As the battle against COVID-19 rages on in America’s hospital rooms, medical staff are using prayer to help guide them through the fight.
Sarah Kremer, a nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, turned 38 on Monday and wanted to honor the occasion with a prayer session in wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
"I felt compelled to ask my friends to join me in prayer due to the fear and anxiety we’re all feeling every day at work," Kremer said.
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Fellow nurses Angela Gleaves, Beth Tiesler, Tanya Dixon and McKenzie Gibson joined in with open arms and bowed heads. The group made their plea on the hospital’s roof -- asking for strength, protection and wisdom for everyone taking care of patients around the globe.
"We want everyone to be comforted in knowing God is always with us no matter what," Gleaves said. "Our motto right now is faith over fear."
Thousands have taken that motto to heart. Gleaves shared a powerful photo of the prayer session on Facebook and the hospital followed suit on Twitter.
We wanted to share this beautiful moment that was captured by a staff member when members of our team spent a few extra minutes on our helipad praying for their unit, Vanderbilt employees, patients and families & all of our colleagues around the world taking care of patients. pic.twitter.com/DrnDdujhUx
— Vanderbilt Health (@VUMChealth) April 1, 2020
Users within the medical community and general public alike flocked to express their support.
Great visual of an oft-unseen reality in our health care systems!
— Morgan Wills (@wills_morgan) April 2, 2020
"My favorite thing I’ve seen yet," nurse Penny Forte wrote.
"This just gave me chills. Y’all are seriously amazing," Stayci Munroe commented.
Kremer explained she chose the roof for the gathering in an effort to "lay a cover of peace over the entire medical center."
The nurses had only 10 minutes to spare before rushing back to the battleground beneath them.
The novel coronavirus pandemic has now killed at least 5,900 people and infected over 243,000 in the United States.
As of Thursday, VUMC had 50 coronavirus patients admitted and 20 of those had been discharged, according to the hospital's website.
Kremer added this is the first time the nurses have prayed together at work.