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'Not just their nurse, you're their comforter' | Cone Health coronavirus nurse sees rising cases taking a toll on healthcare workers

She said five weeks ago she and her fellow healthcare workers were treating about 30 patients a day for the virus. Now they see around 100 on average.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Cone Health is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations first hand.

Their facilities topped 200 coronavirus patients Wednesday. The number came down to 191 Thursday.

Real people are behind those numbers along with nurses working tirelessly to keep them alive.

 "You hate anybody to die from this virus," Marisa Cullen said. 

Cullen is a nurse at Cone Health's Green Valley campus which treats coronavirus patients.

"You have people separated from their families and that puts you in a situation that, not only are you the nurse, you're their comforter. You're going in to hold their hands and to talk with them," Cullen said.

Cullen has close to 20 years of experience--with 12 of those years at Cone Health. The last eight months have looked different as she cares for patients wearing personal protective equipment and looking at them from under a face shield.

She is a person of faith and said it changed her outlook.

"I pray before I go into the building to not get this virus," Cullen said, "I find myself concerned for patients and that part too but also concerned for myself and what impact it might have on my family."

She worries about bringing the virus home to her children and loved ones.

She said five weeks ago she and her fellow healthcare workers were treating about 30 patients a day. Now they see around 100 on average.

It all takes a mental toll on her fellow healthcare workers.

"I think this whole thing is very taxing on us as healthcare workers. I think we're pushing through and we're giving good care but the reality is we're also concerned about getting this virus," Cullen said.

The rising hospitalizations are stretching staffing and supplies. She said Cone Health is able to keep up now but she worries about a spike as Christmas and New Year's approach.

"I think there's gonna be an explosion of numbers again," Cullen said, "The more the numbers rise, the more it taxes us in that way."

Cullen is hopeful that vaccines will lower the admission rate over time but she said it will also take plenty of masking and social distancing.

She worries people are becoming too relaxed about mask wearing and social distancing.

"Yes, we're willing to come to the bedside and take care of you but we're also wanting you to do the right thing to reduce even the risk to us," Cullen said.

Cone Health plans to start vaccinating staff Friday.

Cullen does not yet know when she'll be able to get the vaccine but she said she is enrolled to receive one.

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