Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1302793
As one would imagine, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on those working in the medical community. But working as nurses at Coliseum Medical Centers is more than a job – it's a family affair for Jody and Christi Dykes. Jody is director of ICU and CVICU, and Christi is a clinical educator. Not only has Jody worked many long hours to ensure his ICU team is well-supported, but Christi, too, has stepped up to offer support over and above her normal nursing role. "We've really been in the thick of things dealing with new issues associated with COVID-19," Jody said. "The need for isolation, building up our staff to meet the needs here – every day is a new challenge. ... But instead of allowing it to be a stressful situation, this pandemic has brought us even closer together." Likewise, Christi has helped encourage and support the hospital front-line staff, even taking pictures of the COVID-19 team so the hospital can publicly recognize the hard work that is going on behind the scenes. "We're really like a family here at Coliseum," Christi said. "And our family has just grown stronger over the last few months." The Dykes' dedication to the COVID-19 response effort is particularly inspiring because of how it affects their home life, said Robin Parker, vice president of marketing for Coliseum Health System. "As parents to a special-needs child who requires continuous medical care, they truly are providing nursing care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year," she said. "After spending all day caring for their hospital patients as if they were their own family, they bring their clinical skills home to safely meet their son Jake's medical needs and work tirelessly to make sure he doesn't catch the novel coronavirus. They are incredible, passionate people." When the pandemic first began, the couple was terrified because Jake likely wouldn't survive if he caught the virus. But the Dykes learned how to work amid the virus at the hospital, and properly sanitize both themselves and their home so Jake stays safe. "Our influence on nursing is largely because of our time on the other side of the bed with our son Jake," said Christi. "We hope that our life with Jake has given us insight into our patients' lives and how we can make those lifetime moments better or easier for each of our patients." — Lisa Pritchard Mayfield Jody and Christi Dykes 20