Parkway Covid Unit in Decatur Opens In Less Than 2 Weeks

If necessary.

In less than two weeks - decatur morgan hospital's parkway campus will open up its new coronavirus unit.

Waay-31's bridget divers spoke to the unit director to learn why it is so important to have.

With coronavirus cases on the rise in morgan county the new covid unit will help remove some of the coronavirus patients from the main decatur-morgan hopsital.

Tina mcgrath/ covid unit director "we've seen an uprise in covid patients and we want to alleviate the stress that's on the decatur campus and provide safety for our community."

Tina mcgrath is the covid unit director for decatur morgan hospital's parkway campus.

She says working during the coronavirus pandemic has been stressful.

Tina mcgrath/ covid unit director "definitely an adjustment for our staff.

We're just providing the best quality care that we can and providing safety to our staff with the correct ppe" and mcgrath says nurses are not only helping the patients but also their families.

Tina mcgrath/ covid unit director "making sure that the families of the covid patients that come in know that they're okay, communication is a big part of this along with safety and providing that quality care."

And family members can't visit covid-positive patients in the hospital, but they can facetime them.

Tina mcgrath/ covid unit director "we're providing tablets for them.

So, they can see thei loved ones and talk to their loved ones."

And the nurses said everyone should do three things to stay safe.

Tina mcgrath/ covid unit director "for safety washing your hands, doing your social distancing, wearing your mask, please wear your mask."

The coronavirus unit's soft opening will be on november 23rd.

When the unit first opens staff can take care of fifteen patients and eventually they will be able to take care of thirty-six.

In morgan county, bridget-divers, waay-31 news.

When the covid unit opens there will be three nurses on staff at all times