These Are the Nurses Fighting COVID-19 in the Country’s Hardest-Hit Hospitals

Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts

As a child, whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I was older, my answer was always a nurse. I’ve now been a nurse for six years and it’s been incredibly rewarding. I currently work at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where I’ve served as a medical cardiology nurse for two years. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, however, I’ve been temporarily relocated to a COVID-19 ICU to help with the growing demand.

It’s hard to imagine what goes on inside a COVID-19 unit unless you’re there living it. The patients I’ve had the privilege of caring for are fighters. Being told you are about to have a breathing tube placed, that you will be sedated in order for us to save your life, is devastating, and quite frankly, scary news. Despite all of that, they put their trust in us, and that pushes me harder to do my best for them. The healthcare staff is all these patients have during this pandemic, with no friends or family being allowed at the bedside. My role goes beyond being their nurse, and I become their hand to hold and shoulder to cry on. When I get to watch a COVID-19 survivor go home to her three children, it makes it all worth it.

Please support the needs of those in your communities, stay at home, and practice social distancing. Nurses love what they do but never imagined a pandemic of this magnitude. We may put on a brave face under our protective equipment when we are about to enter our patient’s rooms, but we are humans too and share the same fears and anxieties as you during these unprecedented times.

St. James Parish Hospital
Lutcher, Louisiana

I’ve been nursing for 12 years and working at St. James for the last 8 years—it’s a small rural hospital in my hometown. There have been many times where I’ve taken care of somebody that I know. It adds another layer of stress to the job, but I also think it makes the work mean that much more.

Working as an ER nurse during the pandemic is almost like going to war. I do it so that my family can stay safe. I do it because if I don’t, nobody else will. I have a wife, four boys, and my first baby girl on the way, so I do what I do to protect them.

I’m more afraid of bringing the virus home to my family than I am of getting it myself. We set up a routine very early on where I come home, kick off my shoes, and strip in the garage, then my wife holds the door open for me so I really don’t have to touch anything while I go straight to the bathroom to hit the shower. After I finish, that’s when I come out to give everyone hugs and kisses.

You only have one life, so I believe you should treat it properly. Listen to the CDC’s recommendations and also to the local authorities. Be responsible. And whenever a nurse treats you, a simple thank you goes a long way.

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital
Albany, Georgia

I’m a newly minted nurse and while it’s been kind of chaotic coming into the pandemic fresh out of school, I’m happy to be able to help these patients. I’ve been at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital since February. I work in the Acute Care II unit. Our unit has adjusted to the chaos very well and I feel truly blessed to serve in this time of need.

Someone gave me a coin with a Bible verse from Luke 4:10 that really hit home: “He will command his angels to guard you in all your ways.” We truly are our patients’ angels, we are all that they have right now and we are their biggest advocates. I love being there for my patients and being able to hold their hands while they are fighting through this. I want each patient to know that they are loved and are being cared for with the best that we’ve got.

I keep my spirits up by reminding myself to be positive and bring laughter and light to everyone I meet. I draw a smiley face on my gown to show that I’m smiling underneath all my PPE.

Take this time to self-isolate and enjoy the slowdown with loved ones. Don’t take this time for granted. And one more thing: wash your hands.

Elmhurst Hospital Center
Queens, New York

I actually started my career working in a nursing home on a ventilator unit. I did that for about a year and then I joined the team at Elmhurst, where I’ve been for about 15 years now. I’m the head nurse at the Women’s Pavilion, our outpatient clinic offering OB-GYN and prenatal services. But since the pandemic hit I’ve also been working in the COVID-19 testing tent.

In the morning we huddle to talk about our challenges, about staying positive, and what we can do to make our day a little bit easier. There’s comfort in being with someone that you are comfortable with. Many outpatient services have shut down due to the pandemic, and I’ve had to reassign a lot of my staff to other areas of the hospital. So just being together helps them.

The overall cohesiveness that’s occurring throughout the city is something I’ve never seen before, and I’m hopeful that when all this is over we can keep that community spirit alive. We’re creating a new normal in the way we do everything. There are so many innovative ways to provide healthcare that will reduce crowds and maintain social distancing rules so that everyone can be protected, both the patients and the healthcare workers.

