Behind the Scenes: The Emergency Manager Ensuring Continuity of Care for Veterans

Jim Jenkins, a 22-year Air Force Veteran and the emergency manager for VA NWIHCS dedicates his days to ensuring that the healthcare system is prepared for any crisis that may arise.

With a background that includes a similar role to that of his time with the Department of Defense, Jenkins brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his position at VA NWIHCS. 

"As a 22-year Air Force Veteran, I wanted to support our Veterans," Jenkins said, explaining his decision to join the VA team. "I also looked forward to an increased challenge because of the NWI's geographical span, facility complexities, and having sole responsibility of preparedness and resilience programs."

Jenkins' role is critical in maintaining the continuity of care for Veterans, no matter the circumstances. "Emergency management continually cycles through four distinct phases: Preparedness, Response, Recovery, and Mitigation," he said. "During a typical day, most of my time is focused on the preparedness phase. This includes contingency planning, staff training, and organizational readiness."

However, Jenkins is always ready to respond when an emergency strikes. "If we have a major weather event, unplanned utility failure, or incident that impacts our operations, I immediately transition to the response phase," he said.

One of the most significant challenges Jenkins has faced in his role was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. "During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our multiple disciplined NWI Covid-19 Task Force met three times per day, seven days per week for several weeks," he recalled. "Our team developed NWI strategies to continue critical medical capabilities through the pandemic."

The task force initially focused on response until local COVID-19 transmissions began to lessen. "From there, we began transitioning to incremental recovery," Jenkins said. 

This phased included reopening services, bringing staff back into VANWIHCS’ hospitals and clinics, and eventually lessening (masking and other personal protective equipment) requirements for staff and patients. I'm very proud of how our Task Force safely led all our operating locations through the pandemic."

Jenkins' role extends far beyond the walls of VA NWIHCS. As the lead for the regional National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Federal Coordinating Center, he plays a crucial role in coordinating patient evacuation and reception operations during natural disasters or overseas conflicts.

"During a natural disaster or overseas conflict, patients may need evacuation from a disaster/war area to Offutt Air Force Base or Eppley Airfield," Jenkins said. "Patients arriving in a region are then dispersed to one of our 21 local NDMS participating hospitals. (Emergency Management (EM)) has a role in coordinating with multiple government agencies and (nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)). This includes building local partnerships, planning patient reception operations, and manning the patient reception site 24/7."

To maintain community awareness of NDMS, Jenkins and his team meet monthly with community stakeholders and conduct annual exercises, ensuring that everyone is prepared to respond effectively in the event of a crisis.

It’s a role well-suited to Jenkins’ unique skills and experiences, said Omaha VA Associate Director Jennifer Rosenbalm.

"Jim’s impact on our organization goes far beyond typical emergency management exercises. Jim, is a collaborator and has established relationships across the health care system and community partners, allowing him to successfully lead any incident alongside the Hospital Incident Command Team, for both planned and unplanned events," said Rosenbalm. 

"I have learned so much by observing Jim’s work in all areas of emergency management, and I am always impressed with his expertise, flexibility, and commitment to keeping our Veterans and our staff safe."

Jenkins said that one of his most memorable operations was the mass vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. "As the COVID-19 vaccines became available, EM helped coordinate mass vaccination lines or Point of Dispensing (PODs)," he said. These PODs were utilized for staff mass vaccinations. Similar principals were implemented for Veteran mass vaccinations, and eventually, this included dependent spouses."

The impact of these efforts was far-reaching. "We developed a POD traveling team who deployed several times throughout Iowa and Nebraska, vaccinating thousands of Veterans in rural communities," Jenkins shared proudly. "Our unique mass vaccinating processes, outreach, team memberships, and motivation resulted in NWI being ranked fourth nationally for all VA number of vaccinations provided."

For Jenkins, the most fulfilling aspect of his work is knowing that he is making a tangible difference in the lives of Veterans. "I believe there are only two basic jobs in NWI: Staff who provide patient care and everyone else who supports that staff," he said. “My role is to consider our vulnerabilities and various scenarios, then develop strategies to maintain a safe environment and minimize impact on patient care."

Jenkins' success in his role is due in no small part to the outstanding partnerships he has formed within VA NWIHCS. "I'm very fortunate to have such outstanding partnerships," he said. "Nursing Service continues to provide incredible support to NWI Emergency Management. I work very closely with Police Services on active shooter exercises and the Telephone Operators, who are the cornerstone of our initial response system."

He also praised the Incident Command teams in Grand Island and Omaha, which provide invaluable support and leadership when activated. "Their primary goal is to restore normal operations and do an outstandingly great job," Jenkins said.

Another critical component of Jenkins' work is the Cadre team, a group of VA NWIHCS volunteers who respond to contingency operations. "Our Cadre team is a group of NWI who volunteer to respond to contingency operations," he said. "They may activate for mass casualty, patient evacuation, mass vaccinating, and an NDMS activation. I feel privileged to be a member of both Incident Command and Cadre!"

Jenkins reflected on his work's profound impact on Veterans' lives. "Helping to ensure a safe and secure healthcare system and planning for events which may endanger Veterans is the most direct way my work enriches their lives," he said. "Simply understanding my roles and responsibilities and how EM positively impacts NWI medical readiness/resilience gives me the confidence that we can successfully meet future challenges as they present."