To hear us talk about it, you’d think a hospital was only populated with doctors and nurses... sometimes we will add on mention of “and other staff.” We can’t care for a single patient without those “other staff.” Here are a few (thread).

Registration. We can’t open a chart, see the medical history, write a note, or order a damn thing without the people who figure out exactly who you are. Sometimes people come in unconscious, without ID, and the reg staff 9 times out of ten figure it out for us. Essential staff.

ER technicians. There are a million and one patient care tasks done by techs quietly and without glory. Helping a patient get into a gown, putting on monitoring equipment, getting an ECG, helping move, roll, or clean up folks needing assist, checking in on needs. Essential.

Pharmacists. You may think I run around shouting “[X dose] of [Y med], STAT!” but in reality pharmacists check every order for use & dose, allergies, interactions. In my ER they’re with us 24/7, show up with meds in hand for traumas & codes, & write med protocols. Essential.

Environmental services. The folks who clean the rooms between patients *do more than I do* to contain COVID-19. The COVID-19 cleaning protocol includes *mopping the walls* with disinfectant. ICU rooms take > 1 hr to clean after a COVID patient. Who are the real heroes? Essential.

“HUC”s or unit coordinators. That person at the desk who looks like the incident commander, answering phones, coordinating with every service in the hospital, handling consent and transfer paperwork, arranging transport, etc x 100, all while being barked at constantly? Essential.

Supply. This includes everyone from the supply chain manager to the techs who come and check in on our shelves and restock the vast number of vital supplies & sterile equipment we need each day. Essential.

Social work. From mental health assessments to support for those coming in after abuse / assault to figuring out what services might fill the gaps for people at all times - but especially in this time of crisis - to providing a human touch for families after a death. Essential.

Food & nutrition services. All our patients and the huge workforce need to eat - and producing & delivering & serving those meals, to a wide range of dietary specifications, happens without fail so regularly we take it for granted. Essential.

{I have to go to work and I’m only halfway done! Putting this on pause and I’ll be back}

Respiratory therapy. Those ventilators do not run themselves. These experts in respiratory physiology are in harm’s way at the head of the bed, where aerosolized particles are generated, as they give nebs and hook up, trouble shoot, and manage the vents. Essential.

Maintenance. Orchestrating all the lighting, plumbing, electricity, air conditioning/heating, etc. in our complex hospital environment is a miracle of coordination, expertise, and hard work, all handled behind the scenes. I couldn't do a minute of my job without you. Essential.

Radiology techs. We diagnose COVID-19 lung disease with X-rays and CT scans. Think about the people who run those machines, who are pushed to the front *specifically* in cases when we're worried about COVID, so we can get those important pictures. Essential.

Laboratory techs. These folks handle, process, and report the biosamples - yes, the COVID tests, but so much more - for all our patients, every day they are there. You may not think of them, but they give us the intel we need to take care of the whole patient. Essential.

Information technology support. (If anyone from my hospital is reading this, they're probably like OH THAT WOMAN, WHO CALLS US DAILY.) IT enables and connects all our care functions - diagnosis, treatment, tracking, disposition, documentation, communication. Essential.

Hospital switchboard operators. These are the lovely people of immeasurable patience who serve as the interface between the hospital and the rest of the world, many worried, puzzled, upset, and needing info of all kinds, especially in these times. Invisible. Essential.

{Sorry, have to take another pause, since Twitter is not my actual job. Please do not fret -- I AM NOT DONE YET.}

Hospital chaplains. Always important for spiritual support for patients and their families, they are a particular lifeline during #COVID19, when there is so much isolation from loved ones. And they are a comfort to the hospital staff, too. Essential.

Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT). Illnesses like COVID19 can knock the *heck* out of you, leaving you deconditioned and weak. PT/OT work with patients in the hospital to help them regain mobility and every day function so they can go home. Essential.

Transport services. Transporters take patients from the ER to the floor or unit, to specialized tests & procedures, often patiently standing by when there are delays or last minute changes. They are also pros at dropping reassuring words to patients along the way. Essential.

Security. The hospital is a dynamic, volatile place, & violence is a common occurrence. These folks are on alert & ready to run to the bedside at a moment's notice, 24/7, to keep staff & patients from harm. Essential.