that you are!
Doreen Hutchinson
Brian Burke MD
Anthony Rinaldi
Vice President of Operations/CNO
Chief Medical Officer
Executive Vice President
March 7th
th
“non hospital”
March 11th
March 12th
“Dear Patient” March 17th
’ April 2
April 7th
April 24th April 30th
May 4th May 6th
Cardiac Rehab restarts with limited patients. ing. Skills Day resumes and Orientation restarts. Command Center starts meeting twice per week instead of daily. May 11th First patient at drive through testing on May 13. Receive go ahead for drive through testing to start operating. May 18th
ket in Great Barrington.
Radiology starts to perform screening mammograms and bone density tests. Surgical Services start to perform select procedures. In house testing starts May 20th. June 4th Command Center meetings decrease to one per week. Pulmonary Rehab opened with two patients / EEG is open. All Radiology services now available and all Wound Center services are open.
Council meetings resume. June 18th From March 16th, the onset of screening process, 1,822 persons/companions through ED entrances and 4,599 patients/companions through the main entrance. July 2nd Discontinuing of Mason’s Café convenience store. Change in Mason’s Café from booths to tables to adhere to social distancing guidelines. July 30th Discontinue greeter at ED entrance. September 3rd September 17th Employee survey. December 16th Testing Center moves indoors. December 17th
DIY with Fairview Hospital By Lauren Smith, Director of Community Relations
In the early days of COVID cess to personal protective equipment, our internal and community stepped up to donate time, talent and resources that would create a potential reserve of plastic face shields if a
said, "
DIY with Fairview Hospital
Where’s Cardiac Rehab? By Paulette Pontier, CCRP, CNL Transforming the Cardiopulmonary Gym I would have never thought an event would shudder the outpatient cardiac and pulmo19 posi’s high risk population ex-
worked hard to relocate all the exercise equipment to the back half of the room allowing
Where’s Cardiac Rehab?
Ellen Brady and Cathy Samuels
COVID 19 Testing Tent
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10 to 25 add
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in’ in looking for the new testing
COVID 19 Testing Tent
Employee Vaccination Clinic By: Donna Wichman, MSN, RN, CIC, CRNI, CNOR E
We all heard that there were COVID 19 vaccine trials happening but when would the vaccine be available and what manufacturer? BioNTech COVID 19 vaccine for individuals 16 years of age and older under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). So now we know it is coming. Doreen Hutchinson, CNO/VP Patient vaccine. Areas of concern for the plan were location/space, maintaining social distancing, one way vaccination assessment, and planning for the 2nd shot. After a few sleepless nights I pulled the nurses together at the Andrew’s House to hear my plan. The plan… #1 All nurses administering the vaccine would attend the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) 3 ’s House on December 14, 2020 entitled “Introduction to COVID 19 Vaccine Storage & Handling, administration Training”. I strongly felt we all had to provide the same information to gain needed to follow all the guidelines and utilize the paperwork from the MDPH. #2 While at the clinic we needed to maintain social distancing inside and outside. It was clear there was not enough space at the hospital, so my plan involved using the Andrew’s House. in at the registration desk and receive their questionnaire along with their 2nd appointment time. Then they would meet with the “intake nurse” who would go over their questionnaire, update their allergies in Meditech, and obtain verbal consent to receive the vaccine and document it in Meditech. The intake the “V Safe Program”. Next, onto one of the three vaccination nurses to receive the vaccine. Finally, a 15 minute observation period with the nurse in the post vaccine area and out the back door. The goal for the whole process was to register, educate, vaccinate, and observe in 30 minutes or less. Additionally, Dr. Elliot, ED Director, reviewed our plan and wrote a standing order for the use of EpiPens in case of an allergic reaction to the vaccine.
