How Can You Not Help Someone?
By Madison Langweil
Two surgical masks, a blue gown, two pairs of tight rubber gloves, fitted goggles, and a face shield are the layers protecting Kaitlyn Poluzzi.
She describes the outfit as quite fashionable. Despite the cold appearance of her medical uniform, Kaitlyn’s endearing voice and friendly nature allows patients to see the human behind the layers of masks and scrubs.
“I have to do this for others,” is the mantra Kaitlyn remembers when she wakes up at 5 a.m. for a morning shift or sleeps through the day for her 6:30 p.m. evening shift. “How can you not help someone?”
Kaitlyn works as an emergency medical technician (EMT), responding to urgent calls while finishing her final semester as a double major in Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Laboratory Science at Marist.
Cases range from severe incidents to minor accidents. Regardless of the call, Kaitlyn is passionate about helping her patients. On the days she’s not riding in the loudest vehicle on the road, Kaitlyn is in the emergency room as a speciality chair technician with one goal in mind: providing the best care and uplifting her patients.
“Something as simple as a compliment can make the biggest impact on someone,” Kaitlyn says.
During this pandemic, Kaitlyn has spent hours with her patients. She cherishes even the meetings that only last a few minutes. This proclivity for caring and her ability to work with people are the driving forces pushing Kaitlyn to become a physician assistant.
“I’ll always remember the first person I intubated. There wasn’t any other way to get oxygen into their lungs and they needed me,” Kaitlyn recalls.
With every swing of those white hospital doors, a new patient enters that Kaitlyn needs to care for physically and emotionally. But Kaitlyn is never alone, especially when chaos arises in the emergency room.
Illustration by Janine Pultorak
One night, every bed was taken at the hospital, the team was understaffed, and patients kept coming through the doors. These shifts are extremely stressful, but these are the moments that connect Kaitlyn to her coworkers. “The thing about working is you see so many crazy and heartbreaking things, that you build an incredible bond with other workers,” Kaitlyn says.
From an early age, Kaitlyn has always had a natural ability to care for others. When her mother broke both of her arms, Kaitlyn and her sister played doctor to make the healing process easier. These memories pop up now as she puts a splint on a patient.
Kaitlyn is inspired by her parents and lives by their words: “Work hard and be humble about the work that you do.” And this is evident in Kaitlyn’s incredible work ethic. Not only is she a devoted EMT and Specialty Chair Technician, but she also works passionately with transfer students on campus. At Marist, Kaitlyn helps transfer students navigate life at a new school. Her welcoming personality is an important tool in helping these students make friends and meaningful connections.
Working on the front lines of COVID-19 while also working with transfer students is risky, and Kaitlyn knows it. “There’s always in the back of your mind: I don’t want to get my family sick,” she says.
Along with dealing with the risks of exposure, working as an EMT has been challenging and traumatic, especially during the pandemic. Kaitlyn has seen several patients die. She clearly remembers one woman’s name. As devastated as Kaitlyn feels when patients pass away, she remembers it’s imperative to move on with the knowledge that she did everything in her power to help.
Despite the difficult experiences and exhaustion, Kaitlyn truly wants to help others heal. Kaitlyn is sacrificing her freedom for others to feel alive. From 2020 to 2021, Kaitlyn has treated hundreds of patients. During this time, she’s also learned burnout is real and this line of work can take a toll mentally and physically on the body. However, Kaitlyn’s optimistic charm and caring nature persists.
When the 21 rooms in the emergency room are full, hallway beds are taken, and every worker is in chaos, Kaitlyn continues to remind herself that she needs to do this. By the end of the night, Kaitlyn will have helped a countless number of patients and rewards herself with a delicious takeout meal that she shares with her fellow lifesavers.
FOR THE RECORD UNCUT
OBJECT PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography by Bobby Oliver