Commentary: Face the worry and stress of COVID with kindness and compassion
Recently I had the opportunity to work as a unit secretary on one of Beebe Healthcare’s inpatient floors. I was busy — answering phone calls and responding to patients pushing their nurse call buttons, handling paperwork and resupplying everything from printer ink to isolation gown carts to water for patients.
It was a very challenging role, made more so by the fact that nurses were busy taking care of patients in isolation due to COVID-19 and other infections (this means that a health care worker has to put an isolation gown and other personal protective equipment on every time they go into a patient’s room, take it all off when they step out and then put on a fresh set when going into the next room). I myself wore an N95 mask and goggles sitting at the front desk of the unit.
I will be the first to admit that I am not a good unit secretary — partly because I did not know where everything was or how things worked — but also because there is a real benefit from the teamwork that comes from people working together for a period of time. I think I did OK, although I will wait and see how the team during that shift rates my performance.
I answered many calls from worried family members asking about their loved ones who are patients at the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus. I could sense the stress and anxiety in their voices, especially as we have had to limit visitations due to COVID-19 restrictions. Most were kind and respectful, especially as I was not an experienced secretary and took time connecting them with the nurses taking care of their family. I did not say that I was the president and CEO at Beebe when anyone called.
One call stands out in my mind. I answered the call with, “Beebe Healthcare, XXXX unit front desk, David speaking. May I help you?” It was apparent the caller was stressed. They asked to speak to a nurse. When I asked who the patient was and their room number, the caller became angry that I didn’t already have this information. They expressed their anger at me, using expletives, while I attempted to assist them, and they asked to speak to the supervisor. I let the caller know who the charge nurse was and took a message.
I thought about this experience. As the president and CEO, and a physician, I often do not experience this type of interaction. And when I do, I also recognize it is part of my job as the public face of Beebe Healthcare. I also recognized that the caller was likely scared and anxious, worried about their loved one who was in the hospital with a very serious illness.
Every person at Beebe Healthcare is stressed and anxious, too. Everyone is worried about their health and the health of their families. They are worried not only for themselves, but also because getting COVID-19 will mean that they will have to quarantine and thus put greater pressure on their colleagues and teammates. And this is how they have had to come to work every day for the past two years.
I am asking for your help. Please — be kind to my team at Beebe Healthcare. They’re your team, too. These people stand watch — whether it is COVID-19, a car accident, a heart attack, a stroke, cancer or something else emergent and critical. They will be here and take care of you with the same high-quality care delivered at Beebe for the past 106 years.
The team members here are tired. And frustrated. And wanting so much for this pandemic to be over, just like you. But these amazing professionals can’t quit. We can’t close our hospital or emergency rooms due to lack of staff — because we need to be here for our community. And every person working at Beebe knows that, which is why they keep coming to work. Because they know they are serving their own families, friends and neighbors, their community.
Please be patient and kind with the people of Team Beebe. We need to get through this together, with compassion and kindness for everyone.
Thanks for your support.
Dr. David Tam is the president and CEO of Beebe Healthcare.
