“If we remember our training, we’ll get through this.”
Kimball Conlon, RN, Everett
Kimball Conlon, a registered nurse in Providence Regional Medical Center-Everett's Emergency Department, was literally a first responder when the country's first coronavirus case was identified in Washington. As part of the Biological Evaluation Safety Team that faced a mysterious, rapidly unfolding crisis in January, she quickly learned the importance of remaining cool under unimaginable pressure.
Her primary goal is ensuring that she protects her patients and colleagues. "If we remember our training, we’ll get through this," she said. "I will do everything I can to prevent the spread of transmission.”
Union intervention, she added, has been a valuable resource. "The Union is sort of being the vigilant ones for the membership – making sure that hospitals and grocery stores are doing everything they need to do to protect workers," Kimball said. "They've been good at disseminating information and expressing support for members."
"I know that people are frustrated by what they see as a lack of support from the hospital," Kimball said of hospital employers. "But they can only do what they can do with the information that's given from our government." Fortunately, she said, the Centers for Disease Control is helping matters by releasing new details about the coronavirus. This information, which repeatedly recommends precautionary measures, provides guidelines that Kimball strongly endorses.
"I think that if people who feel sick can stay home, stay home. Use good hand sanitation," Kimball said. "Don’t add to confusion by spreading misinformation. I think we need to rely on what we know."
Despite current fears and concerns generated by the pandemic, Kimball remains cautiously optimistic about lessons that can be learned for dealing with future crises. "We need to allow ourselves grace, and the powers that be grace," she said. "Let's try to get through this, and then say, 'What can we do better?'"