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Name: Jessica (Swartz) Vogel

Class Year: 2010

Sport(s) Played at W&J: Women's Soccer

Major at W&J: Biology

Current Job Title & Employer: Registered Nurse for Aya Healthcare and Allegheny General Hospital.
 

Brief description of job duties/responsibilities: I am a PACU RN at AGH and I am a COVID RN working in ICUs in various hospitals as a contract nurse for hospitals at capacity. At all three hospitals that I've worked with through AYA, they all have created additional ICU space and were in need of more staff to care for patients. These additional ICUs require extra nursing staff to run the extra intensive care units they need. The ICUs are incredibly busy in every hospital that has an uptick in COVID-19 patients. Just because there is an influx of patients with the virus, doesn't mean patients with traumatic injuries, heart attacks, strokes, surgical procedures, etc stop... there's just now even more patients to care for. The ICUs were I have been are so full, that the acquittal level has been the highest I've ever seen. Every night, I'm providing care for some of the sickest patients in the area. I currently work in Wellspan, York PA which is four hours from here. I leave around 2 pm, go right to a 12 hour shift, and when my block of nights is done, I head back home in the morning. As an ICU RN, I work very closely with physicians, monitoring vitals, drawing labs, titrating medications, managing ventilators, wound dressings, running dialysis machines, updating families, and so much more. Since I've started traveling, I've noticed the workload is so much more stressful with COVID-19 patients and the acuity level. Ensuring I have the proper protective equipment on, every single time I walk into a room is so crucial. I have to protect myself, the patients I take care of, the staff members I come in contact with, as well as my family and friends at home. 
 

Current level of education: Bachelor's Degree

Career path following W&J: After graduating from Washington and Jefferson College, I went on to get a nursing degree and have been an ICU RN for six years. I mostly have worked in a level one trauma ICU, and began traveling in April 2020.
Summarize your experience at W&J: I loved W&J! I made a lot of great memories and friends, gained confidence to take on my goals in life, met my husband, and currently am advancing my nursing degree.

Favorite memory as a student-athlete: My favorite memory would be scoring the game-winning goal, which was a header, against Thomas More in the 2008 PAC Championship Game. We made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time that year. Coach (Curtis) took us out to eat and we managed to spend every nickel provided to us for meals. Somewhere we have a picture of all the food we ordered and it basically didn't fit on the whole table. Haha.

Notable athletic and academic accomplishments during college: PAC Champs, NCAA Tournament appearances and the game-winning goal in the 2008 PAC Championship.

Extra-curricular activities at W&J (outside of athletics): Outside of athletics, I was a resident assistant for two years and was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority.   
  
What went into your decision to attend W&J? I decided W&J was for me because I wanted a smaller, close-knit college. I didn't want to feel overwhelmed with huge class sizes and I got to know my professors better because of it.

What advice would you give current W&J student-athletes? Set your mind to anything that comes your way. The only thing standing between you and your desired goals, is you. Work hard both in the classroom and on the field, and you're going to achieve so much!

Any additional information you would like to add? I met my husband, Chris Vogel (Class of 2008) at W&J. We have five children and celebrated our 10th anniversary this year. He played lacrosse and was a member of FIJI.