It's been a week since Hurricane Irma hit parts of Florida and while the Associated Press reported Friday that relief efforts are well under way, Floridian residents are still experiencing shocks from the storm including two Ball State alumnae.
Haylee Mitchell and Jessica Extine graduated from Ball State in May 2017, each with a bachelor of science in nursing. Now, both work at the Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida.
Extine and Mitchell did not evacuate, unlike most of their neighbors. Despite their worries of their homes, they stayed at the hospital, working on Team A – the Hurricane Irma team.
Extine described the post-evacuation scene in the town as “eerie."
“I knew we were supposed to get hit pretty bad,” she said. “When your shift is over you don’t come home. We had to sleep in rooms in the hospital. It kind of takes a toll. You’re never alone. I never had a moment alone.”
Mitchell said that they worked 12 hours on-and-off for three days straight, giving them enough time to eat and sleep. Their shifts would occasionally last a little longer depending on patient needs.
Extine said that despite the dangerous circumstances, her and fellow nurses made sure to keep cool under pressure.
“We try to keep it normal for ourselves and the patients because obviously our patients come first,” said Extine. “If one thing stood out for me from being a nurse was how much teamwork actually matters in the nursing field.”
Despite talks of a possible evacuation, it did not happen. Both nurses said that their Ball State training would have served them well if it came to that.
“Honestly without all the simulations and the teachers constantly preparing us, we wouldn’t have been prepared for the situation that we were in,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell said that it was interesting to see the hospital carry out plans for a natural disaster this size since she had never experienced anything like it when she worked at a hospital back in Indiana.
“Ultimately, it’s our job as a nurse to take care of our patients, so when duty calls that’s our first priority and that’s always going to be our priority,” said Mitchell.
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