Turning on a Dime: The Story of the COVID-19 Nurse Line
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As the COVID-19 Pandemic entered the U.S. and the nation’s fears began to surge, Mayo Clinic nurses were asked by the Hospital Incident Command Center to stand up a nurse line specifically for COVID. The COVID Nurse Line went live on March 11th, 2020 with a unit of about 40 nurses but quickly expanded to about 100.The initial intent of the COVID Nurse Line was to screen callers across the Mayo Clinic enterprise, including the Midwest, Arizona and Florida to determine if the caller met the criteria to be tested for COVID-19. If they were to screen positive for testing, the staff on the COVID Nurse Line would then place the order request and provide patient education related to quarantine and exposure recommendations, symptom management and urgent symptom assessment with appropriate recommendations for care. It quickly morphed into a help line for anyone across the United States with questions regarding COVID-19 testing, care, travel, vaccinations, etc. Management Engineering and Consulting was requested in January 2021 to help evaluate the processes and workflows developed to help assist with increasing demand. Listen as Allyssa Stevens, Health Systems Engineer Associate, Jean Johnston, Nurse Manager, Tina Oian, Lead Charge Nurse for the COVID Nurse Line and host Tony Chihak as they discuss the trials and success of lifting a designated nurse line off the ground to provide excellent care and support to patients across the enterprise.
Listen Now! Episode 23