Study details New York City public hospitals staffing for COVID-19 surge

To meet the surge in COVID-19 cases that hit New York City in March, NYC Health + Hospitals (NYC H+H) established three field hospitals and expanded its capacity across its 11 acute-care facilities, redeploying staff to the areas of greatest need. In a Health Affairs article, System Chief Nurse Executive and AONL member Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN, and other senior leaders describe how they engaged private staffing agencies, partnered with the Department of Defense, recruited volunteers, onboarded and credentialed recruits, and trained all staff to handle COVID-19 cases. NYC H+H also created positions and established multidisciplinary teams to increase efficiency. Frequent enterprise-wide communication and innovative use of technology allowed the system to respond quickly to changing needs. (Health Affairs article, 6/11/20)