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LISTEN: Front Line Nurse Trains School Nurses To Work COVID-19 Test Site

Connecticut Public Radio | By Diane Orson
Published April 23, 2020 at 7:19 AM EDT
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Nancy LaMonica, nurse director of surgical services at Bristol Health, in her office at Bristol Hospital on April 15, 2020.
Dave Wurtzel/Connecticut Public
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Nurses collect samples at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing at Bristol Hospital on April 15.
Dave Wurtzel/Connecticut Public
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Nurses collect samples at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing at Bristol Hospital on April 15.
Dave Wurtzel/Connecticut Public

When Connecticut schools closed in mid-March to slow the spread of the coronavirus, most school nurses thought they'd be out of work for a while. But when COVID-19 drive-thru testing began in the Bristol-Burlington region, school nurses from the local health district stepped up to help staff the specimen collection station.

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They’re led by Nancy LaMonica, a nurse and the director of surgical services at Bristol Health.
Connecticut Public Radio's Diane Orson caught up with LaMonica while she was on a break at the drive-thru test site.

Hear the interview below:

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News Coronavirus
Diane Orson
Diane Orson is a special correspondent with Connecticut Public. She is a reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Here and Now; and The World from PRX. She spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.
See stories by Diane Orson

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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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