Three more members of the Ephraim team that helped in Springville. They are, from left to right, Jammie Millett, PSR, Melanie Gillins, practice manager, and Keri Thomson, CMA
The Springville Clinic is open seven days a week, and, even though they get some help from redeployed workers, caregivers there often have to work overtime to keep the testing site open, says Becci Huff, the Springville practice manager. The Ephraim Clinic operates its own testing site but its volume isn’t as high as the Springville testing site and isn’t open on weekends, says Melanie Gillins, the Ephraim manager.
Melanie says when caregivers from her clinic heard of the need for help in Springville and shifts became available, they jumped at the chance to go help. She’s gone with them several times.
Becci Huff, the Springville practice manager, says the help of the Eprhaim caregivers was very appreciated.
“I worked up there as well, on Saturday and Sunday,” Melanie says. “I couldn't imagine any caregiver doing that more than three days in a row. It’s crazy. It’s just constant go, go, go. They need a break up there. They're doing all they can to meet the demand and to help their patients out. If we can go and help alleviate some of that stress and some of that weariness, we want to do it. They’ve all got to be tired. My staff is more than happy to drive up there and help them out.”
Becci says she has to free up eight people a day from her staff, or draft other redeployed caregivers, to keep the testing site operating. The help the Ephraim staff has offered on the weekends has provided some of her staff with a much-needed break. She says somedays the Springville site will test as many as 325 people in one day.
Bonnie Allred, LPN, from Sanpete Valley Hospital, helps out at the Springville testing site.
She says when the Ephraim staff comes, they bring several members of their team and since the Ephraim staff has worked together, they bring some synergy to the process.
Melanie says her staff continues to volunteer to help even though working in the summer in full protective gear is “hot and miserable.”
“Becci’s staff are all so welcoming and very kind, it’s actually a weird kind of fun to help her clinic out even if the weather is not very forgiving," she says."When it’s really hot, patients are sometimes upset because of the heat and wait times, but for the most part, patients are appreciative and understand that we are all doing the best we can during this crazy time.”
Braeden Black, MA, is one of several In Springville who work at the COVID-19 testing site.
Most of the people who come to be tested are grateful for the work caregivers are doing, Melanie says. One person who came to be tested in Ephraim spoke with the caregivers at the testing site and left only to return later with donuts for the caregivers who were working there.
Becci says even though they’ve been able, at times, to get their wait time down to 21 minutes, they understand why people might be frustrated waiting, especially if they’re sick.
“We understand that this isn’t their best day,” she says. “You know, it’s not fun. Nobody wants to do it. Some are also nervous about the procedure.”
Becci says it’s challenging for all caregivers who work all day outside testing people.
“They’re amazing; I tell them that every day,” she says. “And I've had so many people who come to help from other areas who say, ‘I can't believe your team is doing this every day.’ It’ll be closing time and there might be ten people still waiting just to get in line. Our caregivers are so caring and patient with people even though they've been doing this all day. That’s super impressive to me.”