Clarksville, Ark.-Two former University of the Ozarks softball stars have been thrust into the frontlines of COVID-19 while working in the medical field. 

Kayla (Gray) Igert '17 and Kara (Bartholomew) Johnson '07 were both standout softball student-athletes at Ozarks and now face COVID-19 head-on as nurses.

Igert, an ICU RN at Ascension St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, has faced heart-wrenching situations as she has seen the virus first-hand go from bad to worse. 

"One of the most difficult things is going to work and knowing that despite doing everything we possible can, it still may not be enough at the end of the day for a patient," said Igert. "I absolutely love being a nurse and taking care of patients, but the job has been really tough the past couple of months. This has been one of the most mentally, emotionally and physically draining times of my life."

Kara Johnson is a flight nurse for Air Evac Lifeteam.

Johnson has been a flight nurse with Air Evac Lifeteam for more than two years. Prior to that, she worked at Mercy Hospital as an ER nurse. Johnson continues to face the unknown as she works with a variety of patients.

"It's the fear of the unknown," said Johnson. "A lot of the patients we pick up haven't been tested yet because we are picking them up from their home or from an accident on the side of a highway. We have to treat all patients like they have COVID-19 and then constantly wonder if we did everything we could to protect ourselves and in turn our families during transport."

For Igert, the grind starts at 6:30 a.m. and is supposed to end around 7:00 p.m. 

She is assigned two patients to care for during her shift. Her unit is taking only COVID-19 positive ICU patients. She estimates her unit houses 16-20 COVID-19 ICU patients per day. 

"Our patients with COVID-19 deteriorate quickly and become very sick in a short amount of time," said Igert. "Each workday varies depending on the patient population and acuity of each patient. One of the main constants from day to day is being able to assess my patients and determine the best plan of care for them in consultation with multiple other healthcare providers." 

Johnson's grueling work schedule is a rotation of one week on and one week off. She works a 24-hour shift on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and then pulls a 12-hour shift on Sunday. Following an inspection of medications and equipment within the aircraft, Johnson completes paperwork and educational requirements during her day. Then, Johnson and her partner rest and wait for a call. Her team regularly receives calls in the middle of the night in the River Valley and Eastern Oklahoma area.

While the work is tense, Johnson said the lessons she learned as a student-athlete are still guiding her. 

"In my profession you have to be a good teammate and watch out for your partner and pilot," she said. "Even the smallest mistake could mean the loss of lives."

Similarly, Igert's experience at Ozarks as a student-athlete has helped in these trying times. Igert, who played in the infield and is among the school's top-10 in most career chances (402) and assists (179), is thankful for her Ozarks' experience.

Kayla Igert is an ICU RN in Tulsa.

"One of the biggest assets I received as a student-athlete was the ability to work with others to obtain a goal," she said. "This definitely has been beneficial during my nursing career. Playing softball collegiately taught me a lot about responsibility and being able to manage multiple things at once."

Both Igert and Johnson enjoy spending time with their families when they are away from work, but that doesn't mean they haven't made sacrifices during the pandemic.

"I finally got to visit my family in Arkansas back in May, and that was the first time I'd been home since Christmas," she said. "For me, that's a long time without seeing my parents and other family members. When it comes to other lifestyle changes, I don't go out shopping or to dinner like I used to. On my days off, I stay at my house and minimize the amount of time I spend out in the public."

Johnson, who was an outfielder and is the school's all-time leader in stolen bases (74) and hits (170), has had to sacrifice time away from her family to assist with testing efforts for FedEx international pilots in Memphis. Johnson turns to her faith as a guide during an unprecedented time in her profession.

"To the public I would share the Bible verse in John 16:33," said Johnson. "This scripture talks about having peace in Him. He knows that we will endure many trials and sorrows, but He overcame the world and He will overcome this too. Hang in there!"

Igert's hope is that the public takes the pandemic more serious. 

"Even if you think COVID-19 isn't real or is a hoax, I promise you that it is real," she said. "It's hard to put into words the situations I've seen over the last few months and the heartbreak I've experienced by having to call a family member to let them know that their loved one is dying and all their allowed is a phone call to tell them goodbye. Please, wear a mask and socially distance yourselves, if not for your family members or yourself, do it for the healthcare workers. We are tired of fighting a battle that we can't seem to win."  

Igert, originally from Pangburn, graduated with a degree in health science and is married to Dean, a former baseball player and U of O graduate. The couple reside in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. Johnson, originally from Hot Springs, graduated with a degree in biology and is married to Brad, a former basketball player and U of O graduate. The couple and their two children reside in Ozark.