ST. LOUIS — This week is National Nurses Week. It's a time for the nation to honor and say "thank you" to the many dedicated nurses who show up every day to share their heart, skills and expertise with their patients.
"This is my passion. I really like to help people," said Tess Main.
Main has been with St. Mary's Hospital in Clayton for nearly 11 years.
Currently, she specializes in infection prevention.
"When people are sick and they don't know, I take comfort in being able to give them compassion and give them the answers that they are looking for. I'm proud to be a nurse," said Tess.
"Being able to care for people in their time of need is why I do it. I love it," said Alicia Paxton, a registered nurse at DePaul Hospital in north St. Louis County for five years.
"A lot of people I know are afraid to go to work right now, but we show up. We do the best that we can, and we're just working through it," said Paxton.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, both nurses admit "working through it," treating and comforting coronavirus patients is tough and heart-wrenching.
"It's hard because you have to balance fears and facts," said Main.
"I take care of COVID patients and I discharge them. I'm placed in the unit that has the greatest need that day. You go through the nurses' tasks, you go home and you pray to God that everything works out for the patient. It's very serious and a lot of people are scared," added Paxton.
Even the experienced nurses admit, at times, they too get scared in the battle against the deadly disease.
"I think that's normal because there's a lot of unknowns and there's a lot of questions that we all have about it," said Main.
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"COVID-19 has claimed many lives, but there are so many more people walking away it, beating it," said Paxton.
And that's worth celebrating, said the two committed nurses who pray the pandemic ends soon.
"Again, we do it because we love it and we love our patients. Front line duty," said Paxton.
"I wouldn't say we're heroes. We've been chosen to do this and regardless of what's going on in the world, we're gonna take care of people when they get sick. We're gonna take care of anyone who needs it," added Main.