‘I go home knowing I helped people: Astoria nurse takes
pride in caring for patients during COVID-19 pandemic
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
CMOHAMED@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Viktoriya Laskina of Astoria takes
pride in her career working as a registered
nurse at Mount Sinai Queens
Hospital, where she has spent 20 years
caring for patients.
“It’s always been my passion and
the patients come fi rst,” Laskina said.
“There are certain days it is stressful
being a nurse, but at the end of the day
I go home knowing I helped people. I
don’t think I would be satisfi ed with
sitting at a desk shuffl ing papers.”
In February, Laskina was recognized
by Mount Sinai Queens with
a DAISY Award for Extraordinary
Nurses, which was established to celebrate
the extraordinary compassion
nurses provide their patients and families
everyday.
Since graduating from Adelphi University
in 1999 with a bachelors of science
degree in nursing, Laskina said
she knew it was her calling to help people
— especially at a time when healthcare
professionals are battling the coronavirus.
“We are in the medical profession
and it’s our job to help patients get better,”
Laskina said. “The country is in a
crisis, and as a nurse it’s my obligation
to put my heart and soul into my work
and do what I can to help them.”
For 20 years, Laskina has been
working in the Medical/Surgical 4 Department,
where surgeries have been
canceled as nurses and doctors treat
coronavirus patients in respiratory
distress.
While treating coronavirus patients,
Laskina also became ill in
early April and was quarantined in
her home for two weeks. Following her
recovery, she returned to the hospital
to continue working on the frontlines
with her colleagues.
“I was nervous, but yet happy to return
because laying in bed makes you
feel like you’re not productive with
your time, Laskina said. “Thanks to
my family and being able to quarantine,
taking antibiotics, other treatments,
and having a good immune system,
I am one of the lucky ones.”
Since the beginning of the coronavirus
outbreak, it’s been mentally and
physically challenging for Laskina
as the hospital became overwhelmed
with patients, she said.
“It’s been devastating seeing patients
sick, intubated and passing
away. We put on our protective equipment,
two masks, shield, gown, gloves,
and it’s a lot of time and energy disposing
BRONX TIMES R 40 EPORTER, MAY 8-14, 2020 BTR
Viktoriya Laskina, a registered nurse at Mount Sinai Queens, was presented with a DAISY
Award for Extraordinary Nurses, which was established to celebrate the extraordinary compassion
nurses provide their patients and families everyday.
Photo courtesy of Viktoriya Laskina
of PPP than taking care of patients”
Laskina said. “A lot of our staff
gets sick and between everything —
my recovery, kids being out of school,
and husband working from home —
it’s been quite an adjustment,” Laskina
added.
During the spike of coronavirus
hospitalizations in March and April,
Laskina has been working a few extra
hours in the evening to help her
colleagues on the fl oor.
“It makes me happy that I work
with no leftovers for the evening
shift to do,” Laskina said. “I try to
complete my work to the best of my
ability and help all of my coworkers
around me.”
In response to the overwhelming
support healthcare professionals
are receiving for helping to save
lives during the pandemic, Laskina
described it as gratifying.
“I see the support from the local
restaurants and deli’s, pretty much
everyday they have been giving free
lunch to the nursing staff,” Laskina
said. “That’s very nice because a lot
of restaurants are closed and as busy
as you are, you don’t have time to go
out and see what is open and what
you would eat.”
Although the job is diffi cult but
yet rewarding, Laskina doesn’t have
any regrets of becoming a nurse.
“Taking care of our patients —
whether it’s in-patient or out-patient
— it makes me happy to help whether
they have pain or are recovering
from an orthopedic surgery, or any
kind of surgery,” Laskina said.
And as the city continues to fi ght
the coronavirus, Laskina is reminding
everyone to take the necessary
precautions to protect themselves.
“Don’t get comfortable too fast
because we can have a resurgence
of cases. It doesn’t take much to go
backwards,” Laskina said. “Eat
healthy, exercise, take a deep breath
and everything will be okay. We will
get through this.”
PatientSupportHotline.com
Providing "FREE" Patient Support
to the NY area since 2007.
PatientSupportHotline.com a
Division of TheMEDICALPATIENT.com
offers Patients and their Caregivers
a Caring Support Platform, to help
with a full array of Maladies.
We are here for the PATIENTS!
CORONAVIRUS Patient Community.
You are not alone....
PatientSupportHotline.com is here for you!
PLEASE CALL: 855 505 5550
/PatientSupportHotline.com
/PatientSupportHotline.com
/PatientSupportHotline.com
link
/TheMEDICALPATIENT.com
link