Hannah Sims ’02 currently works as a Registered Nurse in Urgent Care and the Emergency Room in the hospital system in San Diego. Before joining the healthcare system and risking her health on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hannah was a student-athlete on the women’s soccer team here at Chapman.

Hannah’s job has changed considerably as they are taking all necessary precautions to stay safe and help prevent further spread of the virus. Her offices are utilizing phone and video conferencing, continuing to see “well” patients away from the sick patients they are treating. The administration in the San Diego hospital system has ensured the safety of the nurses, physicians and Respiratory Therapists and all other staff on the front lines by protecting them with PPE (personal protective equipment) as shown above. As far as the general public goes, Hannah says the support from the community has been amazing. People have donated equipment, food and homemade masks while also putting up signs of encouragement around the facilities.

Hannah says that she discovered the parallels between nursing and being a student-athlete as soon as she entered the field. “The job relies heavily on working together and a team mentality even though we have individual patients we are responsible for”, she says. “Fortunately, I have entered into a career that lets me remain part of a strong and wonderful team helping to do good for others.”

Hannah reflects that even though we are in chaotic times, if we pull together toward a common goal we will succeed and benefit from it. She is using her position on the front lines of the pandemic to reach this common goal of world-wide health and safety.