“I am a planner and I am living the unexpected. It’s like nothing – it’s nothing you could ever study for,” said Lillian Wooten, a staff nurse at ECU Health Medical Center. “Everything I learned in nursing school, out the window.”

Wooten joined Vidant last summer – in the middle of a pandemic.

“I think that’s what brings me back,” Wooten said, “hoping to make a difference.”

She’s spent nearly every day since joining caring for COVID-19 patients. Now, she’s catching a break as another nursing unit at ECU Health Medical Center has volunteered to tag in so Wooten and her team could step away.

“We offered a respite for them for four weeks and we are hoping it will help them enjoy the holidays a little bit better with their families,” said Tracy Hobbs, assistant nurse manager in 3 East at ECU Health Medical Center.

Hobbs and fellow nurses who serve the 3 East unit at ECU Health Medical Center have stepped in to care for COVID patients on the Medical Step Down Unit (MSU) for a four-week period during this holiday season. This will allow the nurses on MSU to rest, rejuvenate and reconnect with their loved ones.

It’s a welcome change of pace and the embodiment of Vidant’s values.

“We know that when the call is made that we are going to go, and help,” Hobbs said.

As these teams support one another they also hope the communities Vidant serves do their part too.

“Wear your mask, social distance, love from afar,” Hobbs said. “I think it’s important to remember that this is not going away and it actually is getting worse.”

Remember to follow COVID-19 protocols – wash your hands frequently, maintain a social distance from others and wear a mask when in public.

“If you could just come, sit and see how hard it is for some patients to even breathe,” Wooten said. “Something so little as wearing a mask, I know it’s uncomfortable but—it could save someone’s life.”

For more information, visit VidantHealth.com/COVID-19