Hurricane Helene Healthcare Workers
Vascular Access Nurse Spotlight
When natural disasters strike, such as Hurricane Helene, their impact can reach deep and personally affect not just the community, but the healthcare workers who come to their aid. In this case of Hurricane Helene, the devastation was extensive and several communities were left without electricity for extended periods, many roads were blocked or fully washed away, and businesses, homes and vehicles were either damaged or completely destroyed.
Impassable Roads due to Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene Aftermath
Our Vascular Wellness team is not only experienced and proficient in continuing to service our clients when horrific events like this occur, but they also check in on each other, back each other up, and help others. Many team members volunteer their time, donate items and money, and contribute in many different ways, during both grey and blue skies, for which we are proud and grateful. In this blog, we focus on Maranda. Despite having no electricity, no water and damage to her personal home, she launched into action to help clients and still found time to volunteer in the community.
Hurricane Helene Healthcare Workers
Local Vascular Access Nurse prioritizes patient in impaired Skilled Nursing Facility
Impassable Roads due to Hurricane Helene in Marshall, NC
Shortly after Hurricane Helene passed through, an elderly patient in an impaired Skilled Nursing Facility with a history of congestive heart failure needed intravenous (IV) antibiotics to treat cellulitis (a bacterial infection that affects the skin and underlying tissue). A PICC was ordered so IV antibiotics could be administered, and the facility contacted Vascular Wellness to send a vascular access nurse knowing that such nurse was also likely dealing personally with the effects of Helene. Vascular Wellness was a highly dependable vascular access provider for the facility, and the facility was hoping that despite Helene, Vascular Wellness could prioritize the patient and be there timely.
Despite the lack of power and water, and damage to her own home that had not been tended to yet, Maranda quickly headed to the facility. Because so little time had passed since the storm came aground, she found the route challenging to navigate and filled with debris. With some careful maneuvering and re-routing, she arrived at the Skilled Nursing Facility to find it with no power or running water, and their generator was only able to provide power to the hallways. Extension cords snaked from patients’ rooms to connect to a central power source for oxygen concentrators. The facility’s nurses had very limited access to the Internet, and staff focused on trying to keep things as normal and smooth as possible. Maranda placed the PICC quickly and effortlessly and was thankful to be able to provide some relief to both the facility and the patient.
Maranda was also thankful that she and her family have the support of her company and her teammates, which has enabled her to spend valuable time helping others across her community. Vascular Wellness and its employees and clients continue to contribute to the relief effort.
Vascular Wellness clinician, Maranda, with friends and family volunteering in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene
Nancy Warden, COO, shared with the team:
“As a company, we always think of ways that we can help. We have several hospital and healthcare facility clients in the area and therefore hundreds for patients that live in region who we are very fond of. We also have resilient teammates who live in the area that we saw rise up and navigate the storm and its aftermath. We could not be prouder of the way our team made it through the last week by preparing for the storm, remaining safe during the storm, and still delivering services to our patients.”
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Vascular Wellness provides:
(1) Comprehensive vascular access services to North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Virginia; and
(2) Customized vascular access services to Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, and West Virginia; and
(3) Support vascular access services to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky.
