By Dominic DeLaquil, PT, Therapy Resource Pennant – Idaho/Nevada
Just a couple of months ago, you could almost hear the collective sigh of relief as we were looking forward to a return to a more normal routine in our facilities. 2020 was a difficult year, as we were constantly pivoting to adapt to changing protocols in each building as outbreaks occurred, settled down, then surged again. The beginning of summer 2021 was bright with promise, most of our residents had been vaccinated, COVID case rates were dropping, and hope was in the air. Then the Delta variant showed up.
As one DOR in Idaho said, “As much as I’d like to bury my head in the sand about it, it does make sense to start preparing now.” So the Infinity and Lady Luck clusters in Idaho/Nevada asked the market Infection Prevention nurse, Clinical Resource Kristin Mumford, to join their next DOR call. The DORs and Kristin had a robust conversation, discussing topics such as how to manage therapist movements in a building, the importance of therapy to the psychosocial and physical well-being of residents when they have to stay in their rooms, the value of Therapy helping out our Nursing partners throughout the building in various “non-therapy” ways when extra help is needed on the floor, and other topics.
The conversation was an important early step to prepare for the worst, while we hope for the best. The conversation was productive for nursing and therapy, and the DORs left the call with agreements to their cluster partner DORs to each set up meetings with their DONs and EDs to discuss the plans in their buildings and how Therapy can help Nursing, serve the residents, and partner to ensure the best infection prevention protocols.