Dynamic nursing duo crosses state lines to bring expertise and hometown care abroad

DYNAMIC NURSING DUO CROSSES STATE LINES TO BRING EXPERTISE AND HOMETOWN CARE ABROAD

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Methodist Hospital nurses, Kirsten Tracy and Megan Madalinski, were among thousands across the United States who stepped up to support the outbreak New York City faced. After two months, the best-friend duo returned to Texas to care for the growing critically ill COVID patient population their hometown of San Antonio was challenged with.

Kirsten and Megan, nurses who had previously specialized in surgical progressive care, were now skillful in treating acute patients on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. “It was intimidating at first [treating COVID-19 patients]; we were seeing rapid declines in these patients’ health, requiring ICU level of care,” commented Kirsten.

By October, El Paso, Texas experienced a massive outbreak in COVID cases. This time, the uproar was in Kirsten and Megan’s home state. Hospitals were unequipped and understaffed to manage the surplus of patients, and a national emergency response was called in to support. FEMA was en route to send aid, though the exhausted medical staff could only work under demanding conditions for so long without relief.

“We had the experience and felt confident taking on COVID, so we volunteered to help our state when they needed it most,” commented Megan. “We felt a calling to go.”

Kirsten and Megan were assigned to Las Palmas Medical Center. As the number of cases increased, the demand for space did too. Kirsten recalls implementing processes for opening units daily. “When we were done opening one unit, we were already looking for future space to open another,” she recalls. “We took a lot of best practices from Methodist Healthcare out there, and they were open to learning and adapting, which was crucial.”

When Kirsten and Megan arrived in Las Palmas, only three units were designated to treat COVID-19 patients. Within weeks, nearly every space of the hospital had been converted into an ICU.

After two weeks, the nursing duo returned to San Antonio. Reflecting on their experience, Kirsten said, “It was so inspiring to see how well others came together amid a crisis. The camaraderie among everyone was amazing. I’ve never seen so many people come together for one cause.”

“We were doing it together,” Megan mentioned. “We couldn’t turn down the opportunity. It was important for us to take a chance and help fellow Texans in need.”

Today, Kirsten and Megan have transitioned out of COVID-19 care.

22 | Methodist Magazine