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Nursing Education Specialist Supports Nurses Fighting COVID-19

Heidi Johnson Davis ’01, a nursing education specialist for the Penn Medicine health system, has been supporting staff who have been redeployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also joined a COVID-19 Telehealth Project, serving patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus who are well enough to be managed at home.

What does your job currently entail, and how has your job shifted in the past month?
I have worked as a nursing education specialist for the Penn Medicine health system for the past eight years. I oversaw the orientation of new hires to the nursing department, maintained the nursing policies and procedures, and developed/implemented/evaluated programs to promote the professional development of nursing staff. 
 
In the past month, my priorities have changed to support staff who have been redeployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our hospitals have seen a major decrease in surgical volume and an increased need for critical care. As educators, we have had to quickly create and offer education to nurses working in different areas of the hospital. This is challenging because our stance on operationalizing recommendations for personal protective equipment (PPE) and various other procedures are changing hour by hour. We have had to negotiate multiple priorities and limitations: patient safety, staff safety, inventory scarcity, anxiety vs. science and public perception. As leaders, we have had to role model professionalism, flexibility, calm confidence and a commitment to evidence-based decisions. We have also needed to care for ourselves in order to promote endurance and longevity, not knowing how long this crisis will last. 
 
What does a typical work day look like?
There is no such thing as a typical day because every day and night are different due to the rapidly changing nature of this crisis. However, my days have been spent teaching staff proper ways to don & doff PPE, skills needed in medical-surgical or critical care areas, the rationale for "droplet precautions" vs "airborne precautions" when caring for patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, creating flyers and powerpoint presentations, listening to anxious staff members and directing them toward reputable sources of information based in strong evidence, onboarding new staff and brainstorming creative solutions to the onslaught of new challenges faced by our health system. 

My work just underwent a significant change as I too was redeployed. In a matter of a few days, I have had to pivot from eight years as a nurse educator to the world of virtual home healthcare. As of April 18, I joined a COVID-19 Telehealth Project, serving patients diagnosed with this novel coronavirus who are well enough to be managed at home. This position has required a brisk climb up a steep learning curve, acquiring new technology and skills to provide virtual nursing care to patients in their homes. In some ways, although I am working remotely, I feel closer to the bedside than I have in years and I am grateful to directly support those suffering amidst this crisis. Who knows how my career will evolve now that I have joined an initiative at the grassroots level that may mark a transformation in healthcare as we know it. I remain grateful that my profession offers such a variety of career paths, each offering new skill sets and opportunities to make a difference in people's lives.

What are some moments of positivity you've witnessed over the past couple of weeks?
The outpouring of gratitude from patients and the public has been remarkable. One of the weekends that I worked as a nursing supervisor, I coordinated the logistics of food delivery to hospital staff from a family in the community who had received care over the years at our hospital. I have seen multiple demonstrations of gratitude, and I want to be sure to give credit to ALL health care workers, not just the clinicians. Employees who make food, clean the floors, empty the trash, clean the beds, fix equipment and provide technical support are just as deserving of the praise lavished upon physicians and nurses.  

How did your THS experience prepare you for your career? How did THS help prepare you for dealing with a crisis or dealing with the unexpected?
I can remember vividly an experience of frustration in 11th grade having not yet "cracked the code" in one of my courses, and was exhausted by living out the motto MANY Things Done WELL (Multa Bene Facta). One afternoon I sat with my advisor, in tears feeling overwhelmed by my workload. The next day during study hall, my advisor came to check on me and told me how proud he was to see that while feeling crushed by the demands on my time, body and mind, the very next day he saw me right back in the books. I had not given up. I had not walked away from the challenges. No, I put myself right back to work and continued moving forward. He introduced me to my own grit by highlighting my endurance that day, and this has helped me through the many adversities which followed.

Tower Hill's motto attests to the insistence of a well-rounded student. Academic rigor accompanies the expectation of athletic participation, socio-emotional development and contributions to one's community. Well-rounded students make well-rounded employees, and in turn well-rounded citizens. When facing adversity, giving up is not an option. I still expect to be the best nurse I can be, the best mother I can be, the best member of my community I can be, while also caring for my own needs. Tower Hill has shaped who I am, how I work and how I engage the world around me—not "even" in a crisis but especially in crisis. 

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Sincere, heartfelt thanks to Mr. Atkins for introducing me to my own grit. 
 
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