Unsung Heroes: Hanah Schelde, RRT
When respiratory therapist Hanah Schelde moved to North Texas in 2017 from Galveston to be closer to her newborn nephew, she quickly found a home at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth.
“He was born here at Southwest and I was like, this is a nice hospital. I wonder if they’re hiring?” Hanah recalled. “They were and so it all worked out.”
But after two and a half years and obtaining her Master of Business Administration degree, Hanah decided she was ready for a change. When an onboarding navigator position opened up in the hospital’s HR department last year, Hanah applied and was selected.
Working in the same hospital allowed Hanah to still cross paths with all of her respiratory therapy friends.
“When you change jobs, it’s almost like a break-up so it was nice because I really didn’t have to go through that and I still got to further my career with Texas Health,” she said.
Longing to help
But seven months into her new job, the COVID-19 pandemic began weighing heavily on Hanah. After all, her respiratory therapy colleagues and friends had always been there to support her, including when her house burned down a couple of years ago.
“I would see my old coworkers in their full PPE, it just broke my heart,” Hanah said. “I know they have small children at home or they’re taking care of their parents who are elderly. It was really hard to sit behind a desk knowing that I have the proper training to help them.”
She said she also longed to be there for the patients.
“Especially now that they don’t have any visitors, I know the mental toll that can take on our patients,” Hanah said.
Listening to her calling
With her licensure still active, Hanah decided to transfer back to respiratory therapy. She’ll start back in respiratory therapy in less than two weeks and says she’s nervous but excited to be part of the team again.
“It was a hard decision; there are some people who don’t understand it,” Hanah said. “Some of my family members weren’t super excited that I decided to leave the safety of my little quarantine to go back to the front lines, so to speak. But I just felt like it was the right thing to do.”
Leanna Nalley, Human Resources officer for Texas Health Southwest, said she wasn’t surprised when Hanah told her the news.
“She’s that kind of person and in my eyes, a true hero,” Leanna said. “She is the ideal person that Texas Health wants working with patients. While we will miss her in the Human Resources department, we know she will be making a greater difference during these challenging times.”
By Deanna Boyd Spangler • Posted April 8, 2020
