Front-line workers honored with car parade at St. David’s Round Rock

More than 150 cars blared their horns and flashed lights as they drove around the St. David’s Medical Center in Round Rock to honor and encourage front-line workers on May 15.

Car parades have greeted health care workers at the hospital every night for the past eight weeks, said Chief Nursing Officer Tami Taylor. That night’s finale event was was the largest at the hospital.

“It’s been absolutely amazing, for our staff to see the community coming out to support them” Taylor said. “When you’re here 12 hours a day working, it’s nice to see at the end of the day or going into shift people saying thank you.”

The parade also honored Jennifer Leatham, the hospital’s nurse of the year, and Reid Palatiere, primary care technician of the of the year.

Before the pandemic, the World Health Organization designated 2020 as the year of the nurse. Taylor, who has been a nurse for 29 years, said the year did not turned out the way she envisioned. However, the overwhelming support from the community has been heartwarming and inspirational.

“The majority of nurses don’t see themselves as heroes,” she said. “It’s a calling for us. We want to care for people.”

She said she hopes the parade also inspires others in the community.

“We hope kids out there, boys and girls, want to become a nurse in the future and that this inspires them as well,” she said.

For the first time, hospital staff invited first responders from Williamson County EMS, police and firefighters to be honored alongside them.

Mike Knipstein, EMS director, said the event gave first responders a chance to interact with the community during a time when in-person contact is difficult.

“Unfortunately with social distancing, we’re not able to have interaction with the community,” he said. “It’s good for caregivers to see that support from the community and it’s just appreciated with everything going on.”

Knipstein said the pandemic has created an added level of stress for first responders, but the gesture from the community shows they understand.

“It’s an added level of unknown,” he said. “The normal calls don’t stop. The acknowledgment and understanding this is difficult and not normal for us means a lot to our staff.”

Other acts of appreciation were shown at the hospital that week. That morning, members of the 1st Air Cavalry from Fort Hood did a flyover with four helicopters over St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center as a thank you to health care workers. Veterans from the hospital stood outside to salute the pilots.

Taylor said community members also have provided donations and supplied meals for hospital staff nearly every day for the past two months.

“The outpouring from the community has been amazing and it has not gone unnoticed or taken for granted,” she said. “We are so grateful.” https://www.statesman.com/news/20200516/front-line-workers-honored-with-car-parade-at-st-davidrsquos-round-rock