Employee Vaccination Clinic #3 Converting the Andrew’s House to a vaccine clinic had its own set of challenges. We needed IT to set up computers and printers for the registration and vaccine stations and add scanners to all the vaccine stations for medication administration. Maintenance Department assisted in keeping the driveway plowed and walkways shoveled and sanded. The Purchasing Department provided the necessary clinical supplies including syringes, alcohol preps, biohazard containers, to name a few. Respiratory supplied a portable oxygen tank and tubing. #4 For vaccine safety and consistent reconstitution of the COVID 19 vaccine, a Registered Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician worked together to draw up every dose of vaccine. This allowed the nurses to administer a vaccine drawn up by another person without concern of going against our Board of Registration in Nursing mandate…even if we are in a was complete! Monday, December 14th the nurses gathered to listen to the MDPH training for 3 hours. But when would the vaccine arrive?
On Tuesday, December 15th we are informed by the State that we would be receiving 500 doses of vaccine the following day. Appointments were immediately coordinated and scheduled with the Access Service Department to begin on Thursday, December 17th. In the middle of a snowstorm, on Thursday, December 17th at 10:00 am we administered relaxing music playing in the background, while outside the snow was piling up. ’s request, of them receiving their vaccine for
“This is the best Christmas present I could ever receive!”
of vaccine. By New Year’s Eve and additional 55 employees and volunteers had received
teers, community healthcare workers and some high risk community members. Not a single dose was wasted, as Darlene Rodowicz, Executive VP, had declared, “every dose goes into an arm!”
Employee Vaccination Clinic It takes a TEAM to accomplish a task like this and I am so grateful to have had these people on “OUR TEAM”. Suzanne Arre, Lindsey Battaini, Kara Hayden, Emily Seward, Phoebe Meenagh, Ashley Mead, & Taylor Heath Jay Hudlin RPH, Steve Bannon RPH, Korina Gregory, Johnnie Lavinio & Kelly Buker Elizabeth Nichols RN, Rich Berry RN, Stephanie Pasquarelli RN, Heidi Reagan RN, Ellen Beckwith RN, Leeann Fleming Hand RN, Jess Winn RN, Regina Shea LPN & Donna Wichman RN. Dr. Elliot for his physician oversight.
IT for getting us set Nicole Kotsos who did anything asked of her, from copying forms, to making stickers that read “I received my COVID Vaccine” to cleaning at the end of the day. degree days for sand on the icy driveway and walkway. Materials Management, Tim Galeucia and Traci Reed who got us supplies for every clinic during supply allocations and some days on very short notice managers/directors for their help, especially Deedee Rintoul, ED Manager, and Heather Barbieri, Director of Emergency Management, that worked behind the scenes, on short notice, to get employees to the clinic when we had extra doses of vaccine. go for the next day. HIM/Medical Records for scanning the screening sheets and checklists into Expanse for future use. As Doreen Hutchinson always says, “Fairview, the little hospital that can”.
