Honor Health Care Heroes

“Times of crisis bring out the best in people.” This truism is in evidence each day as tens of thousands of Americans go about their essential work duties in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In normal times, the bravery and sacrifice of first responders and health care professionals often go unnoticed. But these are not normal times. People in cities across the nation and around the world are now taking to their balconies and rooftops each evening to applaud those who are serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anticipating a surge of COVID-19 cases in California and the need for many additional health care workers, on March 30, Governor Gavin Newsom announced his plan to increase the state’s medical workforce. He said, “If you’re a nursing school student or medical school student, we need you.” Newsom also included in his call to action the recently retired and other medical professionals to join in the battle to save lives.

In a statement, California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley responded by saying, “California’s community colleges will answer the call...” He added, “Many of our students in nursing, respiratory therapy and other allied health programs…want to serve in this moment of tremendous need.”

California’s community colleges currently educate about 70 percent of the state’s nurses, as well as 80 percent of its firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical technicians.

Calling on students who are nearly through their nursing programs can be a win-win for them, the other professionals they will work alongside and hospitals that are in desperate need of additional trained nurses. These students will benefit from working in clinical settings and they are freshly trained and eager to do their part. Reaction from community college students to Newsom’s plan was enthusiastic. Their comments included such statements as: “This is what we’ve been preparing ourselves for;” “This is what we signed up for and this is what we want to do;” and “It’s exciting. Now we can be the ones to really help some of these patients.”

The courage and passion of these students is humbling. They remind us of the brave and selfless first responders of 9/11—those who rushed toward danger while most people were running away. And, like those first responders, these students deserve our respect and our gratitude.

About the Author:

Professor Emeritus at Pasadena City College and former Executive Director of the Pasadena Education Association, Dr. Edward C. Ortell is the senior governing board member at Citrus College. He has served on the California Community College Trustees (CCCT) state board of directors and 11 terms as president of the Citrus College Board of Trustees.