Photo By Sgt. Gillian McCreedy | Members of the Vermont National Guard and employees of the University of Vermont...... read more read more
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Twenty nine guardsmen found themselves uniquely stationed as a task force with the Emergency Department (ED) at the University of Vermont Medical Center in late March, 2020.
Members of Vermont National Guard spent several weeks working in an altered ED layout as the State of Vermont activated the National Guard to support a unified response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Within 72 hours, the task force, composed of C Company (Medical), 186th Brigade Support Battalion, known as ‘Charlie Med’, and support personnel from across the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Vermont National Guard, set up a treatment area as a relief to the ED in their anticipated surge of COVID-19 patients.
“It was really amazing to see it all come together especially considering that we had half the task force is not C-MED organic so it’s folks we’ve never seen before and never worked with before,” said U.S. Army Maj. Joseph Phelan, Charlie Company commander. “They’re from the CAV (Cavalry), from the BEB (Brigade Engineer Battalion), for them to jump right in, they did a phenomenal job.”
The Burlington hospital’s Emergency entrance was transformed with temporary traffic cone patterns, three large Army tents and all of the staff wearing face masks, suits, and gloves as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), making an unusual sight for anyone entering.
The ED staff and task force created a drive-through emergency service system, where patients would meet with a triage nurse and provider from their vehicle to determine treatment, and follow-on care steps.
Some patients were treated right in their vehicle for bandaging smaller cuts or scrapes, others moved into the ED or to the treatment tent for further services. In total, C Med Soldiers aided in the treatment of more than 140 patients between the ED and treatment tent.
Treatment teams included three medics and a provider with an equivalent team on standby. Other personnel supported the local hospital by assisting with in-processing patients, transporting patients within the hospital and with drive-through triage services.
Within a few days of being operational, between one and three medics rotated through the emergency department, providing patient care while shadowing nurses and providers.
“It was a great opportunity to grow in their skills as a medic, to be able to do rotations in the ER, and learn from providers and nurses there and give care to patients and just be able to use their skills in a setting other than training.” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Andralee Strassner, a combat medic with Charlie Med.
A new venture for everyone involved, operating in the unknown of what and if there would be a surge of patients based on the data the state of Vermont was working with, the teams worked closely figuring out their needs and best practices to support the medical center. A typical training exercise for the guard would have significant planning, equipment requirements and objectives to accomplish. This wasn’t exactly rehearsed or practiced. It was a short-notice response where the Vermont National Guard accepted the task.
Many members traveled from out-of-state to support the mission, including Strassner from New Hampshire, and members from New Jersey and New York. Several having been out of work in their civilian positions.
“I work in healthcare myself, but not in a hospital setting considered essential,” Strassner said. “Being able to come somewhere where I am considered essential and being able to make a difference in a community that I know they really appreciated the help that we were able to provide for them and take a little stress off of their ER staff, it just means a lot to be able to do that.”
Phelan complimented the team and passed appreciation to their families for supporting the mission. Many Soldiers have families at home, and several do not live in the local area but were still willing to stay through and push past the risk of treating COVID-19 positive patients.
24 out of the 29 soldiers volunteered to remain on after the drawback of ED surge operations, anticipating new mission sets to support the state.
“It’s been a great opportunity to work and integrate into the larger healthcare network and system in the state’s health network,” Phelan added. “We’ve never done this before - amazing opportunity to work side-by-side with our civilian partners and to help fill gaps or needs of theirs to the best of our ability.”
The task force ran two joint exercises with the medical center and local Emergency Medical Services (EMS), while set-up at the hospital. The opportunity to practice together while working together was present, so teams took advantage, in case there was ever a need to support in a similar capacity again.
Phelan spoke of the privilege to give back to the community. “We were treating and serving our neighbors. . . Vermonters - they did it, they lowered the curve and should be proud of that.”
Although the team took down their structures at the ED, they remain at the ready to support the state.
“We all join for our own reasons, but I think at the heart of all that its service to others,” Phelan said. “You don’t join the Guard without a commitment to your community. This has been a rare opportunity to serve Vermonters.”
| Date Taken: | 05.18.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.18.2020 13:52 |
| Story ID: | 370224 |
| Location: | BURLINGTON, VT, US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, VTNG: COVID-19: Emergency Dept support, by 1st Lt. Chelsea Clark, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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