An orthopedic nurse at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA over the last five years, Roseanne Tansipek Jamero (陳双瑜) of CKS high school batch 2004 used to help patients recover from their knee and hip joint replacements, spine surgeries, and deal with all kinds of fractures. But that was before Covid-19 hit the state of Illinois. In recent times, the hospital has cancelled all elective surgeries, and their facility became an Acute care COVID unit.

Soon enough, patients came really fast. They filled up six rooms in one night, then more came the following days. Hospital policies change everyday regarding the care of COVID patients, adopting to their needs. Currently, these patients are admitted in regular rooms and are put under droplet and contact isolation, where medical personnel are required to wear isolation gown, gloves, surgical mask, and reusable eye shield as protection gears. N95 mask is used only if the patient is undergoing an aerosolized procedure and the medical personnel has to be in the room.

To Roseanne, the whole situation is not only physically draining, but mentally challenging at the same time. She feels vulnerable and exposed while taking care of these patients without proper PPE. And she is stressed, anxious, and worried since she has two kids under 4 years of age. These days, she misses her children much; she can’t even sleep with them in the same room until she is sure that she feels okay after a draining 12-hour shift at work.

Roseanne poured her heart out in a simple message to those reading her story: "Remember that we are all in this together. We owe it to one another to pay attention to each other, to advise one another, to check on one another, and be kind to one another. Stay at home. It is the best thing you can do for all the healthcare workers risking their lives to fight this pandemic."

You are a "Florence Nightingale" of our times, Roseanne Tansipek Jamero. Your CKS College family is truly proud of you!