Atlanta nurse hits 39-day mark working in NYC, celebrates 30th birthday

Thirty-nine days ago, Aimee Gilbert’s life changed. She went from working as a registered nurse in Atlanta to battling the coronavirus seven days a week.

Monday was her 30th birthday and one-year anniversary of graduating nursing school. Gilbert spent it working a 13-hour shift at the Roosevelt Island Medical Center, getting off at 7 a.m.

“Once you get in that routine, it’s not too bad. The difference here is we’re not dealing with trying to hang out with our friends or doing family things," Gilbert said. "So you’re just working and eating and sleeping.”

Aimee Gilbert is an Atlanta-based nurse, helping fight the COVID-19 pandemic in NYC.

Although Gilbert had some feelings of nervousness, she had no hesitations going to New York.

“There’s that once in a lifetime piece to it, too, to be able to be a part of this and to know that the work you’re doing could make a difference is special. It’s hard to put into words.”

Gilbert has only had three days off since she left Georgia.

Aimee Gilbert and other health professionals are on the frontlines of the pandemic.

“It’s an incredible feeling for any nurse in any facility doing anything, COVID or non-COVID, to see your patients come through something that has been detrimental to them. It’s why we do what we do,” Gilbert said.

The most surprising part of all of this, she says, was walking through an empty Times Square.