A registered nurse who lives in Rochester helped combat the COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey. She recently completed her one-month assignment, and shares her reality and insight from the frontlines.

32-year-old Olivia Goodwin spent the month of April caring for patients stricken by the pandemic at a long-term acute care facility in Milford, New Jersey. She is now home and is finishing two weeks of quarantine.

Goodwin’s time in New Jersey was previously chronicled in early Apri. You can read more about it here.

“I’m doing well you know,” said Olivia. “I woke up; I am that much closer to going back to work so I am excited.”

Olivia’s first day on the job in New Jersey was not easy, setting the trajectory for twelve-hour shifts, in weeks to come.

“When I first got there I was so excited to jump in and to help,” said Olivia. “And just be a resource for my patients; my coworkers. I was thrilled!  After the first week, I was defeated. It just felt like more patients were coming in, more positive cases; more people were decompensating. More people were not eating; more people needed oxygen and oxygen was running low…”

Olivia says she has a strong support system of family, friends and fellow health care workers who helped her stay grounded.

“I think I think I just kind of took it day by day,” said Olivia. “There were some days I didn’t want to go back. But, that wasn’t an option. I didn’t go there to quit.”

Olivia also had some triumphs while on assignment; memories and connections which she holds dear and true to her heart.

“I had some amazing recoveries,” said Olivia. “I had this one patient who I will never forget. It was a beautiful thing, watching transport wheel her out because she was COVID-19 negative. She was re-diagnosed and fought the disease. It just validated my purpose when I had lost a lot of hope in my process and my journey.”

She says the morale and support of her colleagues gave her the drive to make it through challenging times.

“The people that I worked with,” said Olivia. “They always had a smile on their face. Like, they were so helpful. I am so happy to be home, but it made the journey and that chapter of my life so worth it.”

Olivia took time to reflect and remember the patients she has cared for in the past month.

“I’ll never forget the people that I took care of that didn’t make it,” said Olivia. “And I’ll never forget the people that walked out of there.”

Olivia is eager to continue fighting the good fight from the frontline of the pandemic, right here in Rochester.

“I went into nursing to help people,” said Olivia. “So, the fact that when you accomplish that; I don’t know its invigorating.”

— SPECTRUM NEWS ROCHESTER