‘Ask A Nurse’ Program Gives Free Support to Nonprofit Entities for Safe Re-opening During COVID-19

by Kris Weiss Adams, MSN, CNP

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For the foreseeable future, COVID-19 is here to stay. Knowing that, leaders at Cleveland Clinic have been working hard to educate patients, visitors, businesses, organizations and communities on how to remain vigilant with long-term virus-related health and safety.

In one example, Chief Caregiver Officer K. Kelly Hancock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, and James Merlino, MD, Chief Clinical Transformation Officer, are leading an initiative designed to support nonprofit entities in safely re-opening their doors and maintaining safe public health practices.

The program is called ‘Ask A Nurse’ and it features a team of Cleveland Clinic nurse experts who offer a range of helpful services to community nonprofit and government organizations, including faith-based organizations, congregate housing such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities and homeless shelters, state, county and federal government entities, and 501 3c nonprofits. The program is free to organizations in Cleveland Clinic communities.

Services provided

Cleveland Clinic elected for the program to be nurse-driven because the nursing profession has such a strong reputation of respect, integrity and clinical knowledge among the public. The program’s nurse experts are customer-service oriented and have diverse clinical backgrounds, long-standing Cleveland Clinic experience, established community relationships and experience working with professional organizations.

Examples of services they provide, include:

Environment of care assessments for safe social distancing.
Thermoscanning and managing point of entry.
Handwashing, hygiene and masking etiquette.
Cleaning and disinfection.
Non-emergent transport vehicle use.
Congregate housing issues.
Health care industry management with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) waivers, process and policies.

Cleveland Clinic’s nurse experts are available to nonprofit entities in a variety of ways, per the organization’s request or need for help and support. This may include answering COVID-19 specific questions or providing business safety advice via electronic or phone communication, reviewing an organization’s written re-opening plans and offering feedback on safe and effective business processes, or presenting advice and recommendations in the form of a virtual meeting.

‘Ask A Nurse’ in action

As a member of the ‘Ask A Nurse’ team, I recently participated in a webinar hosted by the Warrensville Heights Area Chamber of Commerce in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, on the topic of how city businesses can safely re-open. By way of a roundtable discussion, I provided recommendations on ways employers can keep both employees and customers safe. For example, I discussed three key takeaways:

Screening
Cleaning
Distance In-between(ing)

I noted that comprehensively incorporating these three things into every business policy will improve the safety of employees and the public. I explained that success requires a consistent and layered approach incorporating a combination of daily employee health checks and temperature screenings, wearing of cloth masks, thorough cleaning and disinfecting with EPA-approved COVID-19 disinfectants, repeated handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, use of hand sanitizer and proper social distancing.

In addition to the Warrensville Heights Area Chamber of Commerce, to date, the ‘Ask a Nurse’ program has also assisted the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland, approximately 200 faith-based organizations, Cleveland-area Head Start locations, local federally qualified health centers, and many other nonprofit and government organizations.

More information

To request the ‘Ask A Nurse’ service for your nonprofit or government organization, or for more information or resources to help you through the key steps of re-opening a business during the COVID-19 pandemic, email employersolutions@ccf.org, call 844.365.7862, or visit clevelandclinic.org/covid19atwork.

In addition to the ‘Ask A Nurse’ program, Cleveland Clinic has developed resources to aid businesses with:

Making sure facilities are fully clean, disinfected and equipped with a blueprint for maintaining safe conditions.
Establishing a support system for employees as they return to work and adjust to new realities and emotional challenges.
Creating a plan for a safe work environment that protects employees and customers from risks connected to COVID-19, including exposure and transmission.

Cleveland Clinic offers numerous re-opening safety guides, including industry-specific guides, as well as printable materials on a wide range of virus-related topics, from stopping the spread of germs to practicing social distancing measures, proper hygiene, and more to help businesses and organizations facilitate a safer working environment.