COVID-19 Frontline Feature - Courtney Sutton, RN

Courtney Sutton, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) at EAMC, is one of many who are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. She, along with the rest of her team in the ICU, has been working tirelessly to combat COVID-19, in addition to caring for other ICU patients as well.

When explaining what COVID-19 has been like in the ICU, Sutton notes that many things have changed about her day-to-day job. “As critical care nurses, we have to think about many things at once, however, since this started there are several new layers added to our already continuously turning wheels,” Sutton says. “We must think about how we put on personal protective equipment (PPE), how to best cluster our care so we can get the most done without having to leave the patient’s room, what we touched while we were in the room, hand hygiene, needed supplies, and the list goes on.”

Sutton credits her faith in God as a source of encouragement and strength. “Knowing that despite all of the heavy challenges we face, God has already won this battle, gives me strength,” she says. “We are exactly where we are supposed to be. Family, friends, hospital family, neighbors, random people from all over the place, and the community, have come together as one to do whatever they can to encourage, support, and love us during this time of crisis.”

Sutton credits EAMC and the community for joining together during difficult times such as these. “It’s easy to become overwhelmed quickly, but I must remember to choose joy every day,” Sutton says. “The only thing we can control is how we respond. It’s hard to stay down when we start naming all the many things that are still good. We have always operated as a team in our unit and during this crisis our team,which is more like family, is only more unified, stronger, and better together than ever! In the midst of immense tragedy and many tears, we stand as one.”