Nurses at UVA Medical Center discuss efforts during coronavirus pandemic

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Now more than ever, nurses across the country are being recognized for their work on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.

JoDean Chisholm and Ryan MacDonald oversee a team of nurses at the University of Virginia Medical Center who directly treated COVID-19 patients at the medical center before they were transferred to the new south tower expansion.

"It’s been an adjustment because our focus has primarily been the COVID patients,” Assistant Manager Ryan MacDonald said. “Our unit was a special pathogens unit at the hospital, so we were doing direct care for these patients."

MacDonald says his team quickly adapts to changes to keep their community and themselves safe while treating patients. “It’s just been really great to see everybody step up and do everything possible to get us through all of this right now."

Chisholm says she has seen nurses and staff members across the health system take on new challenges while at the forefront of the pandemic to help treat patients.

"They want to spend a lot of time with that patient because it is a little lonesome not having the visitors and that type of thing but they compassionately care for that patient, monitor them very closely and get them the things that they need," Nurse Manager JoDean Chisholm said.

Chisholm says as nurse appreciation week starts, she wants to thank medical professionals everywhere for putting their lives on the line every day to help save lives.

“They administer life-saving measures for patients, they give compassionate care,” Chisholm said. “They may be helping perform weddings one day or holding the hand of a dying patient the next day.”

Chisholm and her team are now treating general patients since the COVID-19 patients are being treated in the new south tower of the hospital.

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