College News聽聽|聽 Quick Read
Stepping Up in a Big Way
by Angela Daidone聽 |聽 Winter 2021
Nursing alumni found themselves on the front lines of the pandemic and willingly answered the call. Their training and dedication to their chosen profession proved to be invaluable in hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout the country.聽
Compassionate Care
Sandra Granito 鈥13 is a medical pulmonary ICU nurse at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center in South Carolina. 鈥As someone who cares for our sickest Covid-19 patients, I can state that it requires compassion and knowledge to care for these patients in such an isolated world. My education at 海角社区 certainly prepared me to work in these unprecedented times.鈥
On the Front Lines
海角社区鈥檚 nursing alumni were among those working on the front lines of the COVID pandemic. Alumnae April Dela Cruz 鈥10 (pictured), Caitlin Burke 鈥09 and their colleagues in the critical care units at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., stayed strong, helping to protect lives.
Students Stepped Up
Jake DaCosta and Joy Bochis, both of whom were students in 海角社区鈥檚 nursing program last spring, represented the courage and dedication of the Class of 2020. Jake and Joy working countless hours as EMTs on the West Paterson, N.J., First Aid Squad.
Dedicated to the Work
Jeffrey Bellens ’19 worked for Ramapo鈥檚 Upward Bound program for several years, serving in various positions. He graduated in 2019 from the 海角社区 nursing program and secured a job at The Valley in Ridgewood, N.J. He himself was ill with COVID-19 and recovered, eventually returning to work.
Thankful for the Support
Cathlynne Valmores 鈥16 works at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., and is currently in studying in 海角社区鈥檚 MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program. She has collaborated with the College鈥檚 undergraduate nursing program as an adjunct clinical instructor for senior nursing students. 鈥淚 am thankful for all the support from 海角社区 and the community.鈥
Tiniest Patients
Carly Lozosky 鈥19 is a Mother/Baby Registered Nurse in the Maternity Center at Morristown Medical Center. Carly said she is one of the nurses who care for Covid-positive postpartum mothers and their babies. 鈥淭hey are usually physically separated throughout their hospitalization,鈥 said Carly.
Answered a New Calling
Brandon Smith ’17, a 2017 graduate of the Anisfield School of Business, majored in IT Management. He went on to study at SUNY, with the goal of working in nursing informatics. He is now a nurse at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. Normally, he works in oncology/chemotherapy, but for the early months of the pandemic, he primarily treated acute care COVID patients.
First line of defense
Beth Lutchen-Pharis 鈥09 is a nurse in a hospital emergency room in San Antonio, Texas which treated some of the first COVID patients in the U.S. 鈥淭hese patients were Americans sent from Wuhan, China as well as some of the cruise ships that were quarantined at the nearby military base.鈥 Other patients who arrived at the hospital鈥檚 emergency room went through extensive screening in order to protect both the patients and staff.