Kristen Davis

Or a decent human being.

Or a decent human being.

Like somebody that would look at that and say, it's insane, but here's what's beautiful. Basically, that's where Cliff comes in. He goes, we'll do it ourselves and we'll do it for each other. And there's a lot of lesbian women and a lot of female nurses who went in. We're like, we will take care of them.

Like somebody that would look at that and say, it's insane, but here's what's beautiful. Basically, that's where Cliff comes in. He goes, we'll do it ourselves and we'll do it for each other. And there's a lot of lesbian women and a lot of female nurses who went in. We're like, we will take care of them.

We'll do this and we'll take these risks because this is we cannot just let these men die to protect ourselves. That is not the point of being a nurse or a doctor. And they weren't the only ones who felt that way. Thank God. And because of that. Then essentially after being able to give that care, they proved that you can give that care. Right.

We'll do this and we'll take these risks because this is we cannot just let these men die to protect ourselves. That is not the point of being a nurse or a doctor. And they weren't the only ones who felt that way. Thank God. And because of that. Then essentially after being able to give that care, they proved that you can give that care. Right.

And basically they went out there and they were the first line, first responders to go, look, we did it and we didn't catch it. Therefore, you need to do it. Yeah. The idea that they had to do that, though. Right.

And basically they went out there and they were the first line, first responders to go, look, we did it and we didn't catch it. Therefore, you need to do it. Yeah. The idea that they had to do that, though. Right.

And the in-between of all the people that died alone and isolated and it's just, it's disgusting and horrible. So... When Cliff asked those patients what they wanted out of the ward, he said, quote, Yeah. Basics. The very, the lowest bar. Yeah. So the virus that causes AIDS, HIV, is finally identified in May of 1983. And two months later, in July of 1983, Ward 5B officially opens to the public.

And the in-between of all the people that died alone and isolated and it's just, it's disgusting and horrible. So... When Cliff asked those patients what they wanted out of the ward, he said, quote, Yeah. Basics. The very, the lowest bar. Yeah. So the virus that causes AIDS, HIV, is finally identified in May of 1983. And two months later, in July of 1983, Ward 5B officially opens to the public.

It's helmed by head nurse Allison Moed, who oversees a team of 11 dedicated nurses. Some of these nurses are straight, some are gay. All of them have agreed to put aside their personal fears surrounding AIDS to offer compassionate care to their sick and vulnerable patients. Allison later says, quote, I was enthralled by this idea of love for your fellow being.

It's helmed by head nurse Allison Moed, who oversees a team of 11 dedicated nurses. Some of these nurses are straight, some are gay. All of them have agreed to put aside their personal fears surrounding AIDS to offer compassionate care to their sick and vulnerable patients. Allison later says, quote, I was enthralled by this idea of love for your fellow being.

This was a confluence of nurses, of people who wanted to take care of this population that had been stigmatized, discriminated against, not cared for during a period of their lives where their lives were ending. Professionally, how do we care for them? Caring is what we were about. Wow. Imagine that. So 5B is unlike anywhere else at the time.

This was a confluence of nurses, of people who wanted to take care of this population that had been stigmatized, discriminated against, not cared for during a period of their lives where their lives were ending. Professionally, how do we care for them? Caring is what we were about. Wow. Imagine that. So 5B is unlike anywhere else at the time.

Here, the doctors and nurses don't speak down to their patients, and they certainly don't judge them. In fact, patients are treated as a member of their own care team, and they're involved in all the conversations about their treatment. 5B is one of the only units in the U.S. where people can visit outside of set visiting hours. Oh, wow.

Here, the doctors and nurses don't speak down to their patients, and they certainly don't judge them. In fact, patients are treated as a member of their own care team, and they're involved in all the conversations about their treatment. 5B is one of the only units in the U.S. where people can visit outside of set visiting hours. Oh, wow.

And those visitors don't have to be literal family members in the biological sense. They can be members of the patient's chosen family. The staff even sneaks in their patient's pets when they can. Also on 5B, staffers don't use the same full body PPE many other facilities across the country do. Instead, they wear protective equipment when necessary.

And those visitors don't have to be literal family members in the biological sense. They can be members of the patient's chosen family. The staff even sneaks in their patient's pets when they can. Also on 5B, staffers don't use the same full body PPE many other facilities across the country do. Instead, they wear protective equipment when necessary.

The 5B staff use common sense precautions that keep the patient's dignity in mind, remembering the value of human touch and connection. Cliff says, quote, we knew by now that AIDS was not transmitted casually. I had no qualms about climbing onto the bed with my patients to hold them. That had never been done before.

The 5B staff use common sense precautions that keep the patient's dignity in mind, remembering the value of human touch and connection. Cliff says, quote, we knew by now that AIDS was not transmitted casually. I had no qualms about climbing onto the bed with my patients to hold them. That had never been done before.