Jessica Piersol | Behind the Mask Employee Spotlight

7/27/2021

Jessica Piersol | Behind the Mask Employee Spotlight

Behind the Mask with Jessica Piersol

Registered Nurse, Infection Prevention Control and Clinical Education

 

Today, we're going #BehindtheMask with Jessica Piersol, a Newberry RN who transitioned from 15 years working bedside with patients to our Infection Prevention and Control team only six months before the pandemic hit.

 

What does your job entail?

I am responsible for maintaining the safety of our patients, staff, and visitors by aiming to prevent the spread of pathogens from one person to another. I monitor every patient that is admitted to our facility to ensure their safety and prevent the spread of infection. 

What do you like about working at NCMH? 

I love the small-town feel and that everyone I work with knows me and I know them. We are all just one big family here at NCMH. We know each other’s families and have watched them grow. I love taking care of our community and the people we all know and love.

What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?

I honestly do not know. I was 6 years old when I told my parents I wanted to be a nurse. It is all I ever wanted to do and I still love it. It is a passion for me- helping others. I was at the bedside for 15 years and loved it. Now I am a bit more behind the scenes but still protecting and helping. 

What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

My faith in God and my family come before anything so when I am not here, spending time with my 3 boys and my husband is a priority. We LOVE to be outside. We grill, ride our golf cart and bikes, swim, go to the lake or beach and spend time with our closest family and friends. As long as we are together I am happy!

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned during the Pandemic? 

Take NOTHING for granted!! It can all be gone in the blink of an eye. I have seen this virus take away people that should be here today. It’s scary. 

How has your job changed during the pandemic?

I had been in the role of infection control for SIX months when the pandemic hit. I was still learning and getting my feet wet so to speak. When COVID hit, it was all hands on deck. There were a lot of people looking to me for answers and yet this was new to even the most experienced in infection control and epidemiology. 

I had to learn on the fly and create a new way of doing things not only in my role but in every role in this hospital. I feel like I grew a lot as a nurse over this past year. That is the amazing thing about nursing—you never stop learning and growing in this career.