Camille Davis, RN, a nurse in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at The Mount Sinai Hospital, has been compassionately caring for COVD-19 patients. She recently helped a patient and spouse converse by telephone after realizing the patient would likely pass away within hours.  The patient was drowsy, but recognized the spouse’s voice and said repeatedly, ‘’I love you, I love you.” That was at 5 pm; the patient died later that evening.

Camille called me at home to relay the story, and she was quite emotional; this was the first death in her unit. She wanted to facilitate this communication, but did not realize how difficult the situation could be. When I went back to the unit a few days after this call, there was Camille, in the process of helping another couple connect for the last time.

Camille is bound to her Mount Sinai family as deeply as she is to her patients and their families. Involved in Ebola planning five years ago, Camille is making the safety of colleagues a priority during this crisis, as well. She listens to their concerns and leads calmly and empathically.

Thank you, Camille.

Sonia Nelson, RN, Director, Nursing, The Mount Sinai Hospital

An ad hoc group, gathered by Aimee Feasel, helped out on a loading dock at The Mount Sinai Hospital.

On Friday, March 27, Aimee Feasel, Executive Assistant, Department of Pathology, discovered that the Receiving Department was short-staffed due to an abundance of sick employees. As a result, the loading dock was flooded with packages—with more waiting on trucks nearby. Aimee quickly gathered a team of eight people to help unload and organize the packages. What seemed like an insurmountable challenge was made attainable due to Aimee’s agility and empathy for others.  Javier Pagan, Manager of Receiving, was brought to tears by this gesture.

Aimee’s ability to connect with people has allowed her to build a highly reliable network within The Mount Sinai Hospital. Her response on March 27 is a prime example of how she has helped our team overcome obstacles and meet the challenges we have encountered during the COVID-19 crisis, as well as a great display of Mount Sinai’s values.

Mikit Patel, Administrative Manager, Department of Pathology, The Mount Sinai Hospital

From left: Carlos Cordon-Cardo, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of Pathology, Molecular and Cell Based Medicine; Executive Assistant Aimee Feasel; and Daphne Semet, Vice Chair, Administration, Pathology.

Residents Carli Beall, PharmD, and Jason Yee, PharmD.

Carli Beall, PharmD, Oncology Pharmacy resident, and Jason Yee, PharmD, Infectious Diseases Pharmacy resident, have voluntarily stayed late into the evening and come in on weekends to help answer questions on therapies for COVID-19. They have created guidance documents for providers and collated dosing practices to assist with medication conservation so that no medication is wasted. Carli took it upon herself to teach many pharmacy staff members how to utilize a medication compounding system to assist with conservation of one of the COVID-19 therapies. They have worked quickly, creatively, and efficiently to assist our providers and patients.

Victoria Adams, PharmD
Infectious Diseases Clinical Pharmacist
The Mount Sinai Hospital

In video diary from Mount Sinai’s From the Frontlines series, Melanie Malloy, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, shared a day in the life of treating COVID-19  patients at Mount Sinai Brooklyn. “It wasn’t the worst day I’ve had, but it’s always pretty draining. It’s always pretty hard to deal with scared people, sick people, people who may not have a lot of resources,” she said, while sharing her thoughts on balancing work, home, and the demands of a pandemic. “But at the end of the day, that’s my favorite job. That’s what keeps me alive, that’s what keeps me motivated.”

I realize this does not apply to an actual employee, but I thought the story would be important to share because it demonstrates the lengths to which family/friends will go to help in a crisis.

I would like to recognize the aunt of a patient of mine as an “Honorary Mount Sinai Employee/New Yorker.” My patient is an 18-month-old boy born prematurely, also diagnosed with severe tracheomalacia. His two primary caretakers—his mother and grandmother—almost simultaneously began exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Fearing that they would both require hospitalization in coming days, leaving no one to care for the child, the patient’s aunt drove 20 hours from the Midwest to take care of her nephew, arriving just as the child’s mother had started herself on her son’s home oxygen.

My patient is currently well, now in the care of his aunt, who has quickly learned to attend to her nephew’s complex medical needs. They are staying at an apartment donated by a friend of the family. My patient’s mother and grandmother, both of whom required several days in the ICU, are on their way to recovery. The grandmother is expected to be discharged home in a few days, while the mother may require a week or more in the hospital.

I would like to recognize this child’s aunt for making the two-day journey to help her family in this time of need.

Alfin Vicencio, MD, Vice Chair, Clinical Affairs and Strategy,  Chief of Pediatric Pulmonology