Nursing the World to Health in the midst of a Pandemic

The Year of the Nurse 2020 couldn’t have come at a better times than this; while the whole world was traumatized with the Covid-19 pandemic. In these trying times, the world will remember that it was the nurses and the other healthcare workers, who braved the storm, in providing unbiased, comprehensive and holistic care for the inflicted; at the cost of their own health and the safety of their families.

This year as we commemorate the 100-year anniversary of our pioneer Florence Nightingale’s death, we derive inspiration from her cutting-edge book, Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not which was written about 150 years ago. Of significance here is her phrase on infection control, where she emphasized the importance of washing hands “Every nurse ought to be careful to wash her hands very frequently during the day. If her face too, so much the better.” (Notes on Nursing, 1860; p. 53).

When I researched about some of the sacrifices made by nurses during this pandemic, I cannot but feel proud about the profession that I so dearly love and admire (Disclaimer:  Some of these stories are researched from various places over the web while some others are personal anecdotes narrated by friends)

Some of the sacrifices the nursing staff made during the pandemic:

As reported, nurses in China where the pandemic first broke out wore raincoats and plastic bags for protection to work when they suffered PPE shortage (Buckley, Wee, & Qin, 2020)

In order to save their mearge supply of PPE, they chose to wear diapers rather than taking toilet breaks, so they wouldn’t have to change their protective gear (Farber, 2020).

There was this famous story of Nurse Yao in BBC who decided to give up the Chinese New Year celebrations with her family so she could offer voluntary services and care for the patients.

“My family is not allowed in my car anymore, there’s no saying what I could have brought back from the hospital”, said an Australian nurse working in the ER.

“Haven’t seen my infant daughter and my husband for 2 months now, except on video calls” said a Mumbai based nurse, in India.

One of the nurses working in Kuwait had this to say, “The Laundry department was closed due to the increased cases of infection among the staff. In this helpless situation, some of the dedicated and kind Nurses even washed the linen and clothes of patients until the supply of Laundry resumed”.  The same staffing issues overtook the kitchen and the dietary department. Food for the patients was delivered outside each unit and the nurses then took over the added responsibilities of other non-health care staff. We prepared tea and served the patients. Love and care for the humanity overtook the fear of acquiring the infection”

“I work in outpatient, as we were required to stand outside and test clients in their car.  It was extremely difficult and straining to stand there in full PPE in 90 degrees for 12 hours or in bad weather”

“It was extremely draining, not just physically but also mentally, seeing all these patients and the number of deaths.  I have been a nurse for 18 years and never in my career have I seen 8-10 deaths in a day.  I remember a patient being brought to our ER at 4 in the afternoon and he coded at 4.45, even before we could figure out the extensiveness of his illness”

“Working in a mental health hospital is extremely hard and it takes a toll on us-nurses.  My chronic patients have gotten worser since the pandemic.  Patients suffering with anxiety disorders have exacerbation of anxiety and panic attacks. Patients with OCD are washing their hands more frequently than they usually did with preexisting obsessive and compulsive behavior. One of my Geriatric patients with chronic Schizophrenia was diagnosed with Covid-19 and it was a struggle to keep her in isolation room. It is a total nightmare” said one of the nurses working in the Middle East.

While these stories were quite inspiring, there were others that were more horrifying

“My parents and in-laws refuse to look after my kids anymore; because they think I am a walking COVID” said one of the nurses

“The people from the grocery store began giving me nasty stares because I am an Asian”

“I had a water issue and no plumber wanted to come fix it for me because I am a nurse.  Not even when I told them, that I needed water to shower as soon as I got home from work and to keep my work clothes clean.   I had to go without water until one of my neighbors decided to take things in his hands and managed to fix it temporarily”

“I was accused of trying to kill my mother because I visited her last week after staying away for the past 3 months.  I was called arrogant and selfish for bringing germs into their house “

Nurses and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD)

Despite nurses being applauded for their bravery and self-sacrifice during this pandemic, and being awarded with treats and freebies for the neighboring businesses; they are still not immune to the symptoms of PTSD that creep unannounced among them. Several of the nurses endorsed insomnia or sleeplessness, being tormented by flashbacks of the events of the day, intrusive thoughts, hyper vigilance, “brain fog” and flashbacks.

Many of them said they suffered from guilt at the lives lost and felt like failures. Often they felt stigmatized, unsafe, isolated and dissatisfied with the profession.

“At times like these, their (Patients) suffering becomes our own. I had to take several breaks last week in the middle of my shifts just to sit on the commode and cry” explained a nurse who worked in Delaware.

“We are expected to be heroes; and heroes don’t cry. But how do I explain that I am hurting badly”said a nurse with tears in her eyes

With the post COVID-19 plans to open up the countries, the bars, restaurants and the schools, it is necessary that organizations and governments have proper, well defined pathways to ensure that their staff are given the opportunities for psychological rehabilitation to help cope with the trauma they endured.

Wow!  This has truly been the ‘YEAR OF THE NURSE’ one which the nurses worldwide are less likely to forget.  These stories are just the tip of a huge iceberg.  There are many more horrifying tales of how the nurses and other frontliner’s have been braving the pandemic.

A loving note to the Nurses– You are indeed the backbone of healthcare and I urge you stay true to yourself and your profession; advocate for yourself, your profession and your patients.   Stay safe while you keep your patients safe.  Focus on your training; doesn’t matter if you are a student nurse, school health nurse or a experienced nurse— you know how to prioritize and apply critical thinking, even under these stressful situations — be persistent. Most importantly, be sure to take breaks and care for yourself and your family. 

Families and loved ones-Do you have a nurse or a healthcare worker directly fighting this pandemic?

This is the time to offer strength and support and show that you care.   Check on your nurses and they care for the masses.  You could be the only person between the nurse and a total breakdown.  Ask if the you could help; Reach out and show that you care.

• Recognize for signs of any mental breakdown-easy irritation, anger, or denial
• Listen to them when they complain of feeling tired, overwhelmed, or burned out and encourage them to take a break from work
• Look out for signs of poor sleep or concentration

Nurses-

Recognize that that you are doing the best you can with whatever you have available.  Know that you are not responsible for all those lives lost.

Take frequent breaks during your shift; Use them to take timely meals, to rest, stretch.  Call your family and friends.

Check on your colleagues and co-workers constantly and recognize any signs of burnout or compassion fatigue

Engage in mindfulness, yoga, meditation and deep breathing

Utilize your facilities employee assistance programs whenever available

Last but not the least, do you have a story to tell? What was your experience fighting this pandemic? I would love to hear your stories and your experiences in the comments below…..