Page 16 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2020

story and photos courtesy of MGCCC
Allison Horn
Brittney Burt
Nikki White
COAST NOTE
On the Frontlines
MGCCC students tackle healthcare jobs and online classes with courage
Healthcare workers have risen as the heroes that our country, and the entire world, have come to count on over the past few months. Many MGCCC students are current healthcare workers while also
attending college full time. The adjustment to an online format has had its challenges, but the true challenge has been facing their
jobs each day knowing they could be exposed to coronavirus and potentially bring it home to their families.
“The best part of my job is knowing that I get to be there for someone on their worst day and hopefully make a
di erence in their life,” said Allison Horn, a student in the Emergency Medical Sciences (EMS) Paramedic program
who also works as an emergency medical technician (EMT) in Jackson County. “On top of my normal work duties,
this last month has been put to the test with COVID-19. I personally want to commend every healthcare worker, rst responder, and essential employee for doing what we are called to do no matter how scared we may be. We will overcome this together.”
Brittney Burt, also a student in the EMS Paramedic program, works as an EMT in Harrison County. “Since the coronavirus began to worsen and more people have become frightened, we have received a higher volume of u-like and cold-like symptom calls. On top of the increased possible coronavirus calls, we
are still responding to all other 911 emergencies as well as interfacility
transfers. The public, as a whole, has been thanking EMS for all we do, but I
don’t do this job for the ‘thank yous’ or
any rewards. I do this job with the goal of truly helping others, to the best of my ability, in their time of need.”
Nikki White, a level one nursing student at the college, was temporarily furloughed from her job at a local casino because
of the industry shutdown. Knowing
she wanted to help local healthcare professionals, she, along with a few of
her coworkers and friends, began making masks at home. “I think it is so important that we help our community take hold
of this pandemic in any way we can,”
she said. “Altogether, we have distributed nearly 300 masks to di erent hospitals and doctors’ o ces along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.”
As for online classes, Burt said the college has been very helpful. “Everyone at the college has been so helpful, caring, and patient while we navigate our way around such big changes,” she said. “They have reached out to me more than once to see how I am holding up, our instructors have been helpful and respond quickly to our emails, and my fellow classmates have been very encouraging. This pandemic has shown us that we are not just a community, but a family.”
16 | May 2020
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living