Nurses Week - Feature on Infection Control

From pertussis, Ebola, H1N1 and now COVID-19… hospital teams have been managing infectious disease for years. “All of our past experience applies to our current situation,” says Nina Deatherage, RN, Infection Control. “All of our staff has been trained on proper precautions. We deal with viruses every day. We know what to do,” she confidently adds.

When it comes to infection control and disease management, the talent at Marshall runs deep. Brian Kendler, RN, rounds out the Infection Control team. Both he and Nina are board certified in infection control and epidemiology. Nina brings 15 years of experience in the field, and before joining Marshall, previously led communicable disease investigations for El Dorado County. Brian has more than a decade of infection control experience and has been with Marshall for more than 26 years.

In planning and preparing for the COVID-19 pandemic, the physician expertise at Marshall rivals those at other larger hospitals:

Brian Goldsmith, MD, provided tactical expertise and predictive disease modeling; Oleana Lineberry, MD and Parimal Bharucha, MD, are medical intensivists with advanced training for managing complex patients; and Alexander Massey, MD, is a seasoned pulmonologist with expertise in infectious disease.

The team assembled and put things into place early to protect staff and patients. “Since COVID-19 is a new virus, there was a lot to keep up with all of the changing guidelines,” said Nina. “It’s exhausting. Sometimes, this knowledge keeps me awake. The fear of what could happen keeps us on our toes.”

Thanks to the work of our Infection Control Committee, Marshall was informed and prepared for COVID-19… and whatever may come next.