PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It's been a very long year for healthcare workers, who spent the last year treating sick patients in stressful, often overwhelming circumstances.
Now some of the people who spent 2020 treating COVID-19 patients have a new job — vaccinating people against the virus. For them, it's been both rewarding and cathartic.
Nurse Raquel Arborato, at Inspira Health in South Jersey, recently joined the KYW Newsradio In Depth podcast to talk about the past year.
"To be able to be a part of such an epic time in history is amazing," she said. "We never really thought we would be able to see something like this."
Tina Robinson, the employee health manager, said being a part of the vaccination process has been an amazing experience.
"Very rewarding, vaccinating family and friends, particularly my parents. It brought an extra layer of humility to be able to bring an extra layer of protection," she said.
"The gratitude that we receive from the community members has just been amazing," said Sarah Katten, who transferred from the cancer unit to help with vaccines.
The South Jersey site has vaccinated more than 79,000 people from all over the state. One of their favorite memories so far.
"We were having a teams meeting and Tina had to go outside to get reception," Arborato recalled, "and there's probably a 70-something year old patient who had just gotten her second vaccine ... skipping and dancing down the parking lot (because) she was so happy that she was finally fully vaccinated."
Ed Dix, director of pharmacy for Inspira Health, said the impact hasn't quite hit him yet.
"Honestly touched 79,000-plus people's lives for the betterment. It's a little overwhelming," he shared. "I'm sure at some point when things slow down, I'll sit back and think I can't believe what we accomplished and how we worked together."
