On a mission to serve

New York–Presbyterian Hospital (NYP) is on the front lines of the coronavirus epidemic in New York City. By April, at the peak of the epidemic in New York, the hospital was overloaded with patients and clinicians were overwhelmed and exhausted by the sheer volume of patients needing intensive care. 

While COVID-19 was taking a devastating toll on the healthcare system in New York, San Francisco, compared to other major metropolitan areas in the US, had relatively few cases and hospitalisations.  A plan of action to support healthcare workers in New York was rapidly implemented by the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) to assist in New York.  Adam Cooper, Interim Director, UCSF Health Institute for Nursing Excellence, and the UCSF Centre for Evidence Synthesis and Implementation: A JBI Centre of Excellence, explains: 

“UCSF is dedicated to advancing health worldwide and serving the public at every level, including throughout the US and globally.  Since we were fairly stable in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases in San Francisco, we put that mission into action and called out for volunteers to assist with the crisis occurring in New York.” 

More than 200 UCSF healthcare professionals answered the call, and of those hundreds, 15 physicians and nine nurses who specialise in critical care, hospital medicine and emergency medicine were selected to travel to the epicentre for COVID-19 infections in the US to support NYP for one month. ​

New York had indeed been hit hard by COVID-19, but as Adam Cooper points out, it wasn’t the only region in the US desperately needing support: 

“While New York has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the US, other areas of the country are battling their own challenges.  The Navajo Nation, the largest US American Indian reservation spanning part of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, has the highest per-capita COVID-19 infection rate in the US.  UCSF remained stable in terms of volume of COVID-19 cases so staff stepped up again to assist.  Another call out for volunteers occurred and a group of nurses and physicians were selected for a one-month voluntary assignment to provide much-needed support and expertise to this population.” 

Providing support for the Navajo Nation was another opportunity for UCSF to advance its public health mission. Seven physicians and 14 nurses specialising in critical care, intensive care, acute care and hospital medicine provided the urgently needed healthcare support for a population that is experiencing a disproportionate number of COVID-19 infections in the US.   

Dr Sriram Shamasunder who has been leading the team in New Mexico tweeted: “[The] burden of this moment falls deeper on our Navajo colleagues, but we keep hearing that showing up in solidarity helps the keep on keeping on that the Navajo people have embodied for time immemorial.” 

Many volunteers extended their time beyond the initial four weeks to continue their support and solidarity for the Navajo people. Recently they have been joined by another nineteen UCSF nurses and doctors.  

Adam Cooper reflects: “We are very thankful that the numbers of COVID-19 cases in San Francisco remain relatively low and that we are in the position to not only help other institutions locally, but provide support nationally to those in need.  I am so proud to be part of an organization that takes action when needed to help improve public health for all”. 

The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought with it an immeasurable toll, but it has also focused a spotlight on the everyday heroes who seek to serve and support others in their times of need. It has highlighted that we are all connected, and that we are at our very best when we seek to help others. 

Image credit: Susan Merrell