There's a operating joke within the Emergency Division at Penn State Well being Holy Spirit Medical Middle.
November 5, 2024
If one thing's going loopy or there's a flood of sufferers bursting by way of the emergency room doorways, it's most likely taking place below Keith Littlewood's watch, and the 59-year-old nurse and U.S. navy veteran is able to deal with any chaos.
“Fortuitously, he’s very calm and grounded and all the time handles difficult conditions very nicely,” stated Kristen Mariani, nurse supervisor of the Emergency Division at Holy Spirit Medical Middle. “Holding calm in high-stress conditions may be very useful for the whole group as a result of they see Keith as a useful resource, as somebody to information them within the unit.”
Littlewood admits he likes to calm the chaos. He has embraced it all through his life, whether or not as a part-time nurse on the evening shift, as a lieutenant colonel within the Pennsylvania Air Nationwide Guard or as a volunteer firefighter.
“Within the navy, disaster administration is an enormous a part of the coaching we obtain. So I've had extra expertise than lots of people I work with simply because I do navy service and nursing,” stated Littlewood, who lives in Enola along with his spouse of 23 years, who can also be a nurse. “That skill to handle a disaster is necessary so we are able to do what we have to do within the emergency room. And hopefully I’ll be capable to present a few of that have and mentorship to folks.”
In October, a affected person turned unruly within the emergency room, and Littlewood instantly stepped in to assist his much less skilled coworkers. He managed to calm the state of affairs by standing between the affected person and his co-workers throughout what was a contentious second.
“He’s all the time prepared to step in and assist,” Mariani stated. “I simply assume it's wonderful.”
A veteran at maintaining issues organized
Littlewood has served within the navy for 43 years, first becoming a member of the Military Nationwide Guard at age 17. He labored as a civilian paramedic/emergency medical technician and ultimately returned to high school to earn his nursing diploma. In 2001, Littlewood accepted a full-time administrative place with the 193rd Particular Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air Nationwide Guard and is at the moment a logistics readiness squadron commander, supervising 140 staff.
In his navy function, Littlewood makes positive folks and tools are the place they’re alleged to be, whether or not regionally or abroad. He brings those self same organizational abilities to Holy Spirit Medical Middle.
“Within the emergency room, you get these 4 or 5 sufferers from a automobile accident or one affected person after one other after one other. You handle it, that turns into order and that’s an achievement,” Littlewood stated. “It feels good to be a part of a group that may do this.”
Just lately, Mariani stated the emergency room was full and there was an overflow of sufferers. Littlewood took management, prioritizing instances and making certain everybody was seen as rapidly as attainable.
“Each one in every of our beds was for sufferers and we nonetheless had sufferers within the ready room that wanted to be seen,” he stated. “And Keith was capable of assist facilitate look after these sufferers. So I believed, 'After all, this occurs while you're in cost.'”
Keith Littlewood prepares to throw his fight boots into the “Boot Chandelier” in Kuwait in April 2024. In response to navy custom, if the boots stay within the chandelier, it means he won’t be despatched there once more.
Teamwork within the service and in emergencies
Littlewood is one in every of a whole bunch of veterans employed by Penn State Well being, which has acquired numerous honors for its assist of navy service personnel, together with Vets Indexes Acknowledged Employer honors in 2023 and 2024. Littlewood stated he can typically inform who He has navy expertise at Holy Spirit. Medical Middle for the way in which they carry themselves and the way in which they combine seamlessly into group duties, a vital ability in navy missions.
“A number of veterans work right here, however you most likely wouldn't know that half of them are veterans as a result of they're very quiet about it,” Littlewood stated. “I stroll the halls and I do know who they’re as a result of there’s something about navy service that you could determine in folks with out even having to ask. “Most of us get pleasure from teamwork and that’s a part of the rationale we do what we do within the hospital.”
Littlewood stated he has all the time appreciated the camaraderie throughout the Emergency Division at Holy Spirit Medical Middle, the place he has labored for 10 years. He valued the assist of his coworkers whereas deployed from September 2023 to April 2024 at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
Penn State Well being stored Littlewood's job ready for him throughout that point, and members of the emergency division stayed in contact by way of letters and emails whereas he was away. As a present of gratitude, when Littlewood returned, he offered the employees with a United States flag that flew throughout missions to Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. It’s proudly displayed within the division's essential workplace.
“He confirmed up at our employees assembly and stated, 'Hey, earlier than we begin, I’ve one thing.' And he simply pulled this out of a bag and we have been speechless,” Mariani stated. “It was so surprising. It’s a nice honor that you’ve given us this flag.
“There have been positively tears, on our half, however not on him,” she added, laughing.
Penn State Well being Navy Depart Coverage
Penn State Well being staff who serve within the navy obtain employment rights, advantages and different provisions as specified within the Uniform Providers Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. Navy go away is offered to all full- and part-time staff who’ve accomplished no less than at some point of employment with Penn State Well being, who carry out voluntary or involuntary duties in service, and are required to be absent from work resulting from that service. Full-time staff are eligible to obtain 15 days of pay per calendar 12 months for work time misplaced resulting from uniformed service. Half-time and PRN staff will not be eligible to obtain navy pay.
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