Member of Mercy's First Nursing Cohort Working on the COVID-19 Front Line 

Evita Kubhar ’19 has had to hit the ground running, fast, in her new position as a registered nurse for a Northwell Health hospital on Long Island, New York. A member of Mercy’s first nursing graduating class, Kubhar is new to the nursing profession, and the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation has forced her to learn the ropes at a rapid pace. “I’ve learned an incredible amount in such a short period of time,” Kubhar reflected.

Kubhar is starting her career in a challenging environment where nurses wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) for shifts lasting 13 hours. While her current situation may not be what she imagined experiencing in her first year as a nurse, she is taking each day in stride. “Mercy taught me well and I definitely had the fundamentals needed to do my job. I’ll be able to look back and tell future nursing students my experience — that we can handle anything that’s thrown at us,” she said.

Driven by the desire to be there for people, in their worst moments and their best, Kubhar feels fortunate to be healthy enough to serve coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in need. “It’s not their fault they’re sick – they deserve to know that they have someone supporting them, and it’s important to me they know that I’m that person,” she said.

Kubhar has learned how to be a “big self-advocate” thanks to her professors at Mercy. Mercy’s administrators and professors were always open to feedback about the nursing program’s progress, and Kubhar took advantage of opportunities to provide her input on strengths and areas for improvement. “I was lucky to be a part of the first graduating class — I learned to have a voice and speak up for myself,” she explained.

This confidence has helped her transition from college to the real world, especially during such a unique time. “At Mercy I learned the importance of patience and humility, and that has certainly come in handy lately,” said Kubhar.