Rosem Morton

Photographer

www.rosem.xyz

Ohio Nurses

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Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Nationality: Philippines

Biography: Rosem Morton , born and raised in the Philippines, is a documentary photographer and nurse based in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a National Geographic Explorer, an International Women's Media Foundation Fellow and a We, Women Photo... MORE

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 5, 2023: Jo...ton Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 5, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, poses for a portrait after her night shift at Twilight Gardens in Norwalk, Ohio on March 5, 2023. Meneses is the first international nurse working at Twilight Gardens, a nursing home and long term acute care facility. She was recruited from the Philippines to fill in the nursing shortages in Norwalk. Currently, she is the only nurse with a RN license at night so she has an expected advisory/overseeing role for the LPNs on top of her 16 patients for her night shift. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 5, 2023: Tw...ton Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 5, 2023: Twilight Gardens, a nursing home and long term acute care facility in Norwalk, Ohio is seen on March 5, 2023. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 5, 2023: Johanna Meneses cross checks narcotics with Miranda Hamilton, LPN, during change of shift at Twilight Gardens in Norwalk, Ohio on March 5, 2023. Meneses is the first international nurse working at Twilight Gardens, a nursing home and long term acute care facility. She was recruited from the Philippines to fill in the nursing shortages in Norwalk. Currently, she is the only nurse with a RN license at night so she has an expected advisory/overseeing role for the LPNs on top of her 16 patients for her night shift. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 4, 2023: Jo...ton Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 4, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, gives eye medication to her patient, Orlando Villareal at Twilight Gardens in Norwalk, Ohio on March 4, 2023. Meneses is the first international nurse working at Twilight Gardens, a nursing home and long term acute care facility. She was recruited from the Philippines to fill in the nursing shortages in Norwalk. Currently, she is the only nurse with a RN license at night so she has an expected advisory/overseeing role for the LPNs on top of her 16 patients for her night shift. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 4, 2023: Su...ton Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 4, 2023: Supplies for a blood sugar check at Twilight Gardens is seen in Norwalk, Ohio on March 4, 2023. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - FEBRUARY 12, 2023...ton Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - FEBRUARY 12, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, walks to her apartment in Norwalk, Ohio on February 12, 2023 after hanging out at her neighbor’s place. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 5, 2023: Ph...ton Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 5, 2023: Photos of Johanna Meneses with her friends are seen in her Norwalk, Ohio apartment on March 5, 2023. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 6, 2023: Jo...ton Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 6, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, RN, eats a meal after working a 16 hr and 45 min nursing shift at Twilight Gardens in Norwalk, Ohio. Meneses was mandated to stay past her shift because there was no nurse to take care of her patients. She is watching a show to stay awake so that she can welcome, April Fernando, a Filipino nurse arriving for the first time from the Philippines. Meneses is the first international nurse working at Twilight Gardens, a nursing home and long term acute care facility. She was recruited from the Philippines to fill in the nursing shortages in Norwalk. Currently, she is the only nurse with a RN license at night so she has an expected advisory/overseeing role for the LPNs on top of her 16 patients for her night shift. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - FEBRUARY 14, 2023...ton Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - FEBRUARY 14, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, turns away from the window and uses a humidifier to be able to sleep after her nursing night shift on February 14, 2023. She is not allowed to change her window treatments. The cold weather also causes her to have nose bleeds. Johanna Meneses is an immigrant registered nurse from the Philippines who moved to Ohio last month. She works night shift in a very understaffed nursing/rehab/long term facility with about 25-38 patients in a shift. Because she is the first international nurse in her facility, her workplace is still learning the intricacies of having her work there (licensing, background and medical checks, etc). Johanna is also working to advocate for herself since they do not understand that nursing homes are not part of the healthcare system of the Philippines. This is one of the many adjustments she has to face since moving here. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 4, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, grabs supplies for her patients at Twilight Gardens in Norwalk, Ohio on March 4, 2023. Meneses is the first international nurse working at Twilight Gardens, a nursing home and long term acute care facility. She was recruited from the Philippines to fill in the nursing shortages in Norwalk. Currently, she is the only nurse with a RN license at night so she has an expected advisory/overseeing role for the LPNs on top of her 16 patients for her night shift. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 6, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, RN, speeds to take care of morning medications for 16 patients at Twilight Gardens in Norwalk, Ohio on March 6, 2023. Despite working a 12 hour night shift, Meneses was mandated to stay past her shift because there was no nurse to take care of her patients. Meneses is the first international nurse working at Twilight Gardens, a nursing home and long term acute care facility. She was recruited from the Philippines to fill in the nursing shortages in Norwalk. Currently, she is the only nurse with a RN license at night so she has an expected advisory/overseeing role for the LPNs on top of her 16 patients for her night shift. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 4, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, gives insulin to her patient, Orlando Villareal at Twilight Gardens in Norwalk, Ohio on March 4, 2023. Meneses is the first international nurse working at Twilight Gardens, a nursing home and long term acute care facility. She was recruited from the Philippines to fill in the nursing shortages in Norwalk. Currently, she is the only nurse with a RN license at night so she has an expected advisory/overseeing role for the LPNs on top of her 16 patients for her night shift. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - FEBRUARY 11, 2023...ton Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - FEBRUARY 11, 2023: Jerald Vasquez, 31, and Johanna Meneses, 32, catch up on their most recent nursing shift, on their way to Jerald’s apartment in Norwalk, Ohio, on February 11, 2023. Both of them are registered nurses who worked together in the Philippines and have now moved to Norwalk just last month and now live as neighbors. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - FEBRUARY 11, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, and Jerald Vasquez, 31, eat a Filipino dinner together. Both of them are registered nurses who moved to Norwalk just last month and now live as neighbors. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

