Compiled by Yessica Banda/News Editor
Emily June, a Med-Sci Academy senior, works at The Addison of Pleasant Prairie as a resident aide in an assisted living community.
“In terms of COVID 19, the building is quarantined and on lockdown,” she said. “All employees must go through a screening test before they begin their shift and we must wear masks throughout the entirety of our shift to protect them and each other.”
The building staff still holds some activities for the residents so that they can participate from outside their doors in the hallway while still maintaining adequate social distance.
“I have learned a lot from this experience including the importance of building relationships and bonds with people and sharing interpersonal connections with others” June said.
“It has been really hard to see all the residents missing their families but it is rewarding to know that at least for now, we are doing as best a job we can to try and be there for them,” she said
She worries about her safety because of the state of the global pandemic and her still having to go to work, she said.
“But I feel much more secure knowing that my place of work is taking the necessary steps and precautions to keep us and the residents safe, June said.
Sarah Plutchak, a Med-Sci Academy senior, is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at Froedtert South Hospital in Kenosha. She helps inpatients with basic activities such as ambulating, positioning, and daily hygiene care.
She isn’t currently working with patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 or whose test results are pending. The hospital has implemented a “no visitor” policy to keep patients and staff safe, and all employees are to wear masks at all times.
There are also frequent hospital-wide announcements reminding everyone to practice social distancing, she said
“I am learning about how essential proper hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) is to keeping healthcare workers and patients safe,” Plutchak said.
“Working at a hospital once or twice a week, especially when people shouldn’t even be leaving their houses, definitely adds another layer of stress to the job,” she said.
Plutchak has a parent who is at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
“I have been extra careful to minimize what I bring home from working and to clean everything that I do bring home,” she said.
Working during the pandemic has made Plutchak appreciate her coworkers and the entire Froedtert South staff so much more, she said.
“Everyone is working hard to treat affected patients and minimize the spread of COVID-19,” she said.