70 Ohio National Guard troops arrive to help UC Medical Center with COVID-19 surge

Terry DeMio, Cincinnati Enquirer
·1 min read
An Ohio National Guard member fills out paperwork after arriving with 69 other troops who arrived at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Jan. 24, 2022, to help with the COVID-19 surge.
An Ohio National Guard member fills out paperwork after arriving with 69 other troops who arrived at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Jan. 24, 2022, to help with the COVID-19 surge.

Another 70 Ohio National Guard troops arrived Monday to help University of Cincinnati Medical Center staff during the latest COVID-19 hospitalization surge.

The troops are among those Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine sent to the state's hospitals to help healthcare staff during the barrage of COVID-19 cases triggered by the omicron variant. The addition of Guard members at UC Health's Corryville facility comes days after a group arrived at Christ Hospital Health System in Mount Auburn.

“UC Health is experiencing a record number of patients seeking care for COVID-19 within our hospitals, and this is putting unprecedented strain upon our care teams,” said UC Health spokeswoman Amanda Nageleisen. Hospitals workers have described the recent pressure, coming after two years of pandemic-related exertion, as a "PTSD-like situation."

The new arrivals will be deployed to assist in several areas: grounds, environmental services, patient transportation, food and nutrition services, inpatient acute care areas, sterile processing, the pharmacy, the emergency department, a patient relations and patient experience department, employee health and safety, central supply, and the operating room department and lab.

An Ohio National Guard member talks with a University of Cincinnati Medical Center staff member on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Another 70 troops arrived to assist UC Health staff during the omicron-fueled surge of COVID-19 cases. They did PPE (personal protective equipment) fit-testing and had orientation on Monday.
An Ohio National Guard member talks with a University of Cincinnati Medical Center staff member on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Another 70 troops arrived to assist UC Health staff during the omicron-fueled surge of COVID-19 cases. They did PPE (personal protective equipment) fit-testing and had orientation on Monday.

They join 20 troops already working at the hospital:10 medics in the emergency department and 10 non-clinical guard members in environmental services, Nageleisen said in a press release. And another 10 National Guard troops are helping with UC Health’s COVID-19 Community Testing Center.

“We are grateful for the support provided by the men and women of the Ohio National Guard, and we thank them for their service.”

Christ Hospital last week welcomed 20 Ohio National Guard troops to help its hospital workers and anticipated having another 30 arrive this week.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio National Guard arrives to assist UC Medical Center with COVID-19 surge