Heartless vandals trashed a car belonging to anurse battling the coronavirus pandemic.
The newly-qualified nurse was left "shocked" when she noticed white paint had been thrown all over her car while parked outside her home in Derby on April 16.
The front windscreen had also been smashed while two tyres had been slashed, Derbyshire Live reports.
"I was very emotional, I didn't know what to do, whether I should stay at home or go to work.
"I just stood there," said the woman, who works as an outpatient nurse on the coronavirus ward at the Royal Derby Hospital.
"In the end I made the rational decision and put the patients first, the patients are more important, I had to get public transport.
"I wasn't thinking about myself, I was pretty shocked and worried. I don't know if I was functioning properly."
The nurse said her life has been made "very stressful" over the past two weeks after her car was wrecked by the heartless vandals.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, noticed the damage at around 7am when she went out to her car in order to drive to work.
"It really got to me, obviously we have to stay professional but I can't switch off my emotions at work," she said.
"It does distract you, I don't need it right now, especially in a Covid-19 ward, it has a huge impact."
The nurse spoke with her manager and was told to go home and deal with the "overwhelming" situation.
The 25-year-old washed the paint off the car, and also noticed a stone which had been painted white had been placed outside her front door.
"Obviously I did contact the police and they have said it's a case of mistaken identity," she said.
The nurse added: "It's just tiring and overwhelming, I'm already stressed in work so for that to happen, I just wish people could have respect."
Although her insurance company gave her a temporary courtesy car, the nurse said is has been a "big blow" financially.
The vehicle could be a write-off, she claims.
The nurse added: "I've been a student for so many years, I'm just starting out and I've still got debts to pay.
"When I bought the car I told myself I needed to make an investment and keep it for a few years, my whole plan has to change."
The incident has had a devastating effect on the woman's life, so much so that she is struggling to sleep.
She said: "I'm constantly waking up in the middle of the night, I feel like I'm being watched.
"I don't know if it's something that will go on for a long time or not."
Derbyshire Constabulary have launched an investigation and anyone who may have information is urged to contact the police quoting reference number 20*195357.
