I have been a nurse for 25 years and in that time, I have worked in different institutions, both medium and large, in multiple states.  I am proud to add Hackettstown Medical Center to my resume, working with an outstanding group of professionals in the ICU. They embody the definition of teamwork- the combined action of a group of people, especially when effective and efficient.

The pandemic has been difficult for healthcare, that’s a given.  Critical Care staff have been stretched farther than we thought imaginable.  Taking assignments of 5 and 6 ICU patients, with the lasting effects of PTSD, burn out, and depression, evident two and a half years later.

I think the ICU stands out for numerous reasons.  This group of professionals not only dealt with the onslaught of critically ill patients, but they also had to deal with 52% of their core staff leaving to obtain travel assignments. This was a double-edged sword, as these individuals were not only co-workers but friends, who had worked for the institution for years, some of them decades, building strong ties amongst the staff.  Almost daily the news came in that someone else was leaving, another piece of the ICU family gone. Now the nurses had the added stress of who is going to cover the empty shifts? How many patients can one nurse take? Will there be helping hands?  Are they getting travel nurses to work here? Who was going to get sick next? This outstanding group of nurses stepped up to the plate. Everyone picked up overtime, every week, to cover the holes. Most nurses worked five, six, and seven, twelve-hour shifts a week. Staying late to help the oncoming shift. Juggling a group of brand-new ICU nurses, some on orientation, and taking them under their wings to keep them calm, and centered, ensuring they had senior staff available to be a resource in such uncertain times.  These nurses are remarkable. I try to tell them daily what an incredible TEAM they are, and how well they work together.  I was told by a senior nurse, “We are not a team because we work together. We are a team because we respect, trust, and care for each other!”  I absolutely agree!

Having fewer resources to work with, in a small community hospital, the ICU team continues to rise to the challenge daily. The ICU nurses don’t think twice when a call comes in from another unit requesting help, whether for a new IV access, an opinion about their patient’s status, or a policy question.  They make the time, as busy as they are. The ICU nurses take pride in their hospital, they participate in hospital committees, as well as hospital events and fundraisers, and are engaged in advocating for the nursing profession and making system changes to make workflow more streamlined for the nurses. Fifty percent of the staff either have or are obtaining their certifications this year as well as participating in PACT.  This type of dedication and professionalism should be rewarded.