Memorial Hospital Pembroke
Pembroke Pines, Florida

A big reason why I got into nursing is the responsibility I feel to provide help, whether that ultimately benefits patients, co-workers, my family, or humankind. It’s what drives me. I’ve been a nurse for 15 years and am currently in critical care at Memorial Hospital Pembroke. I work in the ICU, ER, as a preceptor, and relief charge nurse, but lately my unit has cared for COVID-19 patients.

The world is full of great people. I choose to focus on the good in all of them.

This experience has reinforced the importance of family and how something you ordinarily take for granted can be taken away in an instant. As we’re speaking, no one is currently able to visit, but we connect patients and families to video chat on iPads and all their faces light up.

We’re all only as strong as our weakest link. So whether that’s a nursing unit or the community we live in, it’s everyone’s job to help each other grow and develop. Side by side, we can tackle anything.

It’s natural that people are afraid during this time. But negativity isn’t helping anyone, especially those of us making sacrifices away from our families while we care for yours.

Henry Ford Hospital
Detroit, Michigan

I knew nursing was my calling after shadowing in my local emergency department while majoring in human biology at Michigan State. After obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Detroit Mercy, I've worked in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital for six years.

“Don’t Stop Believing” is the mantra I’ve adopted. It’s also the title of the Journey song my hospital plays each time a COVID-19 patient is discharged. It’s a daily reminder that we are making progress and we will get past this!

Patient interactions are the reason I love what I do so much. Being able to have in-depth conversations with people from all walks of life is eye-opening and inspiring. Being able to help, care for, comfort, and empathize with these individuals and hear their stories gives me hope that our humanity will not be lost in a time of separation and social distancing.

One of the reasons I know we will come out of this pandemic stronger than before is the creative ways we have found to visit from a distance. The thoughtfulness and the “alone together” mentality of drive-by birthday parades, visiting nursing home residents through glass windows, and music playing in cities throughout the world will get us through and beyond.

University of Chicago Medicine
Chicago, Illinois

I’ve been a nurse for 17 years. I graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2003 and emigrated to the United States in 2006. I started my nursing career as a cardiac telemetry nurse and eventually transitioned to working as an ICU/CV-ICU nurse. I’ve been with the University of Chicago for four years and currently work on the hospital’s first specially designated unit for COVID-19 patients.

I keep my spirits up by being positive. It's important to me to stay healthy, exercise, and pray before I start my shift.

Never lose hope. Hope is the bridge to life’s positive outcomes.

This job gives me hope because of the appreciation and love I get from my patients and co-workers. I get inspired when I see my patients getting better. It makes me happy to see patients being discharged home to finally reunite with their loved ones.

I believe we have hope for the future when empathy, care and love reign in each individual’s heart. We can help one another to bring out the best version of ourselves.

Bellevue Hospital
New York, New York

I’ve always wanted to be in nursing but life took me in several other directions first: medical education and laboratory medicine. Since completing my BSN ten years ago, I’ve been fortunate to be able to incorporate all of the skills I've acquired from my other jobs into my professional practice. Currently, I’m the head nurse of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Bellevue Hospital. I’ve been here for three years.

My mantra is “Hope springs eternal.” In all situations, hope is key, whether your patient is transitioning towards wellness or needs comfort in their hour of need. Hope is always the main ingredient for a successful outcome.

I keep my spirits up with the strength of friends, family, and God. A little music and a day off don’t hurt either.

My patients give me hope because they didn’t plan to be sick and didn’t choose where they’d receive care or who’d take care of them. I have to earn their trust with every encounter. It doesn’t come easy, but when you get that patient or that family member to believe in your caring abilities, it’s truly rewarding.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay strong in spirit. Look after each other. There’s great reward in hearing “thank you.”

