Carry With Us

The importance of health care professionals has been amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic. Nurses in particular are called on to provide more than ever for patients, often putting their own mental and physical health on the line. "Carry With Us" focuses on Ryan Thomas, a 23-year-old nurse who launched his career as a Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit nurse at UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2020. The pandemic has shaped his interactions with patients in the hospital sphere, as well as in his EMT volunteer work at the Western Albemarle Rescue Squad in Crozet, Virginia. Working 12-hour shifts on minimal sleep, Thomas is slowly navigating high levels of stress and increased isolation. After a year, he continues to seek a sustaining balance that blends his work life with his friends, family, and love of nature.