Employee Vaccination Clinic Taylor Heath, Suzanne Arre, Lindsey Battaini, Kara Hayden, Emily Seward
Stephanie Pasquarelli, Donna Wichman. Elizabeth Nichols, Ellen Beckwith, Regina Shea, Leeann Fleming Hand, Richard Berry Missing from photo: Heidi Reagan and Kelly Buker, Jay Hudlin, John Lavinio, Stephen Bannon, Korina Gregory
Nicole Kotsos
No Room at The Inn By Jackie Foote, RN, BS, MS, CNOR
On Sunday, January 3rd, I received a call from Doreen Hutchinson at 1:50 p.m. stating that the health system was in disaster mode with very few beds at Berkshire Medical Center due to the surge of COVID 19 positive patients that had been admitted to that facility. Fairview Hospital was going to be utilized as a “recovery center” for COVID 19 positive patients that did not need specialized acute care services. Due to this plan, surgical patients were to be Friday 0600 1800. (This unit also ’ aides, one working 30 hours per week and the other 40 hours per week and seven RN’s, one 36 hours, two 40 hours, three 32 hours, and one 30 hours. All but one of the RN’s work on anesthesia screening portion. On this day, I was asked by Doreen to come up with a plan to open and be able to provide care and coverage 24/7 for surgical patients as well as any non COVID 19 med/surg patient beginning Monday January 4th at 3 p.m. I contacted the RNs in all surgical areas including OR, Endo and SDC and I was very fortunate to have 2 of my RN’s volunteer to completely change their scheduled shifts from days to evenings and nights 4 5 shifts per week for the month of January. This of course would leave the day shifts short in the infusion and surgical area however the rest of them agreed they would do whatever it took to accomplish this. I had OR RN’s and Endo RN’s who also agreed to work on evenings and weekends. I called Doreen back with this plan and told her I thought we would be able to accommodate this request and that I would meet with my fellow managers in the morning and come up with a plan to support the shifts that needed to be covered. Karen Flynn, DeeDee Rintoul would help. I had already agreed to let Karen Flynn have one of my aides’ support her increased census. Without the support and collaboration of my colleagues this task would not have been possible. Beds were ordered from BMC and North Adams and delivered in time to open this “new unit”. The unit was opened approximately 27 hours after the initial request.
No Room at The Inn There were many behind the scenes things that had to be accomplished some nurses needed access as well as in servicing on Omnicell and scanning of meds as well as access to the Meditech Expanse documentation system. The education department and pharmacy
Cindy Atwood, Karen Flynn, Jessica Winn, Jackie Foote, Paulette Pontier, Julia Gallagher, Ed Haskins, DeeDee Rintoul, Gina Kirchner
Emily Magenis, Cathy Samuels, Ellen Brady
“Spic & Span” Hospitality Team: Environmental Services By Kelly Holmes, CDM EVS has had to adapt to the new cleaning COVID 19 procedures, and they had to do this while being up close and personal to COVID 19 positive patients. Some of the new processes and tasks for EVS: UV light usage This light now is used upon ALL discharges. A new process was created to use this on Airborne rooms. EVS really stepped up when we could not get supplies from anyone. Nothing. The only thing we could get our hands on was bleach. I ordered cloths and lots of bleach. Cleaning still happened without wipes and special cleaners, etc. 95 mask. They are required to wear this mask when cleaning an Airborne room for COVID they wanted to wear them while cleaning COVID 19 rooms Ordered disinfectant sprayers to sanitize more areas for the times the UV light wasn’t an option. sites to clean such as the COVID 19 Testing Site cleaning the 7 days a week
Gregory Ferry, Deb Giulian, Tyler Alfosno,
Gregory Ferry, Colleen Hall, Tyler Alfonso,
Betty Ostrander, Angie D’Oro
Betty Ostrander, Deb Giulian
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“On the Go” Hospitality Team: Food Services By Kelly Holmes, CDM
Not only did we have to change many of our processes, but we had to do this quickly. Here are some of the changes we have made: Provided a “grocery store” were out of stock (toilet paper, paper towels, pasta, etc.). Changed seating in cafeteria to have people properly distanced. Provided plexiglass dividers on the tables. Removed salad bar and purchased a new cold case to hold our new Grab n’ Go cold items.
We now provide a pin pad for fast touch free paying in the café. might not like this idea, it is a directive from the GB Health Department. We came up with a process for feeding COVID 19 positive patients, and a process for when our patient count gets up to 25 or more. We got close!
Melissa Litourneau, Betsy Hiestand, Chris Guerrero, Dan Prew
Clean or Dirty?? By Paulette Pontier, CCRP, CNL
Creative Way to Identify Dirty vs. Clean Equipment We used laminated 4x4 colored sheet of sunshine on one side and clouds with rain on the other.
