Rutgers Nursing Magazine - Summer 2021

M March 2020. A time of exhilaration and relief. Graduation day was near, much like every year before. Students took a deep breath; they had almost finished their studies; they were almost ready to begin new careers. But suddenly everything changed. COVID-19 swooped in, infecting hundreds, then thousands in New Jersey and New York; hospitals overflowed with critically ill patients; health care professionals struggled to manage the crisis; nurses across the country traveled to New Jersey to work side by side with their colleagues. In May, Rutgers School of Nursing (SON) graduated more than 350 bachelor’s degree students three weeks early. And the state of New Jersey granted new grads emergency temporary licenses so they could start work right away. With hospitals and agencies in dire need, the soon-to-be nurses moved out to join the battle. Three of these graduates from the class of 2020 provide a glimpse of their experiences. R U T G E R S N U R S I N G / S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 2 1 4 / 5 T H E P A N D E M I C ’ S N E W E S T N U R S E S H E L P E D B A T T L E C O V I D - 1 9 C R I S I S A C A D E M I C E X C E L L E N C E ONE YEAR LATER 2020 Grads Reflect on Life at the Pandemic Frontline