Hilltoppers,

Thanks to your positive responses, we will continue doing regular interviews with Hilltop staff, clients, and community partners. These interviews are a great way to see how we are doing from an array of different perspectives. Today we speak with Marlys Harman, Hilltop’s registered nurse and key figure in our COVID-19 response team. As both a trained medical professional and a longtime Hilltop employee, Marlys offers a unique perspective.

 

HILLTOP: How does being a trained nurse affect your perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic?

MARLYS:  I am astounded at the lack of PPE nationwide and the ongoing shortages medical communities face. At Hilltop, we are very lucky to have dedicated pandemic and purchasing teams that have worked extremely hard to procure supplies for us to use during these unprecedented times. Adequate PPE supplies ensure we can protect the health and safety of our clients and our employees.

HILLTOP: How has your job changed since Hilltop implemented COVID-19 measures?

MARLYS: Face-to-face meetings with staff, co-workers, conditional employees, and the public are now being done electronically. Personal connections, meetings, and business activities are done via Teams or Zoom. We are limiting human contact by social distancing which is a loss for our clients and staff. There is a loss of incidental knowledge about business activity due to minimized communications.

HILLTOP: How did you feel working from home for so many weeks?

MARLYS: Working from home was challenging for me. Internet connections, remote work stations and programs, lack of phone lines, fax machines and printers that work efficiently were noticeably missing at home.

HILLTOP: Why do you think Hilltop’s precautions and procedures are so important?

MARLYS: Hilltop has three, large assisted living facilities serving populations that are at high risk for complications arising from COVID infection. The majority of non-residential programs provide essential human services. People are our greatest resource and well worth every precaution and protection afforded to them.

HILLTOP: What do you want people to know about staying safe at this time?

MARLYS: Please continue to practice good hygiene by washing hands often and using hand sanitizer when you can’t wash. Practice social distancing, limit exposure to all crowds if possible. Wear a face mask when you are outside your home. Protect your children and loved ones. Be thoughtful of others.

HILLTOP: What do you miss most during the current Safe At Home orders?

MARLYS: I miss hugs and handshakes. Seeing people smile with their whole face and not just their eyes. I miss my co-workers and being able to compassionately touch someone on their arm during times of grief, stress, and joy.

HILLTOP: What kinds of things are you doing now for fun and relaxation?

MARLYS: I am blessed to have a close family and grandkids. We are building forts and campfires, and cooking hot dogs on sticks. Spring time on a farm keeps us pretty busy chasing cows and irrigating.

HILLTOP: Looking to the future, what are you most worried about?

MARLYS: The uncertainty of how long this will last. The urgent need to develop a vaccine within the next year to protect ourselves, our families, and everyone we care for.

HILLTOP: What are you most hopeful about?

MARLYS: People are strong and resilient. We will get through these troubling times. Some things will change from what we knew and some things will be better for it. I’m hopeful we will develop a deeper appreciation for each other and the world we live in.

 

Thank you Marlys for sharing your insights and wisdom, you are an invaluable part of the Hilltop family. If you know someone who would make a good interview for your fellow Hilltoppers, please send a note to Mike Green at mikeg@htop.org

Together, we got this.

Mike