Essential Worker Spotlight – Christyl Swanson

Our veterans are an amazing group. I’m so proud to be a part of their healthcare. It is difficult for me to not shake our veterans’ hands and thank them for their service, something I tried to do with every veteran I came in contact with or even give them a hug when they need it!

My role in healthcare has changed drastically. We have closed our surgery department and I have been reassigned to the Urgent Care. I now work the afternoon shift and also do weekends, which is a big change from my normal Monday – Friday. My new schedule has definitely changed my family dynamics.

I have learned many new skills to make myself more beneficial in the urgent care vs the surgical department.

In surgery we do elective surgery and endoscopes but in urgent care I am seeing veterans in a little more vulnerable position.

My motto in taking care of them has remained the same “treat every veteran and family member the same way I would want my loved ones taken care of” and that has made the change for me easier!

My biggest request to the public is Stay Home!! We have been able to keep our local hospitals relatively quiet, which is good.  We are a small community with limited resources we ALL need to be smart and follow the guidelines the CDC has set for us. People may not like the guidelines, but I promise you they will like the alternative even less.

I understand missing your family, I now drop items off to my parents on their front porch and haven’t seen my daughter or granddaughter in a month. They only live a few blocks from me, but I know that is what is safest for them and our community.