Nancy Bellantoni
Co-Chief Neurodiagnostic Technologist, Neurodiagnostic Center, University Campus
SHARE Rep, Unit-Based Team Union Co-lead
Nancy showing SHARE pride with her (now retired) co-worker Steve.
Everyone has a baseline fear. You’re afraid you are going to contract the virus, and bring it home to your family. People who clean, people who work in food service – we’re all susceptible. I’m not shaking in my boots when I walk in, but there’s always a baseline level of fear.
It’s tough on people, nothing is normal, and at work there’s more stress. You see all the cracks begin to appear. It’s reflected in people’s overall behavior.
COVID Positive Inpatients
Neurodiagnostic Techs do EEGs (some people call them “the brainwave test”), EMGs (peripheral nerve testing) and botox treatments, as well as a few other less common tests.
We’re seeing a lot of pedi cases for EEGs. Doctors want to see an EEG before ordering med changes. And a lot of COVID patients are having strokes, or a seizure, so the doctors want to see an EEG. Neurodiagnostic Techs go into the COVID patient rooms in the ICUs and the floors. It’s weird, it’s now our normal, but we were really afraid at the beginning. As we became used to it, it takes away the fear. We have the PPE we need, and nurses were really excellent helping us suit up, making sure we did it properly, in a certain order.
Click to connect with more SHARE’D Stories
After the Surge, More Outpatients
I can see our department getting busier now. We can’t put off our botox patients any more. (We don’t do cosmetic botox, people always think that.) Patients get botox treatments for severe migraine, or post stroke spasticity, or chronic twitches. Botox can be a miracle for a lot of patients. Like maybe a leg or arm is twisted, and the botox loosens up the limb so it functions better. People’s treatments have been delayed by COVID, and their symptoms revert back – they need their treatments.
The hospital has provided guidelines for reopening: for example, no waiting rooms, no waiting in hallways, the number of people who can be in the lab is limited. I think every department is struggling to figure out how we will move forward in a safe way for all our patients and staff. Working with the union a lot, I’ve learned you have to get everyone together, you all have to have a clear understanding of the goal. Everyone has to be on board.
Doing What Needs to be Done
I’m very proud of our department. In typical fashion, the NDC really pulls together as a unit. We’ve had great leadership from the physicians. We’ve pulled together and done what needs to be done.