ER Nurse on the Frontline: Fighting the COVID-19

by Vickie Jenkins – Writer/Photographer

The Coronavirus that has spread throughout the world has changed our lives in so many ways. My heartfelt prayers go out to all of the frontline workers; the doctors and nurses that risk their lives every day.

This is Addison McDonald, RN. She works at Mercy Hospital, in Ada, OK. This is just one of many frontline workers that are dealing with the chaos that is going on right now.
Addison is a nurse because she loves helping people when they are at their lowest point in their lives. “I feel very fortunate to be able to serve the community in my work every day,” she said. “I like working in the ER. I chose this hospital because I love their values and mission statement, which is to bring to life the healing ministry of Jesus through our compassionate care and exceptional service. I love getting to live out this mission in my daily work.”
“When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a nurse, like my mom. I always loved watching medical T.V. shows and listening to my mom share stories about her day at work.”
Like so many other nurses, Addison was influenced to be a nurse by her mother, Kristin Sherfield. “My mother was a nurse for twenty-five years and it has always been her favorite thing to do; well, except for being with the grandkids,” Addison said with a smile. “My mother was my inspiration since day one. Seeing her dedication to her patients day-in and day-out is amazing. She never stopped caring for them and also caring for her family outside of work. She is definitely a role model! Without her guidance, I would have never made it through nursing school. She encourages me daily to be the best nurse that I can be. It is the most rewarding feeling in the world.” Attending RN school at Seminole State in Seminole, OK, Addison had another person that encouraged her along the way. “My mentor in school was Laurel Gamble. She was an amazing professor who allowed us to contact her anytime; day or night. She was always there for me,” Addison said.
What is your biggest reward as a nurse? “Just hearing a simple thank-you or I appreciate what you are doing is the biggest reward for me. As an ER nurse, people tend to be in pain often and are typically not in the best moods, so those words mean the world to me,” Addison replied.
What is your biggest challenge? “Right now, since I am a new nurse, I feel like I don’t know quite enough. I do know that with more experience comes more knowledge and I am gaining more knowledge day by day.”
Addison describes herself as being a hardworking ER nurse. “I love helping patients and at the end of the day, I love going home to my husband, Stephen and my four year old daughter, Tynslee. Plus, I have a baby boy on the way, due in August. My hobbies include fishing with the family, shopping, traveling, but most of all, spending time with friends and family; just hanging out.”
Recently, Addison was recognized on KFOR-TV for being one of the frontline nurses at Mercy Hospital in Ada, OK. Below, Addison shares a bit of her life and the changes she has made.
“The Coronavirus has changed my life in so many ways. Being an ER nurse, I am on the frontline of fighting this virus every day. We test multiple patients a day for COVID-19 and will continue to do so. I am unable to hug and kiss my family as much as I would like to at this time. I strip my clothes off on the porch before I come in and go straight to the shower before I touch anyone. In a few weeks, as this continues, I imagine I will have to fully quarantine away from my husband and daughter to keep them safe. The thought of that breaks my heart. This is my first three months as a new nurse and it has been scary but I am thankful that God chose me at this time. Being pregnant during the middle of this mess has been the scariest thing since there are no studies on pregnant women who contract the virus. My heart goes out to all of the healthcare workers as we adjust to our ‘new normal’ over the next months.” –Addison McDonald-