Sowing Support in One Arkansas Hospital
Hospitals throughout Arkansas have a variety of support systems in place for their physicians and staff . To get a more personalized idea of what resiliency support looks like from a health-system perspective , The Journal reached out to Birch G . Wright , administrator and chief operating officer for Washington Regional Medical Center , located in Fayetteville . Wright gave us an inside look at organizational support at WRMC .
What is the current situation at WRMC in relation to physician / staff well-being ?
This current surge is the most serious situation we have encountered since the beginning of this 18-month pandemic . Since mid-June 2021 , we have seen an exponential surge in the number of individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 . The region is also seeing more critically ill non- COVID patients than at any other time during the pandemic . This is most likely due to patients putting off preventative care earlier in the year . These volumes are having an unprecedented impact on health systems in our region , including Washington Regional , largely due to the need for hospital nursing staff , respiratory therapy staff , ancillary staff , and availability of inpatient beds . Many patients are younger and sicker , even without co-morbidities . More than
90 % of the hospitalized COVID patients in our region are not vaccinated , which makes this surge more frustrating than the winter surge , as most cases were preventable with vaccination .
This crisis is unique because normally if one health system is in crisis , we lean on others for support . During this pandemic , we are continually trying to maintain normal hospital operations , enhance our Centers of Excellence such as stroke and neuro care , joint care , and our Level II Trauma center while simultaneously balancing a pandemic of global proportions . We hear the phrase “ the war against COVID ,” and some seem content to allow the frontline workers to fight the fight while they get back to their normal everyday lives . We all need to fight to overcome , and we need to support our ‘ soldiers .’
How have you adapted to provide quality patient care , despite the strains on staff ?
Our tiered surge plan allows us to shift resources and personnel to areas of greater need , which allows our team members to fill alternate roles and frees up some nurses and other qualified staff for direct patient care . We can scale our surge plan up or down based on the prevalence of the virus , positivity rates , daily census , and community needs . We focus continually on overall team wellness through consistent communication – rounding , weekly emails , town hall meetings , and support of our employee assistance plan .
It ’ s hard to build resiliency during a long-term crisis . What ’ s in place at WRMC to help physicians , nurses , and other health care workers cope and even destress during this ongoing trial ?
The Northwest Arkansas community is oneof-a-kind ! To help lift morale , they continue to provide an outpouring of support in various forms including cards and letters and donated
Birch Wright , COO
meals and snacks . Community members have painted sidewalks with uplifting messages , held “ pro ” support rallies for hospital team members , and volunteered their time and energy to give breaks to those that need it most .
In-house , we have focused administrative rounding on staff , physicians , and surge teams to provide real-time communication and support and to address any unmet needs . We have also provided significant incentive bonuses for team members who take on additional shifts in areas of greatest need .
Our Employee Assistance Program offers counseling and mental health resources to all team members whenever , wherever , they need that assistance . Our chaplains have helped staff cope with their emotions and have offered decompression workshops .
Additionally , our RN New Graduate Residency program offers support to our nursing students and helps new graduates navigate through their first year at the bedside .
Finally , being the only locally owned , community governed non-profit health system in the area allows the board of directors great latitude in allowing Washington Regional to meet our mission . The support of the board of directors and the local community has allowed us to improvise , adapt , and overcome any challenges that we have faced .
We hear the phrase “ the war against COVID ,” and some seem content to allow the frontline workers to fight the fight while they get back to their normal everyday lives . We all need to fight to overcome , and we need to support our ‘ soldiers .’ – Birch Wright , COO
Volume 118 • Number 5 nOVEMBER 2021 • 107