Margaret Mary Health
Batesville, Indiana

It’s rewarding to me to know I’m serving my community. I’ve been a nurse for three years but have worked at Margaret Mary Health for a total of five years. During the first two years, I worked as a nurse aide while earning my RN degree from Good Samaritan College of Nursing in Cincinnati. My mom always told me I would make a good nurse because I like to help people. I work in the community hospital’s medical-surgical and special-care inpatient units.

When COVID-19 ramped up in our area, it was a scary time. We didn’t know what to expect. Seeing one of our first patients recover from the virus gave my team hope. Every milestone was exciting. We celebrated the day she was taken off the ventilator. We helped her FaceTime with her family and eventually get strong enough to get out of bed. After she was discharged, her family later gave me a badge clip with the word “hope” on it. I wear it every day.

I lean on my coworkers a lot to keep my spirits up. We celebrate our successes with each other and cry together when we need to cry. When you live and work in a small community, it’s common to have ties with your patients. In some ways, this makes us closer because we’re all connected.

Being a nurse is already rewarding, but the appreciation our community has shown during this time has been amazing. We’ve received cards, hand-written notes, food, and handmade face masks. A friend of mine who is overseas in the army thanked me for my service to our patients. It meant a lot to me to know he respected me in the same way I respect him for his service to our country.

UnityPoint Health Allen Hospital
Waterloo, Iowa

I wanted to be a nurse ever since I experienced my brother having leukemia. I went to his appointments with him and really respected all the care that he was given and wanted to bless others the way he was blessed. I have been a nurse for a little more than ten years. I started as an LPN working in long-term care facilities before becoming an RN.

Watching people come in so broken down and defeated, and by the time they're discharged they're completely different people gives me hope. They are happier and so appreciative of the care that I had a hand in giving.

I keep my spirits up by remembering my goal remains the same as it is every other day of my life. I want to continue to be a positive ray of sunshine that brightens someone else’s day.

During this COVID-19 thing, when you can’t be with your loved ones or hug anyone, it just brings to light how important it is and how much we take it for granted. We need to show our loved ones that we care about them.

Tell a healthcare worker or anybody who is close to you how much they matter. Sometimes the only thing somebody needs is a little encouragement or appreciation.

University of Washington Medical Center Montlake Campus
Seattle, Washington

I decided I wanted to be a nurse after I was in a car accident at age 16. I experienced the whole flow of emergency care, and all of the caring healthcare workers I encountered—from the paramedics who pulled me out of the car to the emergency department staff— left a mark on my soul. I decided I wanted to be that person for others. I will have been working as a nurse at the University of Washington Medical Center Montlake Campus for almost five years. I currently work in the Emergency Department.

I keep my spirits up by staying as lighthearted as possible with coworkers. We work in a chaotic environment and a smile or words of kindness can go a long way.

What I have personally witnessed is people banding together and doing their part, and I believe that is how we will get through this. I saw how my department and emergency departments throughout the city prepared for the absolute worst-case scenario with grace and flexibility. I had so many people reach out and ask how they could volunteer to help or give needed supplies. I have also seen the notes left in my apartment complex offering to buy groceries for those who are most vulnerable so they don’t risk exposure. Acts of kindness, big and small, make a difference.

The golden rule is as golden now as it ever was. Love your neighbor.

DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital
Detroit, Michigan

My first job in the healthcare field was as a resident assistant at a long-term care facility. That position made me realize I wanted to do something more hands-on. I took a course at a trade school and became a patient-care associate at DMC Sinai-Grace a little more than 23 years ago, and I went on to obtain my nursing degree in 2004. Currently, I work on a post-surgical unit that has been converted to a unit dedicated to caring for COVID-19 patients.

It makes my heart smile that even at their sickest, when they can hardly speak, so many patients thank me over and over again. I’ve been there for patients who have progressed enough to be discharged home, and I've also been there for some as they took their last breath.

I believe we hope for the future because I see things getting better. The number of patient admissions is decreasing and the number of patient discharges is increasing.

The outpouring of love and support from the community—and the whole country, for that matter—is overwhelming and greatly appreciated. It makes it easier to face each shift. If I could ask for anything else it would be for people to continue to follow the social-distancing guidelines so that we won’t have to go through this again.