When Heroes Don’t Feel Heroic: An Oral History of COVID-19 Healthcare Workers

Abstract

This thesis is an expansion upon oral history interviews taken from medical professionals in regard to their experiences working through the COVID-19 pandemic. The individuals who provide most of the information from this study are Angela Pitman, who was an acute care nurse practitioner during the pandemic, Carole Lovering Kooi, an intensive care nurse practitioner during the pandemic, and Magan Rish, a charge nurse during the pandemic. Angela Pitman and Magan Rish worked in the same rural hospital in Middle Tennessee, while Carole Lovering Kooi worked in a hospital in a community surrounding Atlanta, Georgia. These interviews were taken in the Fall of 2022, using an interview protocol consisting of ten questions, with one to three follow-up questions per main question to encourage elaboration when necessary. Other sources used in this thesis will be cited and used as support to these oral history interviews. This document is divided into sections based on topics discussed by the interviewees.