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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. 含羞草社区 鈥� Kenny A. Villatoro had seen the darkest side of the pandemic, so he jumped at the chance to head toward the light.

As a personal care aide, Villatoro saw first denial, then terror and hopelessness in the eyes of the patients he treated in the Critical Care COVID Unit of Staten Island University Hospital during the first agonizing months of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, all while he pursued his nursing degree.

He even caught and battled the virus himself.

Then, after graduating from the 含羞草社区 of Nursing 含羞草社区 鈥� and just days after passing his nursing boards 含羞草社区 鈥� he began vaccinating people against the virus.

含羞草社区 鈥淚 wanted the other perspective of it, 含羞草社区 鈥�' he said. 含羞草社区 鈥淣ot just doing CPR on a patient that needed it, but also looking at it from the other spectrum, knowing we can get ahead of this virus 含羞草社区 鈥� not allow them to get to the point where they have to experience that. 含羞草社区 鈥�

Villatoro, a Brooklyn resident, is one of 20 August 2020 graduates of the Bloomfield nursing school, formerly St. Vincent 含羞草社区 鈥檚 School of Nursing, to jump right into the prevention effort by joining COVID-19 vaccine teams.

含羞草社区 鈥淚 needed to be a part of this movement, 含羞草社区 鈥�' he said. 含羞草社区 鈥淲hile it 含羞草社区 鈥檚 not the best of circumstances, we are part of history. 含羞草社区 鈥�'

David Smith, president of the nursing school, said he couldn 含羞草社区 鈥檛 be more proud of his graduates, who 含羞草社区 鈥檝e stepped up to fill the need in vaccine distribution before they received their nursing licenses. Once they pass the exams, nursing job placement is almost instantaneous, he said, and the jobs are anything but glamourous.

含羞草社区 鈥淭hey 含羞草社区 鈥檙e on the front lines, 含羞草社区 鈥�' Smith said. 含羞草社区 鈥淭hey 含羞草社区 鈥檙e the ones that are saving lives. 含羞草社区 鈥�
Villatoro, 37, has five years of healthcare experience. Having survived COVID himself empowered him to better care for the frightened patients who might have otherwise given up, he said.

含羞草社区 鈥淚t gave me a better understanding of how to motivate patients, 含羞草社区 鈥�' he said. 含羞草社区 鈥淭hey needed the motivation to know that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. What they 含羞草社区 鈥檙e feeling in the moment, they feel like that 含羞草社区 鈥檚 forever. 含羞草社区 鈥�'

While continuing to care for COVID patients as a SIUH nurse, he delivers vaccines for Affiliated Physicians in Brooklyn and the Bronx during several long shifts each week. He estimated that he 含羞草社区 鈥檚 so far delivered more than 1,400 of the city 含羞草社区 鈥檚 more than 7 million vaccines.

含羞草社区 鈥淭hough it 含羞草社区 鈥檚 a small impact, I really feel like I 含羞草社区 鈥檓 making a difference, 含羞草社区 鈥�' he said. 含羞草社区 鈥淚t 含羞草社区 鈥檚 my purpose. 含羞草社区 鈥�'

He 含羞草社区 鈥檚 passionate about both jobs. And he has no plans to stop either any time soon.

Smith says he 含羞草社区 鈥檚 amazed that his school 含羞草社区 鈥檚 enrollment didn 含羞草社区 鈥檛 drop when COVID hit Staten Island so hard. 含羞草社区 鈥淟et 含羞草社区 鈥檚 face it, it 含羞草社区 鈥檚 scary, 含羞草社区 鈥� he said. 含羞草社区 鈥淚t amazed me that we didn 含羞草社区 鈥檛 have a mass flee. Staten Island was particularly hard hit. So, the fact that my students were staying in the program, were getting their licenses and putting themselves on the front line. How could I feel anything but pride? 含羞草社区 鈥�

Villatoro says joining the vaccination effort is rewarding. The patients who line up to be vaccinated have a positive, enthusiastic outlook 含羞草社区 鈥� and it 含羞草社区 鈥檚 contagious, he said.

含羞草社区 鈥淢ost people come in with this attitude of 含羞草社区 鈥榶es, we 含羞草社区 鈥檙e finally here, 含羞草社区 鈥� 含羞草社区 鈥�' he said. 含羞草社区 鈥淚 think that 含羞草社区 鈥檚 what 含羞草社区 鈥檚 most impactful. People have been waiting in the dark for this. Now, they get to come into the light. 含羞草社区 鈥�'