The new chief nursing officer at Fort Hamilton weighs in on Hamilton’s response to COVID-19
Fort Hamilton Hospital hired a new Chief Nursing Officer in mid-March, just as the United States’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic began to ramp up. Brad Morrison accepted this new job in spite of those challenges, and he has been getting to know the Hamilton community in the weeks since.
“It has been a crazy time to start a new job, but I’m so proud of our hospital and our network,” says Morrison. “We’ve coordinated with state, county, and local agencies, following directions and weathering the storm. Our state has done a good job taking a proactive and early approach.”
Morrison’s background includes nursing and nursing administration roles in California, as well as Ohio, and he feels that nursing has taught him a lot of useful lessons that can be applied in a time of difficulty.
“I’ve learned the clinical skills of being a nurse, of course, but I’ve also learned a lot about people over the years,” says Morrison. “I’ve been able to learn how to be part of a team and lead a team, and I see how nurses approach and communicate with people. It’s an exciting journey with a lot of twists, turns, and opportunities.”
Fort Hamilton Hospital has seen both confirmed and suspected patients with COVID-19, though the actual numbers change all the time. Morrison has been impressed by the response that his fellow nurses have taken to the challenges they are facing.
“Our nurses have been really brave, willing to go in and give care and treat those with COVID. I’ve been so pleased with the teamwork shown,” says Morrison. “The nurses are flexible and willing to make these daily sacrifices, and some have chosen to travel to serve in areas that are more affected than ours. Everyone is giving back.”
Morrison extends his thanks to the citizens of Hamilton, who have offered him and his team a variety of kinds of support.
“We’ve had church groups come to pray for us from outside, keeping a safe distance in our parking lot,” says Morrison. “EMS and fire crews have come to our lot and turned on their lights as a show of support, and we’ve had groups and individuals sending pizzas and drinks. We also have had businesses donating their available masks and other personal protective equipment to help us stay safe.”
He was particularly touched by an interaction he had outside the hospital, a mark of the caring attitudes that Hamiltonians display.
“I was walking through a hardware store in a shirt with Kettering Health Network on it, and someone stopped and asked if I work in healthcare,” he says. “He simply told me ‘thank you for doing that work,’ and this is a particularly meaningful moment to say thank you to the healthcare workers in your life.”
One major way to help the Fort Hamilton Hospital staff, as well as all healthcare workers, is to avoid spreading the virus, but with the gradual reopening of many places in Ohio, there are additional ways to help.
“We are also here to serve other healthcare needs,” says Morrison. “We’re open for inpatient services and surgery, so one way to support us to use our hospital’s services.”
Morrison’s work has been understandably consuming a lot of his time during the coronavirus crisis, but he looks forward to a time when he’ll get to know all that Hamilton has to offer.
“I’m excited for when we can open back up all of our services at the hospital, and I can also get out and get to know the community even more,” says Morrison.