Charley “The Tiger” Johnston (2002)
Quality and Safety RN, Dignity Health
Charley works with Dignity Health at three hospitals along the central coast of CA in the communities of San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, and Santa Maria. He has done some nasal swabbing tests but mostly works with functions that are not on the front-line of this pandemic. He has helped the hospitals adjust to this challenge and evaluates the delivery of care of patients who have COVID19.
I work in a hospital setting and have been fortunate enough to mostly work from home during this pandemic. A few weeks ago I was testing newly admitted patients for COVID19 via Nasal swabbing. Our volume has been relatively stable for multiple weeks so the need for me to go in and do this has been put on hold for now. At this time, I am performing Patient Safety and Quality Improvement work remotely via chart review and through discussions with administration and unit management. Although not very glamorous nor helping find the cure, the perspective I have provided to our leadership has shed some light on some of the unspoken side effects of managing these very ill people.
Crew taught me many lessons about goal setting, team work, and leadership which I fall back on to this day. It’s important to understand that even though this situation is painful in multiple ways (emotionally, financially, spiritually, etc) it is temporary. I’m confident there will come a time, hopefully soon, when we can reflect back on this pandemic and be proud of how we overcame it together. Pain is temporary, pride lasts forever!-RYBO
Skyler Suchovsky (2017)
PharmD. Graduate from Pacific University School of Pharmacy
Skyler worked in a pediatric emergency department in Oregon when the virus first hit. He then transitioned into telemedicine for a few weeks while preparing to move. He is now studying for licensure to complete his residency as a pediatric pharmacist at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
When asked what he learned from crew that has helped Skyler in his career, he shared:
“I would have to say teamwork, communication, and dedication. Medicine is a tough field to work in without teamwork. It requires excellent communication between all healthcare providers: from physicians, pharmacists, nurses, nursing assistants, etc. Everyone has a role that they need to perform to the best of their ability. They need to be dedicated to finding the right answer and provide patients with the best evidence-based therapies we can offer. Being part of UC Davis Men’s Crew taught me how to be a team player, how to be a follower, and how to be a leader.”