Nursing Asst. Made a Special Pact to Stay Safe During Pandemic
Originally on Patch.com
National Nursing Assistants Week – June 17-24 – is a Time to Express Gratitude
One year ago, Kedisha Dayes quietly made a deal with God.
As the deadly and highly contagious COVID-19 virus was rapidly spreading around the world and ravaging New Jersey, Dayes pledged in her prayers to continue to care for the seniors at Parker at Stonegate, an assisted living community located on Parker's picturesque Highland Park campus.
Dayes, of the Franklin section of Somerset, vowed to carry out her responsibilities with all the commitment, bravery, and compassion she could possibly muster in the face of this alarming new public health crisis.
She also vowed to take every precaution available with personal protection equipment, hand sanitizing, and social distancing. Social distancing, however, is typically not a viable option for certified nursing assistants working directly with seniors, those most vulnerable during the pandemic.
In return, she had only one request from God; spare her children from COVID-19.
"If I give myself to taking care of others, then maybe He could have compassion and not allow COVID to darken my door," Dayes explained. "But there was really no choice. In my profession, it's not as if I could say, 'Well, I'm not going to work.' We still had to take care of our elders to the best of our ability, and I'm grateful that Parker made sure we were as safe as possible."
National Nursing Assistants Week, from June 17 to 24, is the time to remember the courage and heroism displayed over the past 15 months by certified nursing assistants (CNA) everywhere who work closest with our senior population, 24 hours a day, each and every day.
This week is also a special opportunity to say thank you to the nursing professionals at Parker's Highland Park, Piscataway, New Brunswick, Somerset, and Monroe Township locations for working tirelessly to care for their residents, during a difficult and deeply uncertain time.
In her three years working at Parker, Dayes has provided close, personal care for daily tasks such as bathing, getting dressed, and even video conferencing with the residents' family and friends to help keep them connected with their loved ones.
"Nursing assistants are often the closest family the elders had during the height of the pandemic. Their families were not able to come in and hold their hands," Dayes said. "All they had was the Parker staff. And we were there to take care of them and protect them, no matter what."
As part of the non-profit organization's ongoing commitment to prioritizing and ensuring the safety of its employees, healthcare partners, and the many seniors in their communities, Parker has achieved a nearly 100% vaccination rate among its entire senior population.
Throughout the pandemic, Dayes worked her shifts at Stonegate continuously, and even volunteered to take extra shifts at other Parker homes to ensure there were no staffing shortages. This steadfast work ethic and loyalty is a trait that runs through Parker's proud CNA corps.
"For us, it was just as important to protect our staff as much as our residents," said Catherine Martino, administrator for Parker at Stonegate. "Kedisha came to work every day because of her dedication and her trust in God, and the support and the environment we created made her feel safe."
The extended safety protocols Parker established in all of its communities to minimize the spread of COVID-19 became routine for Dayes over the weeks and months. She soon found herself focused on the mental state of the residents - talking to them, reassuring them, becoming a soothing source of consistent strength.
When Dayes returned home to her family after each shift, she quickly changed out of her scrubs, and put them in a bag that was left at the front door. Her focus then became her 7-year-old son and her 18-year-old daughter, hugging them often and making sure they were both keeping themselves safe as well.
Dayes can look back on the past 15 months with pride – and enormous gratitude toward God and her fellow CNAs at Parker. She is proud to have kept seniors safe and secure, and in doing her daily work with such caution, helped save lives.
Meanwhile, to her great relief, her children have also remained safe from COVID-19.
"God was listening," Dayes said. "We had a deal."