Nurse practitioner Capri Reese takes a minute to herself in an elevator after responding to five medical emergencies, or "code blues," and three patients died of complications from COVID-19 during her standard 12-hour day shift at Roseland Community

Nurse practitioner Capri Reese takes a minute to herself in an elevator after responding to five medical emergencies, or "code blues," and three patients died of complications from COVID-19 during her standard 12-hour day shift at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side of Chicago, Tuesday afternoon, April 28, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times


‘Our worst day’: The fight to treat patients and keep a hospital staffed on the Far South Side

Respiratory therapist Khafran Alshahin (center) watches the monitor for a heart rhythm while performing chest compressions on an 80-year-old man who would shortly thereafter die of complications from COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit at Roseland C

Respiratory therapist Khafran Alshahin (center) watches the monitor for a heart rhythm while performing chest compressions on an 80-year-old man who would shortly thereafter die of complications from COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side of Chicago, Tuesday afternoon, April 28, 2020. Nurse practitioner Capri Reese (left) and respiratory therapists Dennis Kelly and Malcolm Love (far right) also watch the monitor.

During the standard 12-hour day shift Tuesday, nurses and doctors responded to five medical emergencies, or "code blues," and the 80-year-old man was one of three patients to die of complications from COVID-19. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times


‘Our worst day’: The fight to treat patients and keep a hospital staffed on the Far South Side

Nurse Jeanette Averett comforts a 56-year-old woman with COVID-19 who was struggling with anxiety because of her non-invasive ventilator at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, April 28, 2020. During the standard 1

Nurse Jeanette Averett comforts a 56-year-old woman with COVID-19 who was struggling with anxiety because of her non-invasive ventilator at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, April 28, 2020.

During the standard 12-hour day shift Tuesday, nurses and doctors responded to five medical emergencies, or "code blues," and three patients died of complications from COVID-19. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times



‘Our worst day’: The fight to treat patients and keep a hospital staffed on the Far South Side

Nurse practitioner Capri Reese talks to a patient and holds her hand while a doctor administers an IV at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, April 28, 2020. During Reese’s standard 12-hour shift Tuesday, she respo

Nurse practitioner Capri Reese talks to a patient and holds her hand while a doctor administers an IV at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, April 28, 2020.

During Reese’s standard 12-hour shift Tuesday, she responded to five medical emergencies, or "code blues," and three patients died of complications from COVID-19. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

‘Our worst day’: The fight to treat patients and keep a hospital staffed on the Far South Side

Nurse practitioner Capri Reese gives a pep-talk to nurse Tamara Jones after a 56-year-old woman in the COVID-19 unit prompted a rapid response, meaning respiratory or cardiac arrest, at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afte

Nurse practitioner Capri Reese gives a pep-talk to nurse Tamara Jones after a 56-year-old woman in the COVID-19 unit prompted a rapid response, meaning respiratory or cardiac arrest, at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, April 28, 2020.

During the standard 12-hour day shift Tuesday, nurses and doctors responded to five medical emergencies, or "code blues," and three patients died of complications from COVID-19. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

‘Our worst day’: The fight to treat patients and keep a hospital staffed on the Far South Side

Nurse practitioner Capri Reese talks to a patient while a doctor administers an IV at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, April 28, 2020. During Reese’s standard 12-hour shift Tuesday, she responded to five medica

Nurse practitioner Capri Reese talks to a patient while a doctor administers an IV at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, April 28, 2020.

During Reese’s standard 12-hour shift Tuesday, she responded to five medical emergencies, or "code blues," and three patients died of complications from COVID-19. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

‘Our worst day’: The fight to treat patients and keep a hospital staffed on the Far South Side

Nurse Jessica Bell administers sedative medication for a man with COVID-19 and on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 8, 2020. “With COVID, you can decline quickly.

Nurse Jessica Bell administers sedative medication for a man with COVID-19 and on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 8, 2020.

“With COVID, you can decline quickly. You can be walking, talking and within minutes have to be intubated,” Bell said, referring to the patient. “It’s very depressing. This guy was walking, talking, friendly. To see him go so quick, it makes me sad because it can happen to anyone.” | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

‘Oh my God — this is carnage’: Hospitals fighting COVID also cope with exhaustion and burnout

Nurse Tamara Jones puts on new personal protective equipment as she prepares to check on a patient with COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 8, 2020. Zip walls and negati

Nurse Tamara Jones puts on new personal protective equipment as she prepares to check on a patient with COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 8, 2020.

Zip walls and negative pressure machines were installed in the hospital's ICU in early December. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

‘Oh my God — this is carnage’: Hospitals fighting COVID also cope with exhaustion and burnout

Nurse Tamara Jones checks blood sugar levels for a 73-year-old woman with COVID-19 and on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 8, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times ‘O

Nurse Tamara Jones checks blood sugar levels for a 73-year-old woman with COVID-19 and on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit at Roseland Community Hospital on the Far South Side, Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 8, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

‘Oh my God — this is carnage’: Hospitals fighting COVID also cope with exhaustion and burnout