Parkview Medical Center welcomes 6 health care volunteers as hospital battles COVID-19

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Reinforcements are on their way to Parkview Medical Center. The volunteer non-profit organization COVID Care Force sent six people to assist the Pueblo hospital this week, and more could be on the way.

The volunteers include a respiratory therapist, a registered nurse, two EMT's, and two certified nurse aids. The six volunteers will stay at Parkview for an entire month, with the hospital paying for their living arrangements.

As of Tuesday, Parkview Medical Center is caring for around 125 COVID-19 patients. Since the beginning of November, the Pueblo hospital has been operating around 92%-99% capacity.

According to Dr. Sandeep Vijan, the Chief Medical Doctor at Parkview Medical Center, when it comes to hospital capacity Parkview has suitable space and equipment, but staffing is the main concern.

"What's the point of having a unit if I don't have nurses or respiratory therapists to take care of those patients?" said Dr. Vijan.

COVID Care Force first started at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first batch of volunteers helped fill staffing holes at hospitals in New York City during the first surge in April.

"[COVID Care Force] is focused on getting health care professionals to volunteer for two weeks or longer to go to the COVID hot spots," said Dr. Gary Morsch, the founder and Executive Director of COVID Care Force.

Today, COVID Care Force has around 1,000 volunteers helping hospitals across the country. The six health care professionals at Parkview will stay for a month, however, Dr. Morsch expects to send more to the Pueblo hospital real soon.

"We are hoping to provide Parkview with dozens and dozens and maybe it will be hundreds of health care volunteers as we work through this COVID pandemic," said Dr. Morsch. "The crisis is only going to get worse. As bad as it is now, the worst is yet to come."

While six volunteers may not seem like a lot, staff at Parkview think otherwise.

"We have great staff [at Parkview], but we are coming up to the holidays and we want them to be able to have time with their families," said Katy Frazier, the Director of Employment at Parkview Medical Center. "Any of the help we can get to help do those kinds of things, it is important. We are going through unprecedented times."

This week, the volunteers are going through orientation at Parkview. This weekend and next week, the volunteers will start their schedule on the floors.

"[The volunteers] have been a pleasure to work with," said Frazier. "When they were getting their schedules today, the volunteers were like 'Whatever you need, where do you want us to work.' To hear that was so awesome."

For Frazier, COVID Care Force is the ultimate form of charity during this pandemic for health care professionals. She hopes to have the opportunity to volunteer in the future and to 'pay it forward'.

"We need to hear the good news stories right now more than ever," said Frazier. "People need to hear about these people that came from all over the country; like Florida, Alabama, and Illinois. To come help different areas of the country."

Dr. Morsch says COVID Care Force is always looking for volunteers, especially Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nurses Assistants, and Respiratory Therapists.

You can find out how to volunteer at COVIDCareForce.org.