Nurses check on patients with COVID-19 by phone 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You’ve just tested positive for COVID-19. What happens next?
If a patient’s test was completed at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, they won’t have to navigate their illness alone thanks to a dedicated team of nurses working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, since testing began.
“Our group of 20 redeployed nurses monitors lab results from our testing sites. Each time a patient tests positive, we call to let them know they have COVID-19 and that we are going to be with them through the process,” said Katrina Fetter, MSN, RN, director of Nursing Professional Development and Clinical Excellence at LG Health.
While the nurses follow the same initial call script, each conversation is personalized to address the patient’s unique situation. Many patients do not speak English, requiring telephonic interpretation services provided through LG Health.
The nurses ask patients to describe their symptoms and when they started, and they discuss what to expect in the coming days. They ask if the patient would be willing to receive a call back every few days, depending on the severity of their illness.
Nurses from Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health’s COVID-19 call center team.
“Right around the second week of infection, patients tend to get worse; this is usually the most difficult time for them. Many times our initial call is only a few days after the onset of symptoms, so part of our job is to prepare them for what’s ahead,” said Fetter.
In addition to symptom management, the patient and nurse discuss isolation protocols, how to protect family members, notifying people who may have been in close contact, and when hospitalization may be necessary.
The nurses make sure that patients have access to resources that can assist with shelter, food and medicine, and financial support for bills. They also refer patients experiencing severe anxiety or depression to LG Health’s Behavioral Health support line.
“No other system in our region provides this level of assistance. We develop a relationship with the patient and help the entire family through their journey. The patients are exceedingly grateful, and the nurses find it rewarding to offer help and emotional support. We really feel like we are making a difference,” said Fetter.