National Guard plays major role in Wisconsin’s pandemic response

Brig. Gen. Tim Covington, the Wisconsin Nationwide Guard’s deputy adjutant common for civil help, expresses appreciation to Wisconsin Nationwide Guard troops and officers from Bellin Well being Programs and Odd Fellows Residence in Inexperienced Bay, Wis., on April 26. The Wisconsin Nationwide Guard is winding down its nursing assistant help mission at amenities across the state.
(Maj. Joe Trovato picture)

LA CROSSE, Wis. — After greater than three months, the Wisconsin Nationwide Guard’s mission to help as nursing assistants at state well being care amenities is winding down.

Senior Wisconsin Nationwide Guard leaders and officers from the Wisconsin Division of Well being Providers travelled to a number of well being care amenities across the state to specific their appreciation for the partnership that fashioned between them and the hospitality they supplied to the Guard members who’ve been serving at these amenities.

Because the state grappled with the omicron COVID-19 variant surge in late 2021 and an ongoing staffing scarcity within the well being care area, bedspace availability at well being care amenities was at a premium. That mission is now ending as the necessity for the Guard’s help has dissipated.

The state turned to the Nationwide Guard to assist fill the void and open up extra beds at key amenities. Greater than 160 citizen troopers and airmen accomplished two-week coaching applications at Madison Faculty or Bellin Faculty in Inexperienced Bay in addition to on-the job coaching to achieve nursing assistant certification earlier than getting assigned to well being care amenities and long-term care amenities across the state. Greater than 130 extra troops supplied help at different state-operated amenities.

Regardless of these troops coming largely from non-medical backgrounds, the opinions have been phenomenal, because the troops displayed their adaptability and professionalism at each flip.

Charlene Everett, the CEO at Odd Fellows Residence in Inexperienced Bay, the place roughly 10 troops assisted starting in mid-January, praised the Guard members for his or her service at her facility.

“It’s been great,” she stated at an April 26 recognition occasion at Odd Fellows Residence. “They’ve been obedient, attentive, and so form to our residents.”

Everett relayed a narrative about an Odd Fellows resident who traditionally didn’t need anybody aiding her, however struck up a incredible relationship with one of many Guard members serving to on the facility. One other resident struggling financially advised one of many Guard members that he wanted a couple of gadgets, and the Guard member wished to help and used his personal cash to buy the gadgets for the person.

“I actually don’t have one unfavourable factor to say,” Everett stated. “I’d do it once more in a heartbeat. The scary half is their absence, however we knew it was coming, so we ready for it, and I feel we’re going to be good.”

Brig. Gen. Tim Covington, the Wisconsin Nationwide Guard’s deputy adjutant common for civil help, travelled to Inexperienced Bay to personally thank the troopers and airmen concerned within the nursing assistant help mission who served at Bellin Well being Programs amenities and Odd Fellows earlier than travelling to La Crosse, the place troops had been aiding at each Mayo Clinic and Hillview Well being Heart.

The Wisconsin Division of Well being Providers’ Dr. Jon Meiman, state epidemiologist and chief medical officer, and Miki Gould, the ability liaison for the Wisconsin Healthcare Capability Job Pressure, joined Covington and Col. Randall Myszka, the Wisconsin Military Nationwide Guard’s Medical Detachment commander, on the visits.

Meiman famous the important position long-term care amenities play within the state’s total well being care system and the way profound the influence of COVID coupled with well being care staffing shortages impacted that system.

“We will’t thank the Guard sufficient for the work that you just’ve carried out, being prepared to step up and volunteer into a very new position,” Meiman stated whereas visiting troops ending their excursions at Odd Fellow Residence in Inexperienced Bay. “It has helped extra sufferers than I feel we’ll ever know throughout this state.”

Covington additionally expressed his gratitude for the service of Nationwide Guard members whereas mentioning that the success of the mission over the previous a number of months has been largely because of the sturdy partnerships developed between the Nationwide Guard, the Division of Well being Providers, and well being care amenities like Bellin, Odd Fellow, Mayo, Hillview, and dozens of others that troops straight supported.

“Success is available in partnerships,” Covington stated. “It doesn’t come from being a 185-year-old group. It comes from partnerships. At the start our partnership is that relationship we’ve got with the troopers and airmen which might be members of the group that belief the management to discover a approach to make issues occur, however then it’s the partnership with the civil authority that’s really asking us for help.”

Since starting its nursing assistant staffing surge mission in mid-January, Guard troops helped enhance the state’s post-acute care bedspace capability by almost 270, which enabled well being care companions to decompress hospitals.

The Wisconsin Nationwide Guard performed a significant position within the state’s response to the pandemic from the day the general public well being emergency was first declared in March 2020. Since then, the Guard has helped administer greater than 1.2 million COVID exams, greater than 230,000 vaccines, positioned greater than 565,000 calls to inform residents of take a look at outcomes, assisted county health workers, staffed self-isolation amenities, and extra.

The COVID response represents the most important sustained home mobilization within the Wisconsin Nationwide Guard’s 185-year historical past.