NEWS & REMINDERS
Visit the SHIP site for COVID-19 related resources and information for Suburban staff.
Additional resources are avaialbe on the JHM Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control website and the JHM Internal Resource Portal.
COVID-19 Updates
Unit Change
In response to decreasing COVID volumes and increasing volumes of non-COVID patients, 4700 has been converted back to a non-COVID unit as of 7 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19. Please note Suburban still has the following COVID units:
- ICU (3400)
- Med Surg (2400)
- Med Surg (6400)
- Mixed Acuity (3200)
We will continue to monitor all patient volume types and adjust accordingly.
PPE Reminders
Reusable gowns are now being used in the ICU. Please speak with the nursing supervisor if you work in the ICU and need a gown.
Staff can get a new N95 mask if your current one is damaged, does not fit well, is soiled or moist, or has been worn for more than 3 shifts. Contact your nursing supervisor for a replacement mask. See these FAQ for additional guidance on when to replace your N95 respirator and download this handout for tips on protecting your skin under N95 and elastomeric respirators.
Staff are also able to get a new face shield if the one you have is damaged or cracked. Security in the North Building Main Lobby can give you a new one and also refill hand sanitizer bottles.
If you use a Draeger, avoid getting excess solution on the filters when cleaning by squeezing a portion of the excess fluid in the trash before disinfecting. Finally, please do not wear a PAPR in any public areas, such as the café or concourse. Only wear them in care areas.
Testing Updates
Any patient being admitted to Suburban will now be tested as a Patient Undergoing Asymptomatic Testing (PUAT). These patients will receive an urgent test, which may not be resulted before they are transferred to an inpatient unit. These patients are not PUIs and may go to a non-COVID unit for care. In caring for these patients, you should wear your surgical mask and face shield. Read this all-staff memo from Suburban leadership to learn more, and download the COVID-19 testing procedure and testing algorithm.
Update on Resuming Elective Procedures
Gov. Larry Hogan recently lifted certain restrictions in some jurisdictions of the state, including the ban on on elective surgeries. As a result of this decision, the Johns Hopkins ambulatory surgery center network—which includes the Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center in Bethesda—opened on May 18 to perform minimally-invasive breast surgery and pain management consultations. Additional information and guidance from Suburban leadership on the process for rescheduling elective surgeries will be forthcoming.
Please note the stay-at-home mandate remains in place within Montgomery County, as well as in Prince George’s County, DC and Northern Virginia, and everyone must continue to wear a mask and follow social and physical distancing practices when in public.
Take Advantage of Suburban's Resiliency Center
Suburban’s Resiliency Center was opened over a month ago as a stress management center…a place for all staff to unwind, relax and decompress.
Sessions offered throughout the day include:
- Talk Circles (stress management)
- Open Art Studio
- Music Relaxation Therapy
- Chair Yoga
- Spirituality
- Mindfulness Meditation Sessions (Monday – Friday at noon, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.)
- Brief Individual Sessions
- Relaxation Lounge
The Resiliency Center is located on the 4th floor of the South Building and is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. After hours, there is a relaxation lounge open outside of the suite in Interview room #3.
Additionally, the JHH Rise: Resilience in Stressful Events Team will be onsite on today (Wednesday, May 20) from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The RISE program offers emotional peer support for second victims who are emotionally impacted by stressful patient-related events or unanticipated adverse event such as the current extended disaster response. The team will be rounding on clinical units and in support departments. Click here to download the planned schedule.
Support From Our Generous Community
Suburban Hospital is extremely grateful for the donors, local community members and business who continue to contribute to the emergency response fund and donate much-needed supplies to assist in our efforts during the current pandemic.
Thanks to a member of the Suburban Hospital Board of Trustees and the generosity of a grateful patient donor, a local company provided 200 boxes of fresh produce to our staff (pictured, above left) and the Chinese American Museum donated several thousand masks (pictured, above right).
A local resident and her East Bethesda Neighborhood have also been generously donating meals since the very beginning of the pandemic. Together, they have collected almost $40,000 through 600 separate donations. They have delivered meals on 47 different days—sometimes twice a day, and for Nurses day, four separate times! To date, they have delivered nearly 3,500 meals, supporting 54 different local restaurants and bakeries in the process. Food donation offers should be directed to the Office of Patient & Family Experience at 301-896-6034. Please contact Kris Hakanson at Khakans1@jhmi.edu with questions.
**Please note that we are still in need of medical grade disinfectant wipes for our clinical areas. If your practice or ASC has containers you can spare, please consider donating them to Suburban. We are accepting donations at the McKinley Street side of the hospital on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.**
Theater as a Path to Healing and Hope
Health care workers are invited to join a Zoom webinar on Sunday, May 24, at 7 p.m., featuring dramatic readings of ancient Greek plays, by celebrity actors Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Zombieland); Frances McDormand (Fargo, Almost Famous); Frankie Faison (The Wire, The Good Wife); and David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum, Lincoln). Following the readings, panelists of health care workers from Johns Hopkins Medicine will discuss how the content of the plays resonated, in light of their experiences providing care during the pandemic.
By presenting these plays and discussion, the two-hour event aims to demonstrate the healing and transformative power of the arts and forge connections, resilience and positive action within the health care community. The event is sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University Program in Arts, Humanities and Health; the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics; and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
Register for the free event at towfrontline.eventbrite.com (password: frontline).
Zoom Upgrade
Zoom is upgrading to version 5.0. Hospital devices will download this upgrade automatically, and some devices have already been updated. For users that have Zoom on a personal device, you will need to take this upgrade by May 30 or Zoom will not work on your device.
Corridor Closure
The corridor on the lower level leading from the Auditorium to the public bathrooms and CRs 7 and 8 will be closed for approximately two more weeks to complete construction on the lower level. Please use the public restrooms on the 2nd floor next to the Meditation Room. We apologize for the inconvenience.
HERO Event Reporting
Hopkins Event Reporting Online (HERO), is an event reporting system for all Johns Hopkins Medicine providers and other employees. Making a report is quick and easy and every report is read, considered and routed to the appropriate person for further follow-up. These reports will help JHM make system-wide changes to improve patient safety. While providers can report anonymously, you are encouraged to include your contact information in case additional details or insights are needed. To access HERO, login to my.jh.edu, hover over the “Clinical” icon from the left-hand rail and select “HERO.”
Notice on Upcoming CME Activities
In response to COVID-19, JHM has adjusted its approach to CME. All enduring (on demand) activities remain open and available to you through the CME website. For live activities scheduled between now and early May, please check our CME website for updated information on an activity. Click here to subscribe to the CME email list.
MEDICAL STAFF CALENDAR
Click here for the May 2020 calendar on HopkinsGreaterWashingtonMD.org.
CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION
Johns Hopkins Medicine Continuing Medical Education Series
May 21: Research Program in Quantitative Sciences Seminar “SARS-CoV-2, the Origin, the Virology and the Vaccines”—to be streamed online via Zoom (Meeting ID: 916 560 5432; Password: 713387).
May 26 – June 10: Summer Institute in Mental Health Research. To register and learn more, click here.
EPIC TIPS OF THE WEEK
COVID-19 Research at Suburban
Suburban is currently enrolling participants in a donor study to determine qualification for convalescent plasma collection. The goal of the study is to qualify individuals for donation of convalescent plasma for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. At Suburban, the qualification visit involves a participant blood draw. If the participant qualifies, he or she will be notified by the JH team to schedule a visit at an approved center to donate plasma. Download this handout to learn more.
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