Be the next to follow.
Today wasn’t such as successful passing our #PPE in Fall River, MA. It was raining and we still held the event. When supporting a cause you believe in and it can save a person from catching COVID-19, that is all that matters. 1199SEIU is dedicated to saving healthcare workers lives. Part of our Leadership team agreed to get together for the next six weeks on Friday’s to make sure our members are equipped to better serve the people we care for. Below is me and the team passing our Gloves, face mask and checking in on them. Lisa is our Union Organizer, and me of course, Arlene, Marcus and Mary at Bi-Centennial park in Fall River, MA. Next Friday we will be in Taunton, MA, Then Plymouth, MA the following week and Attleboro, MA the week after. #coronavirus #workfromhome #healthcare #jobsearch
Free #PPE Today in New Bedford, MA Are you looking for work? www.masspcadirectory.com is currently looking for PCA’s #workfromhome #coronavirus #interview #healthcare #hiringevents #ridesharedriver #deliverydriver #foodservices #application #jobsearch
Good Evening Community!
As this day comes to an end and a Special One comes to light, it is with many thoughts and blessings I write tonight. So many events are taking place all over the world on this Saturday Evening. I will start out by wishing each everyone of you Happy Easter. May your Easter be filled with many blessings and hope of a better tomorrow. From my family to yours may your Easter be filled with Faith, Joy and Happiness. This past Friday as one knows, was Good Friday? In a religion prospective, this is the beginning of a three day holiday. Our Lord Jesus Christ died for all our sins, for all to have everlasting life? With that said I will continue on to pray for all the people who lost their life to the Covid-19 virus. My heart goes out to the ones who have passed and the their family members. My God protect you, guide you during your time of loss. Now to our community, as the days ahead continue our life’s and country will never be the same? We as Americans has lived through two major events in our life time. The first being September 11th. This was a day that changed my life forever so I thought? During 9/11 I was in New York, City the time of the bombings. Celebrating with my wife the night before at the Michael Jackson come back tour. A night of partying, drinking and a beautiful experience so I thought? It was 7:30 AM on 9/11. As my wife at the time and I always did we went to a bodega for breakfast. We we right next to ground zero at the time. We arrived at the bodega at 8:15 AM. My wife and I were sitting down eating when the ground shook. Not knowing what was happening and continuing to pay my bill. Dan Rather was on TV, an Emergency News Alert! America is under Attack was the last words I remember? My wife and I dashed out heading to back to our hotel. The Marriott Marquis in Time Square, so we thought? Before we new it Police, Fire Emergency personal we’re surrounding us all over? Close to Ground Zero as we were watching the second plane crash into the second tower. For the next five days struck in New York was things words can never explain? Our country changed forever. Fast forward to today’s events. Covid-19! As a supervisor in the medical field once again never expecting something like this to happen. Remember we were just coming to grips with the Drug Epidemic as one know’s is still in effect. My co-workers and me just adapting to it finally slowing down and Covid-19 hits. Once again our country is being attacked? This time by a virus we knew was coming and lack preparation for it? I can remember back in December just before the holidays hearing about it and like other’s, didn’t pay attention to it? January, a New Year began and hoping for a better year to come. Praying for less deaths and more togetherness, I hoped for a better year to come after a more than a year of watching drug addiction take over our country and many people passing do to it? As a Death Companion I am use to seeing people pass, it is my job? But this time is different? People who are passing are all alone? No family members, no Death Companion by their side? The Nurse’s, Doctor’s CNA’s, Nurse Assistant’s filling these these rolls. To watch the staff and my coworkers agree to FaceTime and use other popular web based sites to call a loved one’s family for that last word? It is truly amazing to watch this take place. During the times we face today, making the choice to be separated from our families to serve the need of this Heath Crisis is understatement of what we face. The fact that we in he Healthcare have to fight for #PPE, Personal Protection Equipment is Real. It is not only happening in Massachusetts but all over the world. Therefore, tonight I will ask you all to support us in the healthcare field to bring it to light? #coronavirus #healthcare #jobsearch #application
I was asked these questions recently, and thought I would answer them and share my experience with all of You?
