Meet The Emerson Hospital Nurses Headed To the Super Bowl

CONCORD, MA — Two Emerson Hospital nurses are part of the group of 76 vaccinated healthcare workers heading to the Superbowl on Sunday with the New England Patriots.

Jenn Castellano and Jess Tellier are nurses with over two dozen years of combined experience at Emerson Hospital. Both have been working closely with COVID-19 patients throughout the pandemic — Castellano in the COVID-19 unit and Tellier in the critical care unit.

The Patriots announced on Tuesday that they would fly 76 vaccinated healthcare workers from New England to the Super Bowl as a token of gratitude for their hard work through the pandemic and to put an emphasis on the importance of getting vaccinated.

The nurses completed their COVID-19 vaccinations in mid-January. Emerson officials said safety protocols will be in place throughout the trip, and they will go through standard safety protocols before they return to work with patients.

Patch asked Castellano and Tellier a bit about themselves and the pandemic, here's what they said:

How long have you been working at Emerson and how has working through the pandemic compared to the rest of your career at the hospital?

Castellano: I joined Emerson as a nurse in 2000. Throughout the pandemic, we have worked extra hard as a team to care for our patients. Everyone, including our environmental service staff who clean patient rooms, our nutrition team who bring food to our patients, patient care techs who take patients’ vitals – we have all come together to take care of our patients. It has helped us understand and appreciate even more the role of every person at Emerson.

Tellier: I started at Emerson as a nurse in 2008. This year has been very challenging caring for so many patients very sick with COVID-19, but it has made me an even stronger nurse.

Working as a nurse during this pandemic is both emotionally and physically tolling — what keeps you going each day?

Castellano: My coworkers, the patients and their families. On my time off, I exercise, read and relax to reduce stress. It is important to take care of myself, so I can take care of others.

Tellier: My family definitely keeps me going. My husband Dan has been an incredible support system for me and my kids are great at lifting my spirits after a tough shift. I also like to read, listen to music or exercise. I think it’s really important to have a healthy work-life balance.

What would you like people to know about you and your colleagues in healthcare?

Castellano: We are very hardworking, putting others first before ourselves, we work well together as a team and are very supportive of one another. We laugh, cry, and encourage one another.

Tellier: This year has been an emotional rollercoaster. I think we have all had to rely on each other in ways that we haven’t in the past, and we have really become closer for that. My co-workers are the best, truly they have been one of the best support systems for me and I can’t say enough about them. I also want to say that it’s not just doctors and nurses who have been working so hard. It is the respiratory therapists, patient care technicians, pharmacists, social workers, dietitians, environmental services staff, speech therapists, OT/PT, lab, imaging, engineers, IT staff, and so many more who are involved in our patients’ care team.