Facebook photos Erica Antonuccio is communicating with her family and the Sheffield community back home through social media from her assignment as a traveling nurse at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. ‘“I would say this is most definitely real, not a hoax,” she said. “These people are so sick. So stay home...’

Erica Antonuccio would no doubt prefer to be in Sheffield with her husband and two daughters, Syrena, 14, and Annaliese, 6. But she knows how much she is needed during the coronavirus pandemic.

Is she ever.

She’s a traveling nurse, an RN currently with Next Medical/Health Carousel at NYU Winthrop in Mineola, N.Y.

“It’s terrifying honestly. I’ve been a nurse almost 10 years and in the medical field since 2004. And I have experienced a lot, but nothing like this,” she said.

Facebook photos Erica Antonuccio is communicating with her family and the Sheffield community back home through social media from her assignment as a traveling nurse at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. ‘“I would say this is most definitely real, not a hoax,” she said. “These people are so sick. So stay home...’

“The hallways are empty, no visitors, call bells that normally would be ringing all night now don’t because the patients are so sick and lethargic; the sounds of the night are heart monitors alarming and oximetry alarms constantly ringing with high heart rates and low oxygenation.”

Her husband, Anthony, is a 1994 Sheffield Area High School graduate “and I didn’t want to move back to New Hampshire, so PA it was,” she recalls.

“It is a small town and, you’re right, everybody does know everybody’s business… but as far as the community, it’s great because everybody looks out for everybody. In dire times, everybody comes together and that’s what makes it such an amazing community.”

While it’s difficult, her daughters “are very supportive of me,” she said. “I’ve been a travel nurse for five years so they’re used to mom leaving every other week, though not so much used to be being gone for 10 weeks at a time. Thank God for technology and FaceTime. My husband has his steam cleaning and car detailing business, but with all the distancing right now, he’s at home with the kids. But we have a great support system.”

She’s lived in Sheffield for 15 years.

Facebook photos Erica Antonuccio is communicating with her family and the Sheffield community back home through social media from her assignment as a traveling nurse at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. ‘“I would say this is most definitely real, not a hoax,” she said. “These people are so sick. So stay home...’

“Travel nurse just means I’m contracted to help hospitals that are short-staffed, usually contracts are 13 weeks long,” said Erica. “I go help them fill their staffing needs. I do tests and drug screens every new contract, continued education and credentialing as they call it. My agency tells me what has needs and I tell them where to submit my resume and profile, then they call me, interview me on phone, and boom I go start. And I am travel nursing now here in New York. I am on contract to help with the crisis.

“My contract is until May 30 … then I will self-quarantine for two weeks and fly home June 13th because I do not want to chance bringing it to my family or community at all.”

If you don’t think this virus is serious, talk to Erica.

“I would say this is most definitely real, not a hoax,” she said. “These people are so sick. So stay home — I know it’s hard, but it’s safer and if you must go out, do your trip for everything in one day and leave your family home. Send one person, wear a mask, wash your hands, and keep six feet apart! Wipe your packages down as the virus can live on surfaces for a few days. After you have made your trip out to the store, take your clothes off, wash them, and shower!”

Erica has to be their nurse and family right now.

Facebook photos Erica Antonuccio is communicating with her family and the Sheffield community back home through social media from her assignment as a traveling nurse at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. ‘“I would say this is most definitely real, not a hoax,” she said. “These people are so sick. So stay home...’

“The entire hospital is all COVID-19 positive patients,” she said. “They’ve made conference rooms into medical units, their ICU is used to 45 patients and now is seeing about 120 to 150 of which 122 are on ventilators. Patients being intubated on a medical surgical floor with medication drips to keep blood pressure stable or sedated or both, and nurses with no experience in medication drips are taking care of them.”

Erica is updating her Facebook page almost daily.

“I just wanted to share which is why I post daily to educate our communities that this is real and serious and these people are severely ill and can get worse in a matter of minutes to hours,” she said.

“I do have fears of contracting it. But I practice good hand hygiene and take all safety measures from homemade masks from my sister, Lisa Hutchins, and my niece, Stephanie Hutchins, to safety goggles from a childhood friend in New Hampshire, surgical masks from my cousin Becky in New Hampshire, disinfecting wipes that I just received from the Beimels in Kersey. I wear my n95 mask my entire shift, I change my scrubs and put them in a garbage bag and leave it in my trunk until I go to do laundry. I shower when I get home. I also drink lots of water and take Emergen-C as well as what are called Greens and Reds full of vitamins and minerals and veggies.”

She goes back to an empty apartment after every shift.

Facebook photos Erica Antonuccio is communicating with her family and the Sheffield community back home through social media from her assignment as a traveling nurse at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. ‘“I would say this is most definitely real, not a hoax,” she said. “These people are so sick. So stay home...’

But her family and community are still here for her.

Alone but together.

“I read their comments daily,” said Erica. “It’s very overwhelming how many people are praying for me and my fellow colleagues and I can’t even begin to say how proud I am to be part of an amazing community! Wolverine loud and proud!

“The staff is so grateful to all of us who have come; you can see the stress and exhaustion on their faces and in their body language and the change to a sense of relief that help has come,” said Erica. “A shout out to all nurses in such tough times everywhere to be safe and thank you for your commitment. And, if I didn’t say it because I’m still tired, thanks to everyone for the support and care packages I’ve received.”

Erica works every other day from early morning to late at night. “I call my family daily before work and, on days off, I FaceTime them on my laptop.

“She is a great nurse and very smart and has been handling all the stuff up there great,” said her husband, Anthony. “She knows how to keep herself safe and I believe she will be just fine. And, as far as being alone, I’m not really alone. I have our two wonderful daughters here, and they are staying safe and that’s really all that matters.”

That everyone is safe.

“Second shift update: Man, I am spent! These patients are so sick, lungs sound horrid, but they can’t cough up the junk because they get so short of breath. They’re mostly lethargic and very weak and tired. Last night, a new admission came up … and 20 minutes after arriving to the floor her nurse was screaming for help because she was unresponsive and not breathing and was sitting on the side of the bed! It was a maternity unit and the rooms aren’t designed to hold two patients so oxygen on the wall wasn’t available as the other patient was on it. I helped this nurse whose only experience was mom and baby patients not med.-surg.-type ones,. We got the patient on oxygen (and) I cranked that sucker up. We laid her in bed, called a rapid response, sat her up, and thankfully she came around. Her temp was 103 and she appeared to be having febrile seizures and was transferred to ICU. That nurse was terrified and very thankful I came to help her. My own patient — oxygen 15 liters on a non-rebreather mask, her oxygen level dropped to 80% (she was in 90s all night), but ICU full and if above 85% they stay where they are at! Finally, she was able to cough up the thickest mucous plug I’ve ever seen and her levels came back up; however, she is so ill and older and her family made her a do-not-resuscitate because, if she is vented, the probability of her coming off the vent is so low. It’s very sad. Staff is stressed and exhausted. Halls are empty, patients doors are shut because the negative pressure units. We all sit outside our patients’ rooms listening for monitor alarms because there is still PPE shortages and we’re told not to go in rooms unless absolutely necessary, group vitals and meds together, etc. It’s tough, and I only had three patients and it felt like 10! So, please stay home! This is long from over! This is what I look like after a long 13-hour shift! Time to shower.”