People across St. Tammany Parish are coping with the many changes the novel coronavirus has brought to the community. Each week, we will feature a person on the front line of the fight against it.

Today, we put the spotlight on Kimberly Booth, a registered nurse who, after working as a stay-at-home mom for 16 years, began nursing school at 42 years old. For the past six-and-a-half years, she has been working at St. Tammany Health System, where she is a charge nurse in neuroscience and has been working as part of the hospitals critical-care COVID-19 team.

What made you decide to go into nursing?

I love to take care of people, whether it be physically or emotionally, so being a nurse was the perfect choice for me. Also, I have five children between the ages of 15 to 26, so working only three days a week in a hospital was a huge deciding factor.

What does your typical day look like?

I am usually running around, helping my co-workers and assisting the patients. As charge nurse, I respond to all rapids and code blues in the hospital. We have such an amazing team between CCU, ICU and neuroscience.

How has the COVID-19 outbreak affected the way you do your job day to day?

My job has changed dramatically because of COVID-19. I took the second suspected COVID-19 patient (at STHS) to help alleviate the fears of my co-workers. I am now part of the critical-care COVID-19 team that takes care of patients for a straight seven days on, then seven days off. We do this to expose less staff to the virus.

Whats the most challenging part of your workday now, in the age of the coronavirus?

Speaking to the families of the patients and knowing that they cannot be at their loved ones bedside as they pass. It is heart-wrenching to hear them telling their sister or mother goodbye through the phone or iPad. All the staff have cried with their patients families during this process. It breaks my heart.

What helps you keep going? Whats your motivation each day?

Every morning we have prayer at 7:15. All staff in ICU and CCU gather in the hallway and a prayer is led by our hospital chaplains Mike (Binnings) and Zac (Ritchie). This starts our morning off right because unfortunately, some days are truly tough. Also, the community support is incredible. The police, sheriffs deputies and firefighters cheering us as we came in or left work recently was inspiring and touched all of us. The incredible support the community has shown us I cant even express how grateful I am without tearing up. The donations of meals is truly our bright spot every single day.

Is there anything youd like people to know about you, your co-workers or St. Tammany Health System?

No question about it, I love my co-workers. We have such an incredible team and we lift each other up or offer emotional support during this trying time. I could not get through this pandemic without the support of my co-workers, managers and of course, the outstanding pulmonologists we have at St. Tammany. To quote (LSU) coach Orgeron: One team, one heartbeat.

Read the rest here:
Mother of five now nursing critically ill coronavirus patients - NOLA.com