HJNO May/Jun 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  MAY / JUN 2020 37 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com kidney disease, obesity, and heart disease. The Data Center, in its May 2018 report, Advancing Health Equity in New Orleans: Build- ing on Positive Change in Health, pointed to a landmark study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 1985 that documented major disparities in health outcomes nation- wide. It showed that African-Americans, Hispan- ics, Native Americans, and people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent had shorter life expectan- cies and higher mortality rates from cancer, heart disease, homicide, infant mortality, and chemical dependency than Caucasians. The Data Center also noted growing evidence of how our society impacts the health of Black Americans by failing to address conscious and unconscious discrimination across interconnected systems such as healthcare, housing, educa- tion, employment, earnings, media, and crimi- nal justice. “We’ve known what the problems are for decades, but have yet to fully address these issues from a policy, education, and personal responsibility standpoint. The 70 percent death rate among African Americans from the COVID- 19 virus in Louisiana and elsewhere provides an opportunity for experts nationwide to join forces to address health disparities among people of color,” said Griffin. “Programs such as our diabe- tes prevention program, and our Care Fellowship, in which community health navigators work with the underserved to alleviate barriers to healthcare like unemployment, a lack of food and housing, should be expanded to help with reducing health disparities in communities of color. It’s impera- tive that African-Americans take charge of their health and do some of the small things that have a big impact.” Other offerings at DCHC include smoking ces- sation and chronic care management. LSUHealth NewOrleans Nursing Students Working on the Front Lines LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing faculty received the following message from one of their students who, along with about a dozen others, is responding to the COVID-19 crisis in Louisiana. Since their clinical education was put on hold because of the outbreak, they have been work- ing as nurse techs in hospitals hit hard by rapidly increasing numbers of patients with or suspected of having COVID-19. He wrote the message because he wanted the school to see what he sees in his young classmates. He asked us not to use his name because he said this isn’t about him --he feels like he is standing on the shoulders of giants -- so we’ll just call him “Nate.” “I wanted to take a minute to tell you about what some of your students are doing during this unplanned interruption of the academic year. Since we stopped attending class on campus, I have been working quite a few hours as a tech in a local Emergency Room. We were busy and shorthanded before the pandemic began, and that situation has only worsened. We see at least a two-dozen suspected Covid-19 patients a day who require full isolation precautions, in addition to the patient load that already existed. What I see in that ER every day or night when I go into work is tired staff, supply shortages, very sick peo- ple, and your students. “Your students are in that ER working with zeal and resolve, with compassion and competency, and with dedication. I have spent the better part of my life leading young men on battlefields, and what I am seeing from your students, my class- mates, is on par with what I saw there regarding young people defying expectations. “I have seen your students told that housekeep- ing was shorthanded because, out of fear, the bulk of the shift had called out of work. Because of that, they wouldn’t be taking care of patients, but instead would spend their shift doing the dirty, dangerous, and tiring job of terminal clean- ing the isolation rooms, over and over and over. The students took on this task without a com- plaint or without letting pride interfere with duty. “I have seen your students manage up and approach charge nurses and physicians to tell them they had discovered a critical task that needed to be completed and they had already gotten it done rather than wait around to be told to do so. They are working tirelessly with mini- mal supervision and without being prompted or directed. “I watched your students teach experienced nurses who were floated to the ER about ventila- tor settings and how to manage a Propofol drip in relation to a patient’s blood pressure. I have watched LSU Nursing students provide confident, compassionate comfort to patients staring down a terrifying illness that is largely unknown to them, and I have seen students help pick up their col- leagues by showing up with a positive attitude and an esprit de corps that raises the spirits of the entire staff. “I am blown away by these kids. I don’t think any of them anticipated being on the bleeding edge of a global health crisis when they began their studies at LSU Health New Orleans. But here they are, and the community is better off for it. I don’t know what can be done to recognize the excellence of the students, but whatever it is, it should be done. In a past life, I’d have written an award for each and every one of them. I don’t impress easily and what these young ladies, and I am sure young men are doing in New Orleans and in Hammond, in Baton Rouge, in Lafayette, and who knows where else, is impressive as hell. “Before I close out what is a way longer mes- sage than I intended, I would like to express a concern. I worry about the emotional well-being of these students when this is all over. I was 22 years old when I parachuted into the Afghan night to seize an airfield. I was too young and too naïve to know that what I was doing was hard and would take its toll on me. I was lucky that my regiment and my leadership were thinking of that for me and were ready when it was all over. None of us know how long this thing will last, but I think it’s abundantly clear the worst is yet to come. Some of these students are about to get a front-row seat to a level of human despair and suffering that they didn’t know they needed to prepare themselves for, and it worries me. I don’t know what the School can do, or is obligated to do, but please be ready to handle with care when your students get handed back to you. Your kids have gone out into their community in its darkest hour and been a light that everybody needed. I am proud of them, and you should be as well.” Demetrius Porche, DNS, PhD, ANEF, FACHE, FAANP, FAAN, professor and dean of LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing said, “Our stu- dents are the best of the best. We are very proud, but not surprised that they stepped up to do all they can to support the care of patients with COVID-19 and their professional colleagues. We