Hospital Staff Say The Pandemic May Have A Lasting Impact On Patient Interaction

Some hospital workers said the pandemic has given them more time to spend with their patients.

A Hillcrest phlebotomist said before the pandemic she tried to get in and out of patient's rooms as quickly as possible, now she's spending more time with them providing comfort. 

"At one point I was the only full-time phlebotomist on the day shift. We work shorthanded and we work hard to get it done," said Stephanie Glenn.

The Hillcrest Phlebotomy Department averages around 300 patients daily. Glenn said she gets through the stressful days one patient at a time. 

"Sometimes they don't see other people I mean outside the nurses. The families weren't allowed to visit. So everybody kind of became a stand-in," said Glenn.

A lot of work happens behind the scenes at a hospital and covid tests are running around the clock in the labs. 

"We are a big part of your treatment and it's important for them to understand that we do understand that we have a really big role in your treatment and we take it very seriously," said Raini Stiles.

Stiles said even though the micro-biology team doesn't meet patients face to face, they still care about each sample they test because it is connected to a real person.

 "This could be my grandpa, this could be you know your neighbor, and um it's important to keep that in mind down here so that we understand that these are real people that we're affecting," said Stiles.