Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Military Support Teams Leave California Hospitals Despite High COVID-19 Numbers
TLBBHMAP3-U010ALB5ANM-348f959abae2-512-300x300-1
By Jim Jakobs, Digital Producer
Published 4 years ago on
August 28, 2020

Share

California is losing five of the eight military support teams helping hospitals through some of the most challenging times during the pandemic.

This, despite White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx calling out the Central Valley as a COVID-19 hot spot earlier this month.

Visalia’s team of 21 is leaving Kaweah Delta Medical Center on Saturday. The hospital hosted a small celebration for the team Thursday afternoon. Tulare County remains on the state monitoring list with a 13.3% COVID-19 positivity rate Thursday.

Elsewhere, teams at CRMC, Adventist Health Hanford, and Lodi Memorial will stay through September 11.

The other teams are leaving their respective hospitals on Saturday.

Kaweah Delta Medical Center Team

Since mid-July, the team, mostly from Travis Air Force Base, has been assisting at Kaweah Delta. The team’s arrival happened at a time when COVID numbers were on the rise and more than 70 staff members were on quarantine, which made staffing hospital beds a challenge.

As of this week, 57 staff members are in quarantine. Kaweah Delta’s solutions to staffing challenges include incentivizing clinical staff to work additional shifts, hiring additional clinical staff, and hiring more student nurse interns. Additionally, Kaweah Delta has registered nurses to the bedside who traditionally work in other departments.

Hospital staff and leadership gave the team a roaring send-off Thursday. The tribute included a red carpet, clapping for the military team, an awards ceremony, and a lights-and-sirens tribute by Visalia first responders.

Red carpet sendoff for military support team outside the doors of Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. (GV Wire/Jim Jakobs)
GV Wire℠ asked Chief Nursing Officer Keri Noeske if she was surprised the team was leaving when coronavirus cases were still very high in her county.
“It’s not surprising because our situation has stabilized as far as in the hospital. While we still have positive cases in the county, that positivity rate is going down,” Noeske said. She went on to say the hospital didn’t ask for an extension because it has enough staff to handle the numbers of patients they’re seeing.

Hospital security officers salute military support team. (GV Wire/Jim Jakobs)

Visalia first responders give lights-and-sirens tribute to the military support team. (GV Wire/Jim Jakobs)

Adventist Health Hanford Team

Adventist Health Hanford requested and was granted a two-week extension of its 20-person team Thursday.

The DoD team arrived on July 22 for a 30-day stint. It will remain through Sept. 11. Kings County remains on the state’s watch list with a positivity rate of 12.8%. State guidelines call for the rate to be below 8%.

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Brigid Serafin, a nurse supporting COVID Theater Hospital-1, ensures that a piece of medical equipment is functioning correctly while caring for a patient at Adventist Health Hanford, Hanford, California, July 27, 2020. Serafin is a member of a medical support team deployed from the 60th Medical Group, Travis Air Force Base, California. (U.S. Army/Maj. Doug Halleaux)

Community Regional Medical Center

CRMC’s workforce remains impacted by COVID-19. As of Thursday afternoon, 104 workers were out with coronavirus or in self-quarantine.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Raquel Dixon, registered nurse, 60th Medical Group, provides patient care at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno,  Aug. 4, 2020. (MI Army National Guard/Spc. Aaron Good)

Fresno County EMS Director Daniel Lynch told GV Wire℠ in an email Thursday morning: “It was just confirmed that the DOD team at CRMC has been approved through September 11, 2020.”

According to the state dashboard, Fresno County has a COVID-19 positivity rate of 11.1% and remains on the state monitoring list.

St. Agnes Medical Center

Lynch had tried getting a military support team to St. Agnes Medical Center in Fresno but was unsuccessful.

However, the state had enough resources to help fill staffing gaps at the hospital.

“They provided 8 staff members, including 7 nurses and 1 respiratory therapist,” St. Agnes director of corporate communications Kelley Sanchez told GV Wire℠ by email.

