POUGHKEEPSIE – A nurse has left Vassar Brothers Medical Center and taken up residence in front of the Dutchess County Office Building on Market Street. The larger-than-life statue was a resident in the lobby of the hospital until the sculpture arrived on Market Street on Tuesday.
After the unveiling, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “Today, we joined nursing staff from several Dutchess County Government departments, representatives from the New York State Nurses Association and local artist, Nestor Madalengoitia, to unveil “The Nurse,” a statue that will remain in front of the county office building on Market Street in Poughkeepsie to commemorate the service and sacrifice of nurses during the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic.” Madalengoitia created the sculpture.
While encouraging people to have a safe holiday season, Molinaro said, “In this time of Thanksgiving, we are grateful to all those who have served their community selflessly during these unprecedented times and continue to answer the call as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our friends, families, and neighbors. Nurses, healthcare workers, and so many others have been on the frontline from day one, helping to trace contacts, care for our most vulnerable, and, too often, have been the only company and solace those who have succumbed to the illness were able to have in their last moments.”
The statue has received mixed reviews from people who saw it on Market Street. “What a wonderful tribute to the hard-working hospital staff,” said Lenore Williams, as she stopped to admire the sculpture. “It seems out of place but the gesture is very kind.”
A nurse visiting the county building said, “We loved to see the statue in our lobby but now, during this second surge, people need to be reminded that we are taking care of our community as our number one priority.” Asked about conditions at the hospital, the nurse who asked to remain anonymous said, “There is a nationwide shortage of proper staffing levels and an even bigger shortage of PPE for the frontline workers. Something needs to be done to keep us safe.”