COVID 19 Call Center By DeeDee Rintoul, MS,RN, CEN
In early January 2021 we opened a satellite COVID 19 Call Center with 2 phone stations in our library/sim lab. This was to support the main BMC call center. . p.m. seven ’s were trained. It was an oppora decline in call volume, so we went to single nurse coverage, then to limited days and
to their “regular” jobs. At a meeting on 4/5 it was mentioned the BMC call center was experiencing an increase in call volume and during morning hours there were numercall center on a limited basis as needed.
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Monoclonal Infusion Therapy By Richard Berry, RN, MS e ts that the antibodies had on patients that
self the “Godfather” peat…
ere sy pto atic
ith COVID 19 but not sick
Monoclonal Infusion Therapy Since then, there are other nurses that can administer the antibodies: Elizabeth Nichols, Sophie Veinoglou, Paulette Pontier, and Maggie Brown. The infusions now only take 30 minutes, but we still monitor the patients for an hour after. We have given the Monoclonals at the testing center about one to two infusions a week. The people who receive them are always very appreciative and happy to get the infusion. I have had a few people even feel much better by the time they leave after their hour of observation. It is much easier now that we have our pharmacy mixing the medication. We can pick it up from the pharmacy and it is ready with the paperwork and all. As the pandemic progress, we will be ready to provide this treatment whenever necessary. It is just another tool that can reduce the severity of COVID 19 and help keep people from needing hospitalization.
Community Vaccination Clinic By Heather Barbieri, MS, CEM, NHDP BC Director of Emergency Management
On January 13th, 2021, Fairview Hospital, with the support of numerous community part19 vaccination clinic. The clinics are made possible by a regional collaboration of county health leaders. The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative includes representation from Fairview Hospital, Berkshire Medical Center, Community Health Programs, and the Berkshire Public Health Alliance. As a state recognized collaborative, we can request vaccine as a county which means we can ask for more vaccine than if we had asked individually. As a Collaborative, we hold clinics in North Adams (St Elizabeth’
exercise for such a time that we would need to run a much larger clinic. Those yearly exercises meant we were ready to quickly transition from a 200 person a day clinic to a 1500 person a day clinic.
Community Vaccination Clinic
Community Vaccination Clinic
Smitty Pignatelli surprised the
Community Vaccination Clinic
REHAB INNOVATION TELEHEALTH
trained in the Zoom process. Some therapists We are learned to change on a dime. Orientation on Skills Day reimagined to meet social distancing guidelines.
’s 30 Language communication. hours to provide some “rehab aide” support
Triaging ED patients in cars. Putting holters on in cars. trance and emergency department entrance.
visitors.
this practice.
Our “spaces” start to change and negative partment, Critical Care Unit, 2 Medical/ Surgical, Mother Baby and Operating Room. Seventeen negative pressure spaces total.
Mason’
“grocery”
Re Schedules done creatively to reopen areas Wound and Rehab.
Cardiac Rehab Rural Health Clinics Set up a Covid
At Fairview Hospital, Respiratory Therapist James Rintoul is known for his ingenuity in adapting equipagainst COVID 19. In fact, he is known to some as McGyver, in reference to the TV series hero who can use whatever is handy to solve a crisis. For his own actions, BHS Patient Award.
Safety
Hero
At the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, Jim devised a way to use our BiPAP machines as ventilators in case of a shortage. He also designed and built a plexifrom airborne viruses while tration system for respiratory therapy equipment to contain respiratory aerosols.
Well deserved of the Patient Safety Hero Honors are Jim Santos, Laboratory Supervisor and Dan Belair, Clinical Laboratory Assistant / Phlebotomist. Jim and Dan went above and beyond by going out to the home of a particularly frail patient and drawing a needed blood sample. The specimen was required so that a necessary medication adjustment could be made correctly and safely.
on 2MS, earned a Patient Safety Hero for her going above and beyond to keep calm in a particularly anxious, even somewhat delirious, patient. Grace spent considerable time with the patient, reassuring him and even holding his hand. By reducing the patient’s anxiety, Grace was able to keep the patient safe and allow him to get some much needed sleep.
