In the Time of COVID19

I sit on my 3^rd floor balcony in the spring sunshine where there’s a light breeze and the sound of birds talking. It all seems so normal, yet…

The acute care hospital where I work as an Echocardiographer has a wing dedicated to COVID19 patients. Some stay there throughout their hospitalization; some get transferred to the ICU; some get transferred back to the wing; some pass away.

This is a normal for healthcare workers now.

So I am just one of the plethora of healthcare workers who are experiencing this pandemic. I am, like you, without a way to fix, or control anything. The emotions, the feelings are incredible, aren’t they?

Let’s start with the unfortunate timing of re-opening the “economy.” As our hospital’s positives have climbed, we can manage so far. Only a handful of employees have contracted the virus. But, without testing strategies, without the proper PPE, without any plan, I feel doomed. The virus hasn’t yet defeated greed and chaos, but give it time…

And here is a snippet of what my days have become:

PPE:

I have been wearing the same hospital issued masked for two weeks now. I pointed this out to our “PPE Czar.” The term Czar originated as a Russian word for emperor, or ruler. Russia’s working class under the Czars was a place with shameful sanitary conditions-as in disease ridden filth; horrendous working hours-every day for at least 12 hours; and unrelenting risks for injury and death in the workplace. What a regrettable, yet appropriate title.

These past two weeks with my mask, I have been screening patients who come through the tent, some positives, I stand close to them while I take their temperature, and hand them a mask before sending them through. I then wear that mask while going from one patient to another in hospital rooms throughout my days. I wore it when I was inches away from a patient who decided to sneeze right into my face-“Oops.” Not sorry, just “Oops.”

The “PPE Czar” gave me a thumbs up. She was so thrilled, “keep using it…”