Dallas

Parkland Nurse Talks About Challenges In COVID Care

NBCUniversal, Inc.

COVID case numbers don't fully paint the picture that doctors and nurses see every day while working in the COVID units.

At Parkland Hospital in Dallas, the medical team works around the clock to fight a crisis, they say is sustained, with no end in sight.

No two days are alike for doctors and nurses at Parkland, but still, staff says all the days seem to run together.

"Usually, it's Monday through Friday and then Saturday, there's a little lull. There's none of that," said Samantha Rowley, Senior Vice President of Surgical Services, Parkland Health and Hospital System.

"I would say COVID is nonstop at Parkland."

Rowley was candid as she talked about the consistent workload at the Dallas County public hospital.

There's space for hundreds of COVID patients and at times, she said, it's all hands on deck among constantly changing guidelines and procedures.

"We see docs here day and night. Our nurses come from all over the building to pick up work in this unit that they never did before," said Rowley.

"This week alone we have changed about 25 different processes and the folks involved have had to adapt to that."

They also constantly adapt on treating an illness with no proven treatment, in a battle that wages on.

"That's the hardest thing going through this for any of us. You can't separate it anymore like you used to."

Rowley was featured in this week's Dallas Mavericks Behind-the Mask campaign, which honors extraordinary doctors, nurses, and medical professionals across the community.


*Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not meant to indicate where actual infected people live.


Contact Us