Q: What's the atmosphere like at your hospital This is supposed to be the highest week of reported cases in Mass. Are you folks overwhelmed with patients?
A: As a person who currently works on the front lines in the hospital during the Covid-19 - Corona Virus it is not easy? I will start off by telling each of you how proud I am to be a part of it. The people I work with are truly amazing. We made a choice to put our life on hold to serve the public. Each shift I work and have worked it never surprises me of the things I witnessed? Starting with the intake staff to the Doctors, Nurses and all the staff. They are Truly Amazing, placing their life’s aside to service the public. At the end of each shift you witness some tears, some smiles, hugs and many prayers. It is truly an amazing site to be a part of! With this week and the next being what is expected to be the worst of it? Please take stay at home, stay safe and remember to keep 6 feet apart!
Q: How concerned are you about working within the direct healthcare environment and possibly exposing your family to this illness?
A: This I find to be a hard question to answer. When I made the choice to take the job, I never knew it would mean coming down to making a choice to separate from my family? Recently, I had to make a serious choice in my life. The choice was to continue working or stop? Do to the fact of putting my children and family at risk? As most know I am a single dad with two young girls ages 8-11 years old? Before making my choice I talked it over with them and asked what they thought I should do? They both said dad you have to save life’s? With tears in my eyes, I spent the night with them and then made arrangements with my sister to take my girls for the time being. This by no means is what I or any of us who have made similar choices to do have done. Nor did we ever think in a life time should we ever have to choose? I FaceTime them often and just spent a few days with them before I return back to work on Thursday! Thinking I was alone and upset at the fact of the choice I made at the time? The first night after the arrangements while working, my co-workers knew I wasn’t myself that night? Asking what was wrong with me? I shared what took place that afternoon, only to find out some co-workers made similar choices? Some sleep in their cars, some in hotels?
Q: Are you comfortable and confident with the safety standards established by your hospital?
A: Yes! First and For-most I put my faith and Trust in My Lord God! I truly believe this is what me and my co-workers were put together to do? To me it is a calling? The hospital has and continues to put our health concerns first. Making sure we are protected and have the proper #PPE to protect ourselves and the public. I will add and ask each of you to support us in spreading the word we need more #PPE? When you see on the news how hospitals are dealing with short supplies we are not lying to you? We Need More #PPE!
I have answered these questions to the truth and best of my opinion. This is what a typical day starts and ends with on a daily bases.
My shift starts out by clocking in and going to the floor. A leader leads by example is my first thought? So I start off by seeing who needs backup? Where we are lacking and making the necessary arrangements to cover it? As I am doing this we are being called to room after room. This one here needs this, that one there need that and in the meantime code Blue is be paged to room so and so? A few minutes go by and Code Blue is being called out again. Doctor’s, nurses, CNA’s being told to go there, no over there, no to room xxxx? This continues for hours and hours. The person in room xxxx just pasted? Called the morgue and notify them. Families calling to get information, the emergency room is needs back up can you spare some nurses? Can you send a few aids? Before you know it admitting just sent up four more patients? Where do I put them? All the rooms are filled? The supervisors are running from one end to the other assisting where needed? 8 hours has passed and you take a minute to drink some water? By the time you drank half the cup, you are being paged to go to room xxxx immediately. And it starts all over again, no time for a break, no time for lunch and before you know it 15 hours has come and you say your good-bye’s to return the next day and do it all over again! To my co-worker’s, and all the team players I work with each shift, Thank you for who you are? Thank you for putting your life on the line and the sacrifices we make each time we are together to serve the sick! As a Delegate and Employee I never thought or Knew what it was I signed up for? Nor did I or anyone ever imagine this would ever happen in a life time! There is not one person I can’t Thank enough or Appreciate More than each of them I work with in the Hospital! I ask one thing of each of you? Be Kind to Each Other, Love One Another, Show Respect to Each and All! One never knows what tomorrow will Bring? Please follow the CDC.gov for updates!