DCH Coronavirus Update 12-23-20

Category: Coronavirus
Posted On: Dec 23, 2020

Community Thank You

Most patient survey results indicate that clinical competence is an expectation, and rightly so. Beyond care, the most commonly noted contributor to an excellent experience is compassion. Following are just a few of the many recent patient comments recognizing DCH caregivers who have provided kindness when it has been needed most. Some comments have been edited for grammar, punctuation and patient privacy.

“… Finally, I got transferred to (a room). Upon arriving, Melissa greeted me with a welcoming smile and an open arm. She continued to check on me frequently and answered my call button promptly … She is appreciated and deserves to be acknowledged. She is kind and really cares about her patient’s individual needs. You don't find that often anymore.”

“… The pain I was in began to be unrelieved, and I could no longer tolerate waiting. My sister quickly searched for a nurse to get help. Derek happened to be the first RN she saw, but he made no hesitation in assessing and obtaining orders to relieve my pain in what felt like seconds. As an RN myself, I know how non-stop most shifts are, especially in the ED. So I appreciate beyond words that, although not my assigned nurse, he ensured that I was cared for and out of pain until she arrived shortly after. I truly believe Derek showcased the teamwork the Emergency Department at DCH provides to its community.”

“… Dr. Menard was very professional … Carl (RN) was very professional and attentive. He had a genuine concern for my (loved one’s) well-being while hospitalized. This really put me at ease. Initially I was somewhat anxious. I asked Sierra (Environmental Services) where the cafeteria was. Instead of only verbally telling me, she took me straight to the cafeteria. Genesis (Security) took me straight to my (loved one’s) room when I asked the location. The distance was quite far, but she was smiling and talking the whole time that she was taking me (there). These employees make the hospital look good!”

“First, I want to say that I was raised to say please and thank you. I always try to especially say thank you to those that help me in any way. Example: escort, radiology techs, cpa, maintenance, nurses and doctors. Patients expect way too much because it's ‘their’ job to do these things. It may be, but it's still polite to express gratitude when you can't do it yourself. Shannon, on her first day to care for me, gave me my meds, and I simply replied with ‘thank you.’ She then told me I didn’t have to thank her because I was sick and she was there to help me feel better. She touched my heart because no one had ever said that to me. ‘You’re welcome’ is what I'm used to. I could tell she enjoyed her job, and it showed. We all have routines and during this pandemic, everyone is over worked, stressed and scared. She didn't show that to me. She showed me the reason she got into nursing, to help her patients. Kindness is needed more in this world. Just when you have lost faith in humanity, God sends someone like Shannon to prove you wrong.”

Each of your kind actions shows our patients that you are there to be a champion for their care. Your kindness is appreciated, especially by those who are alone in the hospital for the holidays. Thank you for taking time to continue to show compassion, even when you have very little extra time to give. Merry Christmas!

Testing and Confirmed Cases

To protect patient privacy, DCH has established a minimum threshold of five for reporting numbers of inpatients with laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

DCH Health System internal counts as of 2:38 p.m. on 12/23/20:

171 inpatients within the DCH system who are positive for COVID-19.
32 inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are being treated in the ICU.
12 who are positive for COVID-19 are on ventilators.
16 who are positive for COVID-19 are on a BiPAP.
6,299 (cumulative) unique positives for COVID-19 tests including results from the ED, triage tent and inpatient. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
30,068 (cumulative) unique negatives for COVID-19 at DCH sites.
7,632 (cumulative) positive COVID-19 at DCH sites. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
54,658 (cumulative) negative tests at DCH sites.
1,870 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have been discharged.
328 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died at DCH. This is not an indication of the cause of death, only that the individuals were positive for COVID-19 at the time of death.
152 Tuscaloosa County residents (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died (per the Alabama Department of Public Health).