Creating and Managing a COVID+ Inpatient Psychiatric Unit
During this Mental Health Awareness Month, we’ll be spotlighting how the behavioral health care system is adapting to the unique challenges of providing inpatient psychiatric care during a pandemic. Join the team from UMass Memorial Health Care system’s Psychiatric Treatment and Recovery Center (PTRC) to learn about creating, operating, and managing a dedicated COVID+ psychiatric unit. The team will discuss key issues such as: making the decision to become a COVID+ unit, operationalizing the conversion, care and treatment of both patients and staff, delivery and management of patient care, and infection control and cohorting potential. As the state begins to transition to a two-tiered system for all psychiatric units, insights, and best practices from the PTRC will be shared on how to implement a COVID+ unit.
FACULTY:
Patrick Smallwood, M.D., Vice Chair of Adult Psychiatry Clinical Services
Patrick Smallwood, M.D. is the Vice Chair of Adult Clinical Service for the entire UMass Memorial Health Care Department of Psychiatry. He oversees all the different behavioral and mental health locations and levels of care, from traditional outpatient, emergency mental health services to inpatient settings throughout the system. He brings significant expertise in clinical mental health administration and operations to help round out various project teams with clinical and operations depth.
John Sullivan, M.D., Interim Medical Director
John F. Sullivan, M.D. is Interim Medical Director of the Psychiatric Recovery and Treatment Center (PTRC) and an Attending Psychiatrist at UMass Memorial Medical Center. He is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at UMass Medical School, and is board certified in Psychiatry and in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry.
Candy Szymanski, MS, RN, Associate Chief Nursing Officer
Candra Szymanski is currently the Associate Chief Nursing Officer for Emergency and Psychiatric Service at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Candra, a Registered Nurse has oversight for clinical operations of the University and Memorial Campus Emergency Departments, Clinical Decision Unit, Psychiatric Treatment Center, 8 East, Emergency Mental Health, Life Flight and UMass Memorial Emergency Medical Service. She received her graduate degree and post master’s certificate from the University of Massachusetts, Worcester Campus.
Michael Sansone, RNC, CNML, MHA, Nurse Manager
Michael Sansone has 24 years of inpatient psychiatric nursing experience working with children, adolescents and adult inpatient psychiatric population. He holds bachelor’s degrees in aviation and nursing and a Masters degree in healthcare administration. He is currently studying for a psychiatric NP degree.
Azalea Wedig, BS, CIC, Infection Preventionist
Azalea Wedig is a certified Infection Preventionist with 15 years of experience at the community and academic level setting.
Date: Thursday, May 28
Time: 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. EDT
Location: WEBINAR (Dial in info will be sent on Tuesday)
PLEASE PRE-REGISTER HERE: