Many health care workers' jobs have shifted during the pandemic, including nurse anesthetists at Bridgeport Hospital.

Rachel Cadan has been a nurse anesthetist at Bridgeport Hospital for 17 years.

Cadan works for Bridgeport Anesthesia Associates, which covers all the anesthesia cases at the hospital. It's a number that has plummeted amidst the outbreak with all elective procedures canceled.

"Between the doctors and the CRNAs, we cover about 30 locations on a daily basis. Unfortunately, now, we probably only have two or three operating rooms open for the day," said Cadan.

That means nurse anesthetists at Bridgeport Hospital found themselves in the same position as many Americans during this pandemic -- out of work. Cadan says 90% of the CRNAs in her group were furloughed.

"It's kind of hard to imagine a critical care nurse in this situation being furloughed. And for me, it was kind of mind-boggling. I just couldn't imagine that these amazing resources were going to waste," Cadan said.

She reached out to leadership at Bridgeport Hospital about CRNAs working in the intensive care unit. She says they got back to her quickly and said "Yes, we want you."

"Many people are now intubated, on ventilators, and that's our specialty, so were helping to do that. We're helping respiratory therapists manage airways and endotracheal tubes," Cadan said.

Cadan says the disease is scary and being on the front line is not easy. But says she is proud of her coworkers for pivoting from their usual roles and refusing to let fear keep them from carrying out their oath.

"I get nervous every time before I have to go into work, but then when I'm there, I feel so much that that's where I need to be," she said.