When Josselyn Jones, RN, came back from maternity leave recently, her job had changed. The evolving rules for caring for, putting on, and taking off PPE alone were critical and precise techniques she suddenly had to master, and she says it was overwhelming at first.
Josselyn Jones, RN, says caregiver safety officers can be very helpful when it comes to putting on and taking off PPE.
Jeanette Knudson, a caregiver safety officer at Logan Regional Hospital, offered Josselyn the help she needed to keep on track. The caregiver safety officer position was a new temporary role Intermountain created to assist caregivers in various areas, including intensive care units, emergency departments, medical and surgical units, InstaCares, and curbside testing sites during this COVID-19 battle. Eventually, these caregiver safety officers will be deployed back to their original roles and their safety officer responsibilities will be given to others to support our caregiver’s efforts to stay safe and protect our patients.
“The instructions for putting on and taking off PPE are very specific,” Josselyn says. “Having the caregiver safety officers walk us through those steps minimizes risk to ourselves and our patients. At times they’ll also help wipe off our equipment if we have to run to another room. It’s one less thing we have to worry about. Having the caregiver safety officers has really helped to eliminate some of the stress that comes with working through a pandemic.”’
Josselyn says Jeanette takes her job very seriously and is always up to date on the latest information regarding PPE. That was especially helpful to Josselyn as she took on the new challenges of dealing with COVID patients.
Danielle Pitcher, clinical education manager-nurse residency, has been working with redeployed caregivers who want to become caregiver safety officers.
“We are so grateful to caregivers like Jeanette who have embraced the CSO role,” she says. “They play a critical role in coaching team members and helping them improve their safety practices.”
Jeanette Knudsen finds her new work as a caregiver safety officer rewarding.
Here’s Jeanette’s story:
When things slowed down in my department and I was given the opportunity to be redeployed to be a caregiver safety officer, I was a little apprehensive because I thought people might think I was just there to catch them slipping up. I really just wanted to help my fellow caregivers at Logan Regional Hospital, but I wasn’t sure people would understand that at first.
I was relieved when I started because, from the very beginning, the reception I got from people I worked with was exactly as I hoped it would be. They were grateful for my help and they let me know it. Some caregivers would come out of a patient’s room and just feel overwhelmed. They knew their jobs and were good at caring for their patients but when it came to all the protective gear and knowing exactly what and how to put it on, take it off, and how to clean it, that whole process was relatively new territory for them. They didn’t want to contaminate themselves or anyone else. There are so many steps involved in getting out of their PPE, knowing what to wear, and all that needs to be done correctly to be sure everyone is safe. Sometimes I just help them clean their PPE so they can get to their next patient.
Some caregivers just asked me to walk them through the process, step-by-step, until they were sure they had it down correctly. I think it was a relief to them to be able to focus more on their patients and not the mechanics of putting on and taking off their protective gear. They appreciated having someone around who had their back and someone who knew the latest protocols for doing things safely.
My work as an operating room tech, where keeping things sterile is so important, gave me a good foundation and I think my medical background helped them see me as a more credible resource. Even if you didn’t have that same medical experience, the type of training Intermountain offers each potential caregiver safety officer really prepares them well for their new role.
In addition to helping caregivers with their PPE, I clean all high-touch areas in the department such as doorknobs, electronics, and furniture. I try to keep things organized and stocked so my caregivers can focus on what they do best — taking care of patients.
I also do testing in negative pressure rooms to be sure they’re functioning properly. When we get a new patient, sometimes I’ll go in and set up the room so it’s ready when the patient gets there and that makes it so my coworkers can focus more on the patients they are helping.
I love my job as an operating room tech and I’m ready to return to that role, but for now it makes me feel good to know I’m doing something that helps my fellow caregivers be safe. I work with great professionals who are always trying to do what’s best for their patients and because they express their appreciation for the support I offer, it makes my work more rewarding. I know I’m making a positive difference and anyone who goes into healthcare wants to do exactly that.