A portrait of heroes

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Nurse honors fellow Novant Health team members with original painting

Nursing is more than a career. It’s a chance to make a difference. Since COVID-19 began, nurses at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center have worked tirelessly to care for others in unprecedented times. And nurse and artist Janine Rosenberg found inspiration in their sacrifice.

Rosenberg is a registered nurse in infusion services at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center. She’s served at the hospital since 2015, but this past year has been particularly meaningful. Rosenberg and her fellow nurses have adapted to an everchanging virus, donned personal protective equipment (PPE) and found ways to lift each other up.

Outside of work, Rosenberg enjoys drawing and painting. Last spring, she decided to use her gifts to honor her team members in her original painting “Unsung Heroes.” The painting depicts several Novant Health team members in PPE alongside comic book superheroes Iron Man, Captain America, Spiderman and Batman. Rosenberg donated the painting to Brunswick Medical Center.

“I chose to donate it as a tribute to all nurses who have gone above and beyond to exemplify their superpowers that make our hospital what it is,” Rosenberg said.

Over the last few months, it’s been easy to spot these superheroes in action as they deliver compassion and care to COVID-19 patients.

Jo Ann Behounek is one of the nurses pictured in the painting. Behounek works in the emergency room unit and recently shared an update from the front lines. She recalled how COVID-19 patients have been separated from families during the pandemic. In those cases, she’s done her best to be there for patients.

“For my patients, I am their family for the moment,” Behounek said. “I slow down – actually, it’s more like screeching to a halt – and listen to them. It’s made me grow as nurse.”

Behounek said the ER is always controlled chaos, but COVID-19 has presented constant change.

“Every day, we face something new but with COVID, we’re facing something new every 30 minutes,” Behounek said. “Our team – we’re like a tribe now – meets daily to discuss the new guidance we’ve gotten from our leadership. Then, we figure out how to make it work for patients, staff and the community.”

Rosenberg noted that although many nurses may not identify as superheroes – instead considering the sacrifice part of the job – she believes heroism is present in nurses.

“We can all identify with being the best we could be at the time when we were needed most,” Rosenberg said. “That is usually when superheroes are summoned.”

COVID-19 has proven to be just that moment. Rosenberg’s painting is a testament that although pandemics may come and go, the heroism of our Novant Health team members will remain.

“I want nurses to look at this painting and say, ‘I remember that time, that pandemic, that miserable COVID-19 virus, when I was part of something special,'” Rosenberg said.