Thank You to Our Heroes!
Catherine Best, RN
Plano, Texas
Today we want to honor the Catherine Best, RN, Plano, Texas. Here is her story as reported by AARP
From Plano, Texas, Best has been a nurse for 18 years. She has worked part time at an assisted living facility for the past two years.
"We started our residents having meals in their rooms in late March. That's hard on them because mealtime in the dining room is social time for them. Everything has been removed from the bistro area as well. That's where a lot of our residents would get a snack or coffee, and maybe read the paper. Family members are not allowed to visit and our residents can't go out with them during this time. Our team assists them to FaceTime with their families, which helps, but it's just not the same.
We have to be very vigilant because immune systems of older patients have decreased and patients with dementia aren't as able to keep their hands clean and avoid touching their faces. We check them for signs of COVID-19 every day — take their temperature and look for other symptoms.
I'm the only registered nurse there. We have three licensed practical nurses and the caregivers for about 78 people. We've locked the back door and they take our temperature when we come to work. We wash our hands like crazy and wear gloves for all the medical procedures.. I handle skin care, wounds, temperature checks. We're between them and the doctors."
Thank you to Catherine for your commitment, dedication, and compassion for your patients and communities.
If you have a story and pictures of a front line nurse you would like us to highlight on our website and social media, please email them to us at info@helphopehonor.org.
