07-26-2020, 02:03 PM
The woman who wrote this works alongside my niece.
Behind The Mask, My Perspective As A Nurse In A COVID ICU
My niece graduated from nursing school in June 2019, and landed her 'dream job' working as a Stroke ICU nurse in the Fall of 2019. Two weeks after she started, the pandemic hit and every available ICU floor was repurposed as a COVID ICU treatment floor. My niece had to deal with (1) no prior training, (2) deep fear that she would be unable to help her patients, or worse (3) she would kill them. Also, her father is a double kidney transplant patient/immuno-compromised, so she feared bringing COVID to him. She has been isolated from family and friends since the pandemic began. She had but one mask to use for her entire shift, she had to bring it home with her, spray it with cleaning fluid (bleach? hydrogen peroxide?) and store it overnight in a 'baggie', then bring it to work the next day (a special thanks from me to #45 for stealing ALL the PPE in New England). My wife has spoken with her by phone, and the conversations are heart-wrenching. I don't know when she will be free of the burden.
The pandemic has eased somewhat, but the second wave is coming. And it will be worse.
Watch the Trump Death Clock for some context.
Behind The Mask, My Perspective As A Nurse In A COVID ICU
My niece graduated from nursing school in June 2019, and landed her 'dream job' working as a Stroke ICU nurse in the Fall of 2019. Two weeks after she started, the pandemic hit and every available ICU floor was repurposed as a COVID ICU treatment floor. My niece had to deal with (1) no prior training, (2) deep fear that she would be unable to help her patients, or worse (3) she would kill them. Also, her father is a double kidney transplant patient/immuno-compromised, so she feared bringing COVID to him. She has been isolated from family and friends since the pandemic began. She had but one mask to use for her entire shift, she had to bring it home with her, spray it with cleaning fluid (bleach? hydrogen peroxide?) and store it overnight in a 'baggie', then bring it to work the next day (a special thanks from me to #45 for stealing ALL the PPE in New England). My wife has spoken with her by phone, and the conversations are heart-wrenching. I don't know when she will be free of the burden.
The pandemic has eased somewhat, but the second wave is coming. And it will be worse.
Watch the Trump Death Clock for some context.