Banner brings in nurses from Arizona

GREELEY — Phoenix-based Banner Health, which owns North Colorado Medical Center is Greeley, has brought in additional nurses from Phoenix to help out in anticipation of a surge of COVID-19 patients.

On Sunday, 10 nurses from three Banner hospitals in the Phoenix area  arrived in Greeley to serve a two-week assignment. 

The nurses traveled on a private jet made available by Swift Transportation, a trucking company that also operates Swift Aviation.

Patti Farmer, human resources business partner for Banner Health Western Region, said being a part of a large health-care system makes it possible to shift resources where they are needed most. As of Sunday afternoon, 2,307 cases of COVID-19 had been identified in Colorado with 326 people hospitalized. Forty-seven had died as of Sunday, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Meanwhile, Arizona had 919 cases and 17 deaths, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Banner Health hospitals in Greeley, Fort Collins and Loveland all currently are treating patients who have tested positive or are awaiting results of COVID-19 and have enacted surge plans to increase capacity for critical care services. 

“The thing that has been the most exciting about this is being able to tell our team which is working hard right now that because we’re part of a larger system, we can get these resources so quickly,” Farmer said. “I’m blown away.” 

on Facebook on LinkedIn