When Our Lady of Lourdes asked their heart hospital for nurses to help in the ICU for the COVID-19 pandemic, nurse Chelsea Torrence was the first to step up.
"Looking around my co-workers who are all older, may have young children, I could see their fear of bringing it home to their families. I felt more comfortable in my own health and my family's health that I could take that risk," says Torrence.
She had been an ICU nurse in her last job but this experience, she says, is unlike anything she's been through.
"I actually had the hardest day I've ever had as a nurse. I actually had to hold an iPad because we weren't allowing visitors, while kids told their parents goodbye for the last time, and literally just stand there with an iPad and a Ziplock bag," says Torrence.
Knowing these are the toughest moments her patients will ever face, Torrence brings love into every interaction regardless of the person's ability to respond or say thank you.
"I put every one of those patients, based on their age and condition, I put either my siblings or my parents or my grandparents in their position and I treat them the way I would want my family taken care of if they were in that position," she says.
This National Nurses Week, Torrence is glad to see people realizing that not all heroes wear capes. Some are in scrubs!
"We do put our own lives and our family's lives at risk to take care of everyone's loved one. So I guess we really appreciate the support and we do it because this is how we would want our family taken care of," she says.
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