WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES MAY 7, 2020 25
NATIONAL NURSES WEEK
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 every day.
Since graduating from Adelphi University in
1999 with a bachelor 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 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 left overs
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
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 every day.
lives during the pandemic, Laskina described it as
gratifying.
“I see the support from the local restaurants and
delis, pretty much every day 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 inpatient
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.”
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