By Hannah Frazier
Some TPA alumni are facing the pandemic in a way that the rest of us could never imagine! Hannah Gonslaves, who graduated from TPA in 2013, is a registered nurse who has been working on the front lines, helping to keep our community safe. Hannah graduated from Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2017.
She now works in the Observation Unit of the Banner Estrella Medical Center in Phoenix. This unit acts as an extension to the Emergency Department and is used to treat and monitor patients for 24-48 hours. To explain further, she says, “If patients are stable, we discharge them and if patients are critical, we provide further care. I work with doctors, case managers, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, dieticians, and more to provide patient care and support.”
Hannah has many daily responsibilities as a nurse, including but not limited to “admitting patients and collecting medical history; assessing patients; passing medication; monitoring vitals and labs; reporting critical information to doctors and other health care staff; assisting and performing bedside procedures; discharging patients and providing patient education.” She says that her department has a 1:5 nurse-patient ratio, meaning that each nurse cares for five patients per shift! While this sounds like a very busy day, she calls her work very rewarding.
In March of 2020, her unit was converted into a Respiratory Unit, which exclusively held patients with symptoms of Covid-19. When summer came around, her unit was over capacity which forced them to put two beds into patient rooms intended for one in order to meet the demand. She saw a variety of symptoms first-hand, the most serious of which was shortness of breath. These patients required supplemental oxygen to breath because their lungs were so congested.
Hannah reflects on the difficult aspects of her job saying, “Our patients were so sick, that doing simple tasks like drinking water or adjusting in bed was physically draining for them, and their oxygen saturation levels would decrease significantly. Eventually, these patients would need to be intubated because they simply could not get enough oxygen. Unfortunately, my unit saw a lot of patients pass. It was truly a difficult time for everyone.”
Looking back on her time at TPA, Hannah says that while nothing could have really prepared her for what she faces daily, she is thankful that TPA made her the person she is today. She says that her favorite class was Humane Letters because it taught her about the values which she advocates for every day as a nurse.
Hannah thanks some former teachers, saying, “The teachers who influenced me the most were Mr. Veenstra and Ms. Musico, but all the teachers at TPA are excellent.” She goes on to say that she competed in Speech and Debate for four years and was even co-captain in her senior year. Hannah thanks Speech and Debate for helping to improve her self-confidence which is a very beneficial skill not only for her job, but for life in general.
In regards to the current state of the virus, Hannah is simply grateful that such great strides have been made in treating Covid-19. She says, “My hospital has seen an increase in discharges and a decrease in Covid-19 specific cases within the last couple months. I’m optimistic.”
Hannah’s optimism is inspiring as is all of the challenging work she has done in helping people affected by the pandemic! We can all do our part by continuing to wear masks, wash our hands, and social distance.