The "Safety Hero" program is a new BHS initiative designed to recognize any employee (clinical and non clinical) on a monthly bases who goes above and beyond normal duties to help a patient, with an emphasis on patient safety and quality outcomes.
“We Are” Med/Surg We become their “calendar” the days run into each other. ·
We become their family and friends.
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We are their hairdressers and barbers.
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We are their emotional and spiritual support.
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We absorb their anger.
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We are the one who can tell them how far they have come.
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We celebrate their successes and dry their tears when they feel down or depressed.
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We help them to see and communicate with their families via I Pad.
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We have brought in games and puzzles.
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We have brought in a favorite snack or soda.
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We are their entertainment we sing their favorite songs and tell jokes.
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We have celebrated their birthdays and anniversaries which could not be celebrated with their families.
· visit in the lobby. ·
We advocated for a window in the doors and a monitor to view at the desk.
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We developed creative ways to scan and administer medications.
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We utilized the telephone to keep in contact when we were not in the room.
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AnnMarie Sawyer, Melissa Freedman, Tina Hale, Sandra Keefner, Cassandra Bercier, Linda Shaw
How COVID
COVID
of COVID
of
COVID …
Pearls of Wisdom By Tom Fleming, BSM, RRT At the very start of the COVID 19 pandemic, the day to day life of the Respiratory Department was status quo. When COVID 19 patients started coming into our Emergency De-
on our ventilators to prevent excess exhaled air from entering the room where the patient was being treated. Filters also were used on nebulizers for the same reason. We changed multi dose inhalers with an aero chamber to give bronchodilators to prevent excess exhaled air. Through research it was found that our BIPAP/CPAP machine could be used as ventilators if needed. On our Cardiac side, we made arrangements with our monitoring company to have the Event 30 day monitors mailed to the patient and we would follow up with a telephone call. For our 24 hour Holter monitors, we would have the patient come to the front entrance of the hospital and we would go to their car to apply the monitor.
My most positive takeaway/pearl of wisdom is seeing how a small rural hospital can come
always gave the ok for what was needed. We all have our quirks but when faced with major protect what we love and that is patient care and Fairview Hospital.
My COVID 19 Story By Lisa Azzarito Pepino RRT, RN, CTTS Director, Halos in Healthcare At the start of the COVID 19 pandemic I was vacationing in Panama with fellow healthcare
Upon arriving home, I found Fairview much like the rest of the country, to be in lockdown. Our RT department prepared for the worst. All outpatient services were closed. We acted quickly taking the necessary steps to protect our community and care for the onslaught of expected Covid 19 patients. We were prepared for the worst, but it did not come. The worst did not come to us, but it came, across the country, it came. A fellow nurse, Danielle Niesz, LPN, began an outreach called ICU Angels, gifting overwhelmed frontliners at Danbury Hospital in CT, a busy COVID 19 hospital with weekly wellness packages. During a discussion with Danielle, she shared her vision of putting together an organization to support professionals on the frontline. We saw the tragedy happening. I saw healthcare providers being overwhelmed with their call of duty. The desperation I felt was unbearable. I saw a path to aiding my fellow RT’s through this mission. My feelings of helplessness in this pandemic led me to immediately jump into this project. Halos in Healthcare was born, and I was on the Board of Directors. The mission of Halos in Healthcare is to provide a connection with healthcare workers to mental wellness and self care services. Halos in Healthcare has grown in the last year to serve frontline caregivers in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts (Fairview Hospital frontline every day. We are a 501c3 organization working with both online and local businesses to supply our frontline heroes with the tools they need to achieve and maintain mental health. We have granted over 70 massages to date with a monthly massage giveaway program. We have gifted thousands of product bags and are connecting our heroes to much
and I am so very grateful for them every day. I invite you to visit our website: Halosinhealthcare.org to explore our mission and services which we have made available to Healthcare Heroes in our area.
