Alumni on the Front Lines | Roxana Scarpino

“The last six weeks have been quite the rollercoaster, filled with ups and downs requiring a level of resilience that most would have never known they possessed,” says Roxana Scarpino, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2012. “As a Senior Quality and Safety RN at Dartmouth Hitchcock, my job focus has shifted to all things COVID-19. The first three weeks were quite unsettling and even though there was a lot of uncertainty with COVID-19, our team continued to remain calm and focused while immersed in surge planning and drilling. More recently, we have begun recovery planning which includes the development of new evidence-based policies and procedures which will guide our practice in this new reality.”

Part of the new reality is that both nurses and patients have to wear personal protective equipment, which Roxana says has been a challenge because it takes away the personal connection during the visits. “In the nursing profession, we care for our patients so intimately. I hope our patients and co-workers know that there are smiles under our masks.”

Roxana empathizes with everyone affected by the pandemic, including her daughter. “As a mother to a 9-year-old little girl, I feel that it has had a significant impact on her life and children altogether. Not only have they been forced into the world of remote learning, but they have lost the ability to be with their friends, play sports, and partake in other activities which gives their lives fulfillment. I look forward to the day that we can breathe easy and enjoy the luxuries of being together with friends and family. I have to believe that we will get there soon. It’s what keeps me going.”

Thank you for working to keep our hospitals safe and our community healthy, Roxana. We are grateful for your work on the front lines.