5 Videos of Dancing Nurses Go Viral in Celebration of Recovered COVID-19 Patients

A lot has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but the spirit and perseverance of nurses are still the same. In fact, many viral social media posts show that it is stronger than ever!

The strength of nurses in the face of adversity is on clear display in these videos where nurses are shown celebrating the big wins and handling stress in their fight against COVID-19.  

“Today was a win for the good guys against COVID-19!  Five people came off ventilators in our unit today during the day shift!  One was the second person intubated on our unit when this all began.  Beautiful day. Days like this are what makes it worth risking my life for yours.” - Charlotte Hedlund, ICU nurse from Los Angeles exclaimed on Instagram.

Nurses are going viral as they spread positivity through song and dance in their daily fight against the virus.  

They have been dancing when a patient finally comes off a ventilator, breaking into song when COVID-19 patients are discharged,  or TikToking in scrubs to boost positivity on the hospital floors. As a result, they are inspiring viewers all around the world.

Here are a few examples of hard-working nurses fighting COVID-19 with a great attitude and a contagious sense of humor. (Spoiler: they may also make you happy cry) #SupportHealthCareHeroes

1. New York nurses sing ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ after COVID-19 patients are discharged

New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital celebrates coronavirus victories by singing and dancing to Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ every time a recovered COVID-19 patient is discharged.  

A video of one of the COVID-19 discharges went viral on Twitter and Instagram. 

The video showed two healthcare workers discharging two recovered COVID-19 patients in wheelchairs off of a unit. Journey was blaring in the background as nurses followed behind in personal protective equipment (PPE), while singing, clapping and dancing along.

The hospital tweeted the video with the statement:

“As a message of hope during these challenging times, #NYPQueens plays Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” throughout the hospital each time a #COVID19 patient is discharged and on the road to recovery.”

Steve Perry, the lead singer of Journey responded to the tweet with appreciation and encouragement stating:   

“I wanted to share a little cheer from New York Presbyterian Queens Hospitals in NY.  They play ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ every time a COVID-19 patient is discharged.  We’re all in this together, and we’ll get through this together. #DontStopBelievin”

2. Philadelphia nurses ‘level up’ with dance to keep spirits high while testing for COVID-19

In Philadelphia, nurses at a COVID-19 mobile testing site outside of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital perfected a “level up” challenge dance in PPE to help keep their spirits high during this stressful time.  

The TikTok video went viral on Instagram and has since been viewed over 204,000 times.

The Philadelphia nurses refer to themselves as the hospital’s “Swab Squad” and say they shared their performance on Instagram as a way to “stay positive.”

“It’s Tik-Tok Sunday everyone! The ORIGINAL Swab Squad, #levelingup entering into this new week.  Friendly disclaimer - we waste no PPE. We take our jobs, our patients, and the resources we use seriously. However, we also take our team morale and mental health just as serious. This is a fun way we can build up our teamwork during #covid times.  #together #wegotthis”

Ciara, the singer for the song “Level Up,” says she approves of the video.

The “Swab Squad” started their own Instagram page where they have posted several other hilarious and uplifting new videos, including a choreographed dance number to “I’m A Survivor” by Destiny’s Child and various group exercises to stay warm while waiting for patients to arrive for testing. 

3. Ontario nurses conga after extubating a COVID-19 patient

ICU nurses and doctors at Markham Stouffville Hospital in Markham, Ontario celebrated a COVID-19 patient who was taken off a ventilator by dancing in a conga line.

The video shows a line of healthcare workers in scrubs and PPE dancing along a hospital hallway. The background noise was a mixture of music and laughter. Although all were wearing masks, you could see smiles from their eyes.

The conga dancing video was shared on Twitter and has been viewed over 1 million times since April 10th.

The video was tweeted by Dr. Anand Doobay, Chief of Medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital.  She stated:

“The ICU team MS Hospital has been working night and day for the health and safety of each other and our many ventilated COVID patients.”

One supportive viewer who watched the video after being shared on USA Today responded “Dance Away! You earned it!”

4. Kentucky nurses sing “Lean On Me” in support of one another during a COVID-19 shift

Nightshift nurses from Norton in Louisville, Kentucky sang ‘Lean On Me’ to show support to all healthcare workers and it went viral on Facebook.  

The nurses gathered in a semi-circle, arm-in-arm, and sang through their face masks. 

"Being in healthcare, we have to be strong. We can't show our fears and anxieties to the patients, because we're there for them. If they see us breaking down, they'll do the same," Tammy Marks, a Norton PCA with the Cardiac Telemetry Unit, told a local news station. 

The video was originally created as a morale booster for nurses on the frontlines of COVID-19. The song had been inspired by a Norton staff member who, after mentioning that Bill Withers, the singer of “Lean On Me,” had passed away, reminded the staff to lean on one another for support.  

Norton Healthcare posted the video of their Facebook page, and stated:

“Thank you to all of our Norton Healthcare Heroes for reminding us we are all in this together and that we all need somebody to lean on.  #togetherky #teamkentucky #NthisTogether #patriot #healthyathome #healthcareheroes”

5. Florida OB nurses Tik-Tok to ‘Push It’ to help calm expecting mothers during COVID-19

Labor and delivery nurses at Lee County, Florida, created a Tik-Tok video to Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It,” with a message for expecting mothers during the pandemic -  “You are never going to be alone no matter what.”

Lee Health Women’s Care Supervisor, Jorie Maddi, was a dance teacher prior to becoming a nurse. She gathered a group of nurses who were interested in performing with her and sent them home with a video to practice.  

What followed was the creation of several viral TikTok dance videos. The goal was to help calm nervous expectant mothers who were fearful of childbirth during the pandemic.   

Maddi emphasized that she wanted the community to know that they were still there and ready to make their “birth experience as wonderful as they possibly could.”

“We are all in this together,” she added.

Saving lives and rocking the Renegade? These nurses really are superheroes.