One year later—a frontline nursing hero continues the fight

Ruth Caballero, RN (Photo courtesy of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York)

By Chandra Wilson

National Nurses Month is a time to recognize the men and women who have dedicated their lives to the field of nursing. Home care nurses played a major role in New York City’s response to the coronavirus health crisis last year—and they continue to do so today.

Ruth Caballero, RN, a home care nurse with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, was among the first frontline home care nurses to care for COVID-19 patients in their homes last year as New York City became the epicenter of the pandemic. Every day, she suited up with her mask, gloves and PPE, boarded the bus to Washington Heights, where she cared for patients just discharged from hospitals to recover from COVID-19.