Angela Howard, RRT: The Community Has Become Our Family
Angela Howard, RRT, has been a respiratory therapist with Beebe for more than three years. In her career, she has worked as a respiratory therapist for 34 years.
She and her team of respiratory therapists at Beebe have been called to duty during COVID-19 because so many of the patients need respiratory support. During the pandemic, the team changed their shifts to better accommodate the number of patients and the number of teams they needed to also provide support to, which included ICU and Emergency Department. The team began working 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. in order to be available.
"I tell everyone that I love being a respiratory therapist but these last months have been a strain on me and my team here," she said. "I am in awe of all the support we have received. The community and the team at Beebe itself has really done a lot to hold us up and I am so grateful for that."
"I tell my friends and family to wash their hands, then wash them again, and when you think you are done, wash them one more time. And, always wear a mask."
She says she will remember the COVID-19 pandemic as a time when everyone stayed home but also became closer. "I'll remember it as a time when community just became family."
Watch Angela's video ->
