CMHC gets praise for prevention
State inspectors say facility's lockdown protocol is 'above and beyond'
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Jeanne Hein speaks with her son, Craig, and his wife, Connie, of Des Moines, at Community Memorial Health Center in Hartley. The facility is closed to visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but residents can still chat with loved ones through the windows.
State inspectors recently gave a local nursing and assisted living facility big praise for COVID-19 prevention efforts.
Community Memorial Health Center in Hartley was commended last week by the Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals for keeping residents safe during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The facility has been closed to visitors since mid-March and employees have implemented several prevention methods to keep potential infections at bay.
"They said that our protocols were above and beyond what they normally see, and they had no suggestions for improvement," said CMHC administrator Janette Simon. "They felt that our residents feel safe. That was a positive, and it makes us feel that we're all doing a good job at keeping people out."
COVID-19 is particularly dangerous to the elderly and people with pre-existing health conditions. Several nursing home facilities across Iowa have experienced outbreaks, and Simon said CMHC is doing everything in its power to keep residents safe.
The facility shifted to Phase 4 of its lockdown protocol on April 11. It implemented or re-emphasized a bevy of safety measures to avoid possible exposure, like closing all hallway doors and utilizing walkie-talkies for communication. Workers are also practicing social distancing at all times and extra break time areas have been opened to keep people apart.
Certain non-essential tasks at the facility have been discontinued. The care center is also doing its own blood draws, and community X-rays have been suspended. Other sanitation practices are also in place and staff must answer several questions regarding their health before going to work.
"I think that the state inspection helped validate some of the practices we are doing," said Simon. "I couldn't be prouder about how serious our staff is taking this, not only in the work life but in their home life. They and their families are making sacrifices."
The inspection was ordered via federal mandate, Simon explained. Since long-term care facilities have been deemed potential COVID-19 hotspots, state officials were designated to review protocols at locations across Iowa.
The inspection was conducted remotely via phone interviews, emails and fax due to the threat of COVID-19. State officials talked with both staff and residents, and Simon said they were particularly pleased with CMHC residents' knowledge of both protocol and the virus itself.
"The state was really impressed with the book we put together to educate our residents about COVID, the virus' symptoms and our protocol," noted Simon. "They were also pleased with our communication with residents' families to keep them updated."
For Simon and CMHC staff members, it's all about staying several steps ahead of the virus. She is continually staying updated on the virus, learning new prevention tactics and talking with administrators of facilities that have been hit.
"It makes me very sad and worried for our counterparts. They need our prayers instead of our criticism," she said. "I call and offer support, and get a play-by-play about how they recognized the virus was in their facility to try to learn from it."
