There are so many heroes and so many stories to tell about the actions of the respiratory therapists at The Mount Sinai Hospital.
We had therapists who contracted the virus in the early days of the crisis and as it progressed, but as soon as they were cleared to come back, they picked up right where they left off. They came back to work, ran with Rapid Response, helped with intubations and continued to put patients on BIPAPs/high flow nasal cannulas; therapists who worked 16 to 24 hours straight because they knew the patients needed them and we needed them; therapists who had to isolate themselves from their children and parents for weeks in order to keep them safe; therapists, who without a second thought, walked into the rooms of COVID-19 patients to tape or re-tape an endotracheal tube so the patients could be proned by the Proning Team; neonatal/pediatric therapists, most of whom had never taken care of adult patients before, but stepped up and stood beside their colleagues.
So, as far as stories of strengths go, the Respiratory Care Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital, my department, is overflowing with them. For their efforts during this COVID-19 pandemic, for putting their lives on the line, and for their service every day, I would like to recognize them for their perseverance, dedication, and unmatched show of strength.
Submitted by: Alaiza Bautista, RRT, Clinical Manager, Respiratory Care, The Mount Sinai Hospital