Thursday was different than the typical day for Butler Memorial Hospital staff.

The past year and a half has been especially difficult for our front-line workers — more difficult than anyone outside the field can likely imagine. The COVID-19 pandemic, the illness and death it causes along with its strain on resources has created a stressful environment for workers in hospitals and other health care settings across the country.

According to a research article by Health Affairs, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a drastic drop in total medical and non-COVID-19 related admissions in March 2020. The data, which represents more than 1 million admissions in 201 hospitals in 36 states, shows levels of admissions reached a low in April 2020. They rebounded slowly, leveling off in mid-summer at a level notably lower than admissions were in February 2020 or in mid-summer 2019.

With this data in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising that hospitals and health care providers would now be stretching their resources — particularly staff — thin. There’s those who avoided care before who may more urgently need that care now, but also, there’s still a pandemic going on.

But the scene on Thursday at the Brady Street parking lot in Butler was a happy one. There was “music, laughter and cheers” for the first “Dress for Success” mobile event at the location.

Dress for Success Pittsburgh, a nonprofit organization that supplies gently used, high-end work clothes to women free of charge, had approached the hospital about bringing its mobile store to Butler for health care workers.

The news was shared with staff, and 28 nurses signed up to “shop” at the event. They’d receive new scrubs and be able to choose other clothing and accessories to take home, too.

Kris Bowser, the hospital’s development and event manager, said it went well.

“This is happy,” Bowser said.

And indeed it was. Nurses scanned through racks of clothing at the mobile store — a decked-out boutique bus.

It was a kind thing to do for our front-line workers, but also an event that could alleviate a little bit of stress for them.

Ashley Smith, who works at the hospital said two pairs of scrubs can cost $160, and a nurse should have four or five pairs. As a current student, she said the event was particularly helpful.

Let’s continue to find ways to alleviate stress for our health care workers.

— TAL