Penn’s nurse in medicine is based on art as she gets her path through life, health care

A Philadelphia nurse shares the power of art, weaving her way through life as an artist and health care provider.

Taking care of people and knowing their medical conditions provides this nurse with all kinds of ideas for her art.

Weaving, creating art – This is what Linda Ruggiero does when she does not work as a nurse at Penn Medicine.

“I certainly receive my inspiration from these laboratory experiences and in other areas of nursing,” said Ruggiero.

In the cardiac catheterization laboratory, it was inspired by all tubes and stents. She explains this creation, describing what is happening when there is a troubled artery.

The heart is such a great metaphor for works of art and for openness and healing and life, “said Ruggiero.” And so it was a bit easy to make this connection. “”

Ruggiero was a neuroscience researcher before deciding to become a nurse seven years ago.

“I just liked the learning aspect,” she said.

At the start of his nurse career, Cavid Hit, and Penn was bombed with sick and dying patients. Ruggiero was on the front line in the hospital.

“It was terrible and it was so heartbreaking,” she said, “and it was just as if it wouldn’t stop.”

Doing art has become his salvation during these dark days of the pandemic.

“The piece is called” contained “because we have this feeling of trying to contain this virus which was really not contained at all in any form,” said Ruggiero.

There are two pieces on Covid: one a wire disorder and the other a little more organized.

“It was sort of trying to keep things tidy and contained, with her who infiltrates the sides. And that’s what I had the impression that it was actually, just a little chaotic,” she said.

Now, his art is more focused on patients and families in Philadelphia, struggling with armed violence and drug addiction.

“Being creative has always helped me, like feeling better,” said Ruggiero.

And as if she was not already busy enough, Penn’s medical nurse also teaches weaving. Ruggiero said that at the beginning of the twenties, she started knitting as something to do on the bus.