Coronavirus
Fresno nurse who was exposed to an infected COVID-19 patient dies of coronavirus
A Fresno nurse who had been exposed back in March to an infected coronavirus patient has died of COVID-19.
Two days after Monday’s passing of longtime nurse Sandra Oldfield, approximately 400 people, including many other registered nurses, gathered for a candlelight vigil.
They paid homage Wednesday to their fellow Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center colleague. They also expressed concern about the continued spread of the coronavirus. And they remained outraged that a fellow frontline worker died.
Oldfield, nicknamed “Sandy,” was 53.
“Sandy was an amazing person,” said Mindy Risinger, a friend of Oldfield. “She was a great nurse, a friend, a sister. She was just a wonderful person all-around.
“She’d drop everything she was doing to pray with you in a moment of crisis. She always took care of everybody. She loved her family, and she loved her co-workers.”
Oldfield is among the latest causalities to die from the coronavirus in Fresno County, with the county’s Department of Public Health on Wednesday reporting 30 COVID-19-related deaths among 1,631 positive tests.
She joins a list of at least 294 frontline workers who have died of coronavirus-related illness, according to new data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says there have been 62,690 cases among healthcare personnel.
Nurses union: More PPE needed
The California Nurses Association placed blame of Oldfield’s death directly on Kaiser Permanente Fresno, citing a lack of personal protective equipment for frontline workers.
Oldfield worked in the telemetry unit, which monitors cardiac patients.
The California Nurses Association said Oldfield was one of some 50 health care workers, including 33 nurses, who were exposed to the infected patient in March.
Ten nurses tested positive for the virus, and three ended up hospitalized, including Oldfield, according to the union.
“This was yet another unnecessary death,” said Amy Arlund, a Kaiser Medical Center ICU nurse and a member of the California Nurses Association and National Nurses Organizing Committee board of directors. “We told them that we didn’t know enough about this virus, and that since we don’t know, we needed to take every precaution.
“Instead of management listening to us nurses, they listened to weak government guidelines. ... They are responsible for the failure to fully protect their frontline caregivers.”
Added registered nurse Rachel Spray: “The PPE situation is they keep it locked up in the managers’ offices. So most of us can’t get it. We have to beg for it.
“They’re saying we have plenty. But then, you can’t get it. What happened to Sandy shouldn’t have happened.”
Risk of exposure
To date, at least 120 registered nurses have died from COVID-19 since March, according to the California Nurses Association.
Management at Kaiser Permanente Fresno declined an interview request but released a statement:
“Sandy now joins the too many other front line health care heroes across the country who have succumbed to this disease, as it has spread through our communities. In Sandy’s case, in March she had exposure to a patient before the patient was suspected to have COVID-19.
“As the COVID-19 virus continues to spread in the Valley, we expect to see more individuals with suspected or confirmed cases at our medical center.”
Many in attendance at the candlelight vigil for Oldfield wore face masks.
Midway through the event, though, an announcement was made for people to space themselves out more to social distance.
Still, some couldn’t help but hug one another and cry as stories of Oldfield were shared.
“She squeezed my hand, and I promised that I was going to take care of her,” said an unidentified Kaiser nurse who spoke to the group. “And I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Sandy. I couldn’t save you. I’m very sorry.”
Comments