DON'T MISS

Bass’ Record 61-Yard Field Goal Lifts Bills Over Dolphins in Thriller

DON'T MISS

Big Spenders: These Companies Are Giving the Most to California Legislative Candidates

DON'T MISS

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Ahead of Election Day, While Oil Rises and Yields Sink

DON'T MISS

Saints Fire Head Coach Dennis Allen After Seven-Game Losing Streak

DON'T MISS

Raiders Fire Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy and 2 Other Offensive Coaches

DON'T MISS

Storm in the Caribbean Is on a Track to Likely Hit Cuba as a Hurricane

DON'T MISS

Israel Ends Agreement With UN Agency Providing Aid in Gaza

DON'T MISS

Demarcus Robinson’s One-Handed Catch in OT Gives Rams Win Over Seahawks

DON'T MISS

Trump, Musk and an American Masculinity Crisis

DON'T MISS

What One Tossup District Says About the Trump-Harris Battle for the Suburbs

UP NEXT

Fresno State Bulldogs Stumble in Fourth Quarter, Suffer Narrow Loss to Hawai’i

UP NEXT

Challengers Seek Seats on Tulare County Irrigation District Boards

UP NEXT

Shy Pup Finds Hope with Foster Family, Evasion from Euthanasia

UP NEXT

Immediate Threat: Mussel Invades California’s Delta, First Time in North America

UP NEXT

AMOR Wellness Trunk-or-Treat Brings 700 Mendota Residents Together for Halloween Fun

UP NEXT

What Kind of Trouble Is Miguel Arias Trying to Stir Up This Time?

UP NEXT

Lyft Pays $2.1 Million to Settle Case Alleging the Ride-Hailing Service Deceived Drivers

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Shot to Death at NW Apartment Complex Is Identified

UP NEXT

SJV Water Founder Lois Henry Receives Prestigious Reporting Award

UP NEXT

Southern California County Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery Charge in COVID Funds Scheme

Saints Fire Head Coach Dennis Allen After Seven-Game Losing Streak

23 mins ago

Raiders Fire Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy and 2 Other Offensive Coaches

27 mins ago

Storm in the Caribbean Is on a Track to Likely Hit Cuba as a Hurricane

30 mins ago

Israel Ends Agreement With UN Agency Providing Aid in Gaza

35 mins ago

Demarcus Robinson’s One-Handed Catch in OT Gives Rams Win Over Seahawks

1 hour ago

Trump, Musk and an American Masculinity Crisis

1 hour ago

What One Tossup District Says About the Trump-Harris Battle for the Suburbs

1 hour ago

Herbert Shines, Chargers Defense Dominates in Win Over Browns

1 hour ago

US Confirms Reports That Iran Arrested an Iranian-American Citizen

1 hour ago

A Vivid Trump-Harris Contrast in Campaign’s Grueling Final Days

1 hour ago

Bass’ Record 61-Yard Field Goal Lifts Bills Over Dolphins in Thriller

ORCHARD PARK — Tyler Bass tuned out the doubts, the ongoing questions about his consistency and the most recent challenge to his job. Buffal...

6 mins ago

6 mins ago

Bass’ Record 61-Yard Field Goal Lifts Bills Over Dolphins in Thriller

20 mins ago

Big Spenders: These Companies Are Giving the Most to California Legislative Candidates

20 mins ago

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Ahead of Election Day, While Oil Rises and Yields Sink

23 mins ago

Saints Fire Head Coach Dennis Allen After Seven-Game Losing Streak

Raiders
27 mins ago

Raiders Fire Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy and 2 Other Offensive Coaches

30 mins ago

Storm in the Caribbean Is on a Track to Likely Hit Cuba as a Hurricane

35 mins ago

Israel Ends Agreement With UN Agency Providing Aid in Gaza

Rams
1 hour ago

Demarcus Robinson’s One-Handed Catch in OT Gives Rams Win Over Seahawks

Search

Send this to a friend