Horsing Around at Macony By Adrian Conklin, BSN, RN Clinical Operations Manager East Mountain Medical & Macony Pediatrics
seasoned pediatricians all learning to
es’
Horsing Around at Macony
’ 19
Fairview’s Unsung Heroes By Alissa Weigand Lead HIM Coordinator In working on this project, I have learned a lot about the culture and environment at Fairview son took credit for an initiative that occurred this past year relating to COVID 19 and the changes that came along with it in the day to day operations. It was clear that there was a There was one department that was consistently mentioned, and I felt that it was appropriate to recognize them. They were an integral part of every change that took place. From setting up and breaking dew’s House for the employee vaccination clinics, to moving equipment and beds around on At Fairview we have a group who I would consider our unsung heroes for this past year and that is our Maintenance Team. I found that many people referred to them as unsung heroes.
without recognition. I would like with recognition.
Carlos Salazar, Thomas Banach,
Peter Latham
John Zimboski
Dave Brusie
Fairview Hearts By Alissa Weigand, Lead HIM Coordinator When I came to Fairview in November 2020, I knew that Fairview was a special place not realize how special it is here. It did not take me long to catch on. The feeling of
Knitted Heart Appeal.
are not allowed visitors. One heart will be kept with their loved one if they sadly pass away. Another matching heart will be sent to their relative in a card so they can still share something physical with their loved one after they have passed. The hearts will
cess and at Fairview, the goal is for every admitted patient to receive a heart.
19 when it may not be so easy for demic ends.
Fairview Hearts By Kelly Beaulieu, RN, BS, CM It has been a pleasure to help with giving out the handmade hearts and poem for the from the bottom of our hearts that they have chosen us for their care. I often hear that sentiment is reciprocated and they are happy to have chosen us as well. I add to this by explaining that during times of COVID tice which included isolation and extraordinary precautions. This however brought unintentional impacts of patients feeling a bit isolated or even lonely which did not sit one that “cares”;
ture and the thoughtful words. She was contemplating comfort measures only status “ ”
“ ” I believe she was referring to having some sort of closeness or sending
somehow was a reassuring thought during these uncertain times. Her daughter was able to come and stay with her for almost two days before she passed away. I was able to tell her daughter about the heart and the interaction we had, and she was grateful for that heart to be turned over to her as she was now the one who needed comfort.
again for allowing me to participate in this Fairview hearts project!
A Child’s Perspective By Victoria E. Guy, PT, DPT
My granddaughter, Fiona, was 5 when everything came to a halt last spring. She asked me at the time what she could do to help patients feel better. She painted pictures for a couple of patients who were at the time in the hospital. They loved it!) Then she made one for our clinic's waiting room. She then decided earlier this year that she should do another one because she could paint/draw better now that she is 6 years old.
Making A Difference One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”. The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t’ throw them back, they’ll die.” “Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and thousands of starfish?” “You can’t make a difference!” After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said… “I made a difference for that one.”
“Who Let the Dogs Out?” By Wendy Dottavio Manager of Volunteer Programs
The Pet Therapy Program is one of Fairview's most popular programs for patients and employees alike!
Therapy Program, requiring Fairview to suspend the program, along with all other volunpy ’s resilience, persis-
dogs participate and
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would be able to watch the parade even if they were not able to come formed employees of the day, time, and location of the Pet Parade, and even included what
rade; dogs that were not part of Fairview’ out to the Medical Reserve Corps to The Pet Parade was a joyful event for everyone! Our Pet Parade boasted twelve dogs, two clowns, a ton of balloons (that some dogs were afraid of) and twelve employees who helped because they too,
!
For anyone who was unable to watch the parade it’s still available at:
“Who Let the Dogs Out?”
“Who Let the Dogs Out?”
“Who Let the Dogs Out?”
A SHOUTOUT TO HEATHER BARBIERI CONGRATULATIONS!
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Resilience Persistence Commitment
We are Fairview Hospital