Skip to main content
U.K. Edition
Thursday, 28 March 2024

Respiratory nurse comes out of retirement to help during pandemic

Credit: KMTV Action 3 News
Duration: 02:02s 0 shares 1 views

Respiratory nurse comes out of retirement to help during pandemic
Respiratory nurse comes out of retirement to help during pandemic
Respiratory nurse comes out of retirement to help during pandemic

LIKE NEW YORK ANDCALIFORNIA, AND ASREPORTER JOHNMADDEN FOUND OUT,THAT'S ALSO TAKINGPLACE AT NEBRASKAMEDICINE.JOHN INTRO: "JUST AFEW WEEKS AGO, ONELOCAL HEALTH CAREWORKER WASN'TBUSY HERE WORKINGAT NEBRASKA MED,SHE WAS WORKING ATA NEARBYGROCERYSTORE, BUTNOW SHE'S BACKHELPING, AT A TIMEWHEN MEDICALCENTERS NEED IT THEMOST." "I WASN'TDOING MUCH OFANYTHING, I WAS JUSTBEING RETIRED ANDBORED." RETIREMENTIS SOMETHING WE ALLWORK TOWARDS, ANDWHILE SOME LOVE IT,OTHER'S NOT SOMUCH "I DIDN'T LIKERETIREMENT, SO IPICKED UP A PART-TIME JOB AT AGROCERY STORE."AFTER MORE THAN 20YEARS OF WORKINGAT NEBRASKA MED ASA RESPIRATORYTHERAPIST NATS OFCART JENIFERPORTILLO DECIDED TORETIRE AND GOT AJOB AT HYVEEWORKING IN THE DELI,BUT LIKE MOST OF US,SAW THE NEWSABOUT COVID-19 "THESITUATION WASREALLY DIRE, SO IFIGURE I HAVE THESKILLS, SO I MIGHT ASWELL USE THEM."WHEN NEBRASKA MEDWAS GETTING MOREAND MORE CASES,THAT'S WHENPORTILLO'S OLD BOSSGAVE HER A CALL, ANDAFTER 1 AND HALFYEARS OFRETIREMENT,SHECAME BACK"OTHERWISE, I'D FEELBADLY THAT I DIDN'TDO ANYTHING WITHTHIS VIRUS THAT'SGOING AROUND SO, ITWAS KIND OF LIKE ACIVIC DUTY." SHE ISONCE AGAINWORKING AS ARESPIRATORYTHERAPIST, WHICHHAS FREED UP OTHERMEDICAL STAFF TOHELP COVID-19PATIENTS "I FEEL KINDOF FEEL PROUD TO BEA RESPIRATORYTHERAPIST NOW, IWAS BEFORE, BUTNOW I REALIZE HOWVALUABLE WE ARE TOTHE TEAM, AND WITHTHISDISEASE, ITSEEMS LIKE IT'S ALUNG PROBLEM, SOWE'RE REALLYNEEDED." PORTILLOHELPS MANAGEVENTILATORS, ANDWORKS WITHPATIENTS WHO HAVECYSTIC FIBROSIS ANDC.O.P.D AS WELL, SHESAYS THEADJUSTMENT WAS ALITTLETOUGH AT THEBEGINNING BUT ISGETTING MORECOMFORTABLE NATSOF LAUGH AND NOWSHE LAUGHS ABOUTTHE THOUGHT OFRETIRING AGAIN "I'MGLAD TO BE BACK.I WAS KIND OFWONDERING AM IGOING TO HAVEANOTHERRETIREMENT PARTY,BUT IT'S NICE TO BEBACK." IN OMAHA,JOHN MADDEN 3NNPORTILLO HAS BEENBACK ON THE JOB FOR2 WEEKS NOW ANDSAYS SHE WILL WORKAT NEBRASKAMEDICINE AS LONG ASTHEY NEED THEEXTRA HELP.A COVID-19 MAY DAY

You might like

Related news coverage

Advertisement