Home Hospice Nurse Remains Steadfast During Crisis: Virginia Hero

MANASSAS, VA — When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented times. Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these everyday heroes.

This submission comes from Peggy Jones who nominated her sister Kathy Norris, a resident of Manassas who works as a home health hospice nurse in Manassas and in other parts of Prince William, Fauquier and Fairfax counties. Kathy has been working as a nurse for 30 years and as a hospice nurse for 20 years.

"She really enjoys working with these people at the end of care and being able to help their families," Peggy told Patch about her younger sister.

Throughout her career, Kathy has remained steadfast in advocating for patients and their families. Over the past two months, she also has had to navigate the perils of the coronavirus, which have made her job even more stressful as she takes all the necessary precautions to keep her patients safe and protect herself from patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

When visiting a patient, Kathy must put on the full uniform of COVID-19 protective gear. When she leaves a home after visiting a patient, she must put her gown, mask, gloves and other protective gear in a plastic bag that she then puts in her car's trunk before delivering it to a disposal site.

On the days she's not on the job, Kathy helps to take care of her grandchildren two days a week. But Kathy is limiting her visits to Peggy's house where their elderly mother lives, although she speaks with her every day. Given the nature of her job, Kathy wants to be extra careful around her mother to make sure she doesn't get sick.

"I don't think she's afraid for herself. But she's concerned about who else she might come into contact with," Peggy said of Kathy working as a nurse during the coronavirus.

Name of the nominee:
Kathy Norris

Where the nominee lives:
Manassas

Name of the person who nominated the hero:
Peggy Jones

Is the nominee considered an "essential worker"?
Yes

What does the nominee do for work?
Home health hospice nurse

Why do you believe the nominee should be recognized or honored?
Recent cutbacks resulted in Kathy being the ONLY hospice nurse from her company to cover the Manassas region. This territory, covering Prince William County, Fauquier County and most of Fairfax County, was covered by three nurse until recently.

Many of the patients being discharged home from hospitals on hospice care DO have the virus. Kathy dons and doffs her PPE multiple times a day as she cares for her charges. She looks very tired. We pray for her daily that she stays safe from this terrible virus while she cares for others.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about your hero?
Kathy is the definition of tenacity.

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