WESTLAKE, OH - FEBRUARY 12, 202...ton Post) Norwalk United States

WESTLAKE, OH - FEBRUARY 12, 2023: (L-R) Augusto Roncal, 37, Rowell Feliciano, 40, Jerald Vasquez, 31, Johanna Meneses, 32, Angelo Ortiz, 24, and Racine Dimalanta-Ortiz, 24, walk around Crocker Park, a shopping mall in Westlake, Ohio on February 12, 2023. The 6 Filipino nurses have formed a budding friendship since their recent move from the Philippines to Norwalk, Ohio. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

WESTLAKE, OH - FEBRUARY 12, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, shares a laugh with Jerald Vasquez, 31 and Rowell Feliciano, 40, during lunch at the Cheesecake Factory in Westlake, Ohio on February 12, 2023. They are Filipino nurses who have formed a budding friendship since their recent move from the Philippines to Norwalk, Ohio. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 6, 2023: ...ton Post) Norwalk United States

CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 6, 2023: Johanna Meneses welcomes April Fernando and her family as they arrive to Cleveland. Fernando follows Meneses as the 19th international nurse to move to Norwalk, all of whom are Filipinos. Although both Meneses and Fernando worked at the same insurance company in the Philippines, this is their first time meeting in person because of the pandemic (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - FEBRUARY 12, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, sits in her friend’s living room as her friends get ready to watch TV together. They are all Filipino nurses of different ages who have formed a budding friendship since their recent move from the Philippines to Norwalk, Ohio. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

NORWALK, OH - MARCH 4, 2023: Johanna Meneses, 32, walks down the hallway housing long term acute care residents at Twilight Gardens in Norwalk, Ohio on March 4, 2023. (Photo by Rosem Morton for The Washington Post) Norwalk United States

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Public Story

Ohio Nurses

Copyright Rosem Morton 2023

Updated Apr 2023

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As one of many nurses recruited to address the US nursing shortage, Joey faces unique challenges as a immigrant nurse in Norwalk. She is the first international nurse in her facility and one of the less than 20 living in the city. Yet, she takes pride in setting a benchmark for foreign nurses while working 12-hour night shifts, overseeing at least 16 patients and covering staffing gaps. Joey finds comfort in the growing Filipino nursing community and her commitment to living in the present and making a positive impact.

Photographs and writing featured on the Washington Post