Department of Anesthesiology Responds to COVID-19 Pandemic

This article will be updated with relevant department information regarding the global COVID-19 pandemic as it becomes available. For an exhaustive list of UNMC’s COVID-19 pandemic response, please visit the COVID-19 Resources webpage.
 
 
As the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the world in ever-changing ways, the Department of Anesthesiology is responding dynamically with alignment of UNMC, Nebraska Medicine, state and federal government organizations, and the World Health Organization guidelines to protect our communities. Here you’ll find brief and relevant updates of the department’s ongoing plans to fulfill its mission to deliver high-quality and compassionate medical care, provide premier educational programs and perform innovative research, even through a global pandemic.
 
What we are doing for our patients:

  • Department members are educated regularly on our processes to care for patients whose status is positive, negative or unknown for COVID-19. Our team is prepped for a surge of COVID-19 cases.
  • To provide the best patient care utilizing the latest knowledge on COVID-19, we created a department-wide communication platform that utilizes secure, universally accessible data storage systems. Multiple department leaders utilize this platform to educate all department members in real time. Information shared includes updated clinical care regulations, instructions for donning and doffing PPE, the latest research and more.
  • The critical care division remains a leader in Nebraska Medicine's ICUs and the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. 

 
What we are doing for our trainees:

  • Department educational leaders designed and implemented a plan to educate students, residents and fellows via the Learning Portal, a secure, online digital learning platform.
  • Faculty have access to online meeting and classroom platforms to continue trainee education.
  • Experts are developing curriculum to educate all faculty, trainees, and CRNAs on clinical preparation for COVID-19

 
What we are doing for our faculty and staff:

  •  Department members abide by enterprise policies and guidelines regarding professional and personal travel. All in-person meetings have been moved to the video conferencing platform, Zoom. Department leaders who must meet on campus abide by social distancing guidelines.
  • Non-essential department employees are working from home.

 
 
Our Department in the News:

CLINICAL INNOVATIONS

  • Novel Intubation Boxes
    • On April 6, the Omaha World-Herald, UNMC and Nebraska Medicine featured the work of Thomas Schulte, M.D., and colleagues for their novel intubation box that allows for ample movement while protecting healthcare workers from coronavirus and other dangerous pathogens.
      • On April 30, KETV reported that UNMC sent these novel intubation boxes to New York City where one anesthesiologist working in a Bronx hospital significantly impacted by the pandemic called them a "gift from god."
  • Safe Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)
  • Infectious Aerosol Capture Mask (IACM)

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

RESEARCH

COMMUNITY SUPPORT