Portneuf nurses volunteer for New Jersey duty
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK)-Two Portneuf Medical Center nurses have answered a challenge to help New Jersey fight COVID-19.
Jill McQuary, RN, CCRN has been on the Portneuf ICU team for 13 years and Brittiney Curzon, RN, CCRN has been with Portneuf for 11 years, 7 of which have been in the ICU. These two nurses will serve at either Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center or Pascack Valley Medical Center, the two New Jersey hospitals in the Ardent Health Services family.
"I felt very protective of my team and hesitated for just a moment before asking if anyone would be willing to spend up to two weeks at one of our sister hospitals in New Jersey in one of the hardest hit COVID areas of the country," said Amy Hemsley, RN, MSN, Director Critical Care Services at Portneuf Medical Center. "Six of our ICU nurses volunteered. As a team, we opted to share two nurses for a short period of time."
Both nurses are aware of the inherent risk of being on the front line of patient care, but are also aware their fellow nurses in New Jersey are in serious need of intensive care and emergency trained nurses.
"Our sister hospital is so blessed to have these two talented nurses," Hemsley said. "Our appreciation and pride will be with them as they enter infection hotspots, care for infected patients, and courageously put themselves at higher risk in order to support those in need."
