Mercy Health Foundation Greater Cincinnati

Emergency Department nurse Christy Wackerly is thankful for the generosity of donors that provides her a hotel room after a long shift of treating patients with COVID-19.

Associate donors helped provide front-line workers with hotel rooms during COVID-19.

When Christy Wackerly decided to become a nurse, she was trained not only in medicine, but also in how to handle stressful situations. But, she said, she never expected to need those skills during a pandemic like Covid-19.

Christy, an emergency department nurse at Mercy Health—Fairfield, and her colleagues have been working their 12-hour shifts with the added physical strain of using personal protective equipment, and the mental and emotional strain of dealing with a highly contagious disease.

Generous donations from community and associate donors have given Christy and other health care workers the respite they need right now by providing hotel rooms where they can take a bit of a break as they deal with Covid-19.

“Everything is more difficult and labor intensive right now,” Christy said. “Having the ability to check into the hotel allowing you to process your day, rest and have a few moments of peace is a true gift.”

Christy wants you to know that this gift not only impacts her, but her family as well.

“As a nurse, you know what you’re signing up for, but you’re not signing up your family for it as well,” Christy said. “With Covid-19, you don’t want to pass it on to others at home. You need to shower and change clothes before you can touch anyone. It has been so nice to be able to go to the hotel, catch your breath and take a shower there, and not have to worry about taking it home with you.”