Heroes of Atlantic Cape

I work at the epicenter of this whole outbreak in New York City. It's an experience unlike any I’ve encountered in the past. I work in the Neonatal ICU at Bellevue Hospital, and we have COVID-19 positive patients and COVID-19 positive nurses. We are, as you probably already know, being asked to reuse our N95 mask for the day and in-between patients. We were also asked to reuse our gowns for the entire shift (save to the side until we re-enter COVID+ rooms). We are losing nurses left and right (due to being sick). The same staff is being asked to come in for overtime help. Because of this, the exhaustion is REAL. Today, we lost a nurse on our unit from COVID-19. After a brief moment to ourselves, we continued to work. Every day is just a mixture of emotions - sadness, exhaustion, anger, fear, stress, anxiety, etc. Everything. Bellevue is the oldest public hospital, and its clientele is broad and open to all walks of life. We treat anyone who walks through our doors regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. So naturally, we see A LOT here. It's humbling. There's a makeshift morgue in our backyard, and it's filling up pretty quickly. New York City feels very eerie at times. The streets are empty. All the businesses are closed. People are scared, confused, and bored. I wish those who are able to read this, know how fortunate and lucky they are to be alive and safe. I know there's a light somewhere at the end of all this. There are times when I can sense a feeling of "togetherness" around me. It gives me a little spark of hope. There's a lot of uncertainty right now, but we're all in this together. It's important that we support each other in every way we can, and do our part in this pandemic.

I am currently enrolled in a BSN program at Rutgers -- should complete by next year! Other than my Atlantic Cape degree, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology from Rutgers in 2014.

"My department is currently testing medications to determine their effectiveness on COVID-19 patients. We suspect medications used to treat SARS can be effective. We have also noticed that men are dying at significantly higher rates than females. We are also testing the idea that --estrogen-- might provide an extra layer of protection. I collect data, blood serum samples, analyze patient's electronic medical records and discuss the findings with those leading the studies.

Here is her #NJCCHeroes Story:

I am currently working with other teachers to teach our middle school students in distance learning through many online platforms.   We are hosting Zoom meetings to have face-to-face time with our students that is closely aligned to their normal classroom experience.  We have all of our assignments posted on Google Classroom. We offer many ways for students to contact us throughout the social day hours. They can contact us via Google Classroom, Gmail, Google Hangouts, and by phone through Google Voice.  Today, the students were "off from school" while the teachers had a professional development day.

I spent the day watching webinars to help me be the best online teacher that I can be.   I also started my journey to becoming a Google Certified Educator!  I miss seeing my students in our classroom every day. But I am glad that there are so many online programs that I can incorporate into my distance learning classroom.  It is beneficial for students to be able to check in with me and see their classmates online through Zoom.   It is also important for teachers to implement tools like this to help maintain our connection with our students. That way we can still encourage and support their learning. I earned my bachelor's degree at Stockton University, and I just graduated in December 2019!  I am so lucky to have quickly gained employment at an amazing school.

"Since COVID has happened I have experienced so many different emotions.   I remember first hearing about the coronavirus in January when I was in a patient's room.   Never did I imagine that we would be where we are today.   I have been experiencing what they are calling 'pre-traumatic stress disorder' for healthcare workers.   I am usually a very calm and positive person who never has had a panic attack in her life.  I experienced one for the first time while home laying in bed.   I have experienced a great deal of anxiety leading up to my work days.   When I am at work the stress level is at an all-time high.   Our unit has been trying to stay positive with music and comfort food we all have been bringing in.   It has been very hard to watch these patients crash out of nowhere.   We have been having almost 3-4 rapid response calls a day for the COVID positive med-surg patients.   It has been very isolating for the nurses as well as the patients to be in these isolation rooms.   It is ungodly hot and uncomfortable with all of the PPE we are wearing.   At times we are in these rooms for 4 hours straight with no relief.   We use baby monitors and whiteboards/windows while in the patient rooms to communicate with each other.   This conserves PPE and limits exposure.   At times it is hard to make that personal connection with the patients. They are so heavily sedated or paralyzed because they are intubated and proned.   I miss the interactions I had with patients’ visitors, comforting them when their loved ones lay critical in a bed.   Now I can only comfort them over the phone. I assure them that I will be there for their loved one. I will hold their hand or watch them take their last breath.   I have the fear of taking this home to my small children.   When I come home they want to hug me and I can no longer do that.   I work in fear constantly that I will contract the virus. It is so prevalent in our patient population and even coworkers now.   It is something I have never experienced before and will definitely always be affected by and remember.   I never realized how important nurses are and I have been one since 2013.   The outpouring of love and appreciation we are receiving has been very motivating.  Many units within our own organization have sent care packages and written messages to life each other up.  It has definitely unified us and shown the world what is really important in life.   I have to thank Atlantic Cape.   I always commend my instructors and the program.   They prepared my class so well.  They helped me with the foundations and basic knowledge to build on and become the nurse I am today.   I am proud to be a critical care nurse. I will continue to fight for my patients when they cannot fight anymore."

I was frightened of the unknown when being informed that our unit would become the designated COVID-19 “rule out” floor. Two weeks later, I can express how grateful I am to be in the frontlines serving and treating our community. I am receiving amazing daily support from our hospital leaders. They assure us that our safety and the provision of personal protective equipment will be one of their biggest priorities. In the midst of supply shortages around the world and in our nation, we’ve witnessed the kindness of our humanity. Businesses who are closed have donated packaged surgical masks and other personal protective equipment to hospitals. More than ever, we promote a culture of support and family on our unit. We assure one another that together we are stronger, and this too shall pass one day. What is meant to divide will only bring humanity closer and stronger.

"In addition to being an ICU nurse at Cape Regional, I'm a respiratory triage nurse at another local hospital. This was a position that was created specifically for the COVID-19 pandemic. I am also a critical care transport nurse for two agencies.  I've seen COVID-19 from a few different viewpoints.   Caring for the patients from the critical care standpoint is difficult but I feel honored to be there for them.   It's hard for them to not be able to have their families there. It's another way of being able to incorporate the family as a whole into the patient's care, too.   As far as how I'm coping, I just take everything day by day.   I have four younger siblings, three of which are under the age of 13 and a stepdaughter who's 6.  I've distanced myself from them considering my exposure to so many positive patients.   My husband is also an EMT, which makes it even more difficult considering he has distanced himself from his daughter.   It's hard, but we text, call, or video chat a lot.

Since Atlantic Cape, I received my BSN from Chamberlain University, and my CCRN and CMC certifications. I will hopefully start school in the fall with Drexel for my MSN with a focus on Acute Care NP!"