COVID-19 Frontline Feature - Lea Howell, RN

Lea Howell, RN, serves as a clinical educator at EAMC, and since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in our area, she has also been working as a registered nurse, collecting test specimens at EAMC’s testing site located at the former HealthPlus location in Auburn.

Howell explains that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, her job has looked very different. “My normal job has changed drastically,” Howell says. “Normally, I am the site coordinator for the new RN residency program at EAMC, which started in March. We were supposed to start groups on April 1, but that is clearly not possible right now.”

The HealthPlus drive-through testing site was one of the first in the state, and was implemented by EAMC leadership very quickly, once the need was determined. With new processes come new challenges. “One challenge I have faced is seeing the sickness of the people driving through the testing line, in addition to my own fears about exposure,” Howell explains. “However, I would say my biggest challenge was seeing the fear, sadness, tears, and sickness on my EAMC family and even personal friends as they came through the testing line. So many of them verbalized that they were sorry that they had to come through the line and potentially expose me—they were apologizing for being sick. Many of them allowed me to say a quick prayer for them before they left and some even sent me personal messages later to let me know their status.”

Every day at the testing site, the team meets as a group for morning and evening huddle. They go over what their day will look like, updates from the hospital, and what changes may be occurring on an hourly basis. “I’m encouraged by the opportunity to lead our group in scripture, inspiration, and prayer,” Howell says. “Every person from our leadership team—registration, security, volunteers, maintenance, and so many others—have each been in a position at some point during this process to be disgruntled, tired, and anxious. However, you would never know it if they were. The whole team at the testing site has gone above and beyond. There is not a person at the site who was doing a job that they normally do. Every EAMC employee put their own feelings and experience aside, and it was a wonderful thing!”

Howell notes that EAMC’s approach brought her comfort even during something so challenging. “It has been obvious from the beginning that EAMC has had a strategic plan in place for times of crisis,” Howell says. “We are working hard in the Education Department to make sure that our staff has the knowledge base that they need to do their job to the best of their ability, even in the most difficult times. I have worked at EAMC for 24 years, and this is the most challenging crisis I have experienced at our hospital. But I am overwhelmed by the encouragement and love that has been poured out to my EAMC family. It leaves me speechless.”