Local Hero: Helping The Sickest Coronavirus Patients As ICU Nurse

MCLEAN, VA — At Patch, we are spotlighting those who making a difference in the community during these difficult times in our Local Heroes series. Some of these heroes are workers on the front lines of the new coronavirus crisis.

One of these workers is McLean resident Zoe Tseng, an ICU nurse at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. She started as a graduate nurse and has been there for five years. Now she and colleagues are dealing with "the most sick (and terrifying) cases of COVID-19."

In an email to Patch, Tseng shared her experience working in the COVID-19 ICU. She says the steady increase of cases in Montgomery County has an impact on Suburban Hospital, some patients may be routed up from DC. She shares praises with fellow medical and nursing coworkers on her team.

"To be honest, being hopeful during a pandemic is really difficult when you work in the ICU because it seems that you lose more battles than victories," Tseng wrote. "However, it's important to take it day by day and it really does help that every person on the ICU team has your back and we are defeating this pandemic as a team."

Tseng says the best way the public can help is "be mindful and respectful of the social protocols put in place as well as considering the well-being of those around you."

Name of the nominee:

Zoe Tseng

Name of the person who nominated the hero:

Ashley Tseng

Is the nominee considered an "essential worker"?

Yes

What does the nominee do for work?:

COVID-19 ICU Nurse at Suburban Hospital

Why do you believe the nominee should be recognized or honored?

As an ICU nurse in a COVID ICU, Zoe has provided direct care for the sickest coronavirus patients including managing their ventilators, medication drips, and monitoring the patients to make sure they do not deteriorate. When a coronavirus patient is very sick, it is crucial that nurses like Zoe are there to identify their deterioration early and fast as the disease progression of coronavirus happens over minutes to hours.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about your hero?:

Zoe is also a Doctor of Nurse Practitioner Candidate at Johns Hopkins University.

Do YOU have a local hero you would like us to know about? Share their story here.

All photos included in this post are owned by identified third parties who have given Patch the right to use explicitly for the Patch Local Heroes series.

SEE ALSO:

• Local Hero: Inova Fairfax Nurse Cares For Coronavirus Patients
• Care Packages Assembled For Hospital Nurses: McLean Hero
• Health Department Specialist Touches Many Lives: Virginia Hero
• Nurse Cares For Canterbury Residents During Crisis: Virginia Hero