The Hallowian - Volume I 2021 - Flipbook - Page 21
“
we all took on extra shifts to cover the
staffing shortages. I am also a mother
of two and we had to home-school. My
husband was now working from home,
but due to his workload, I would tutor
in the morning and arrive at work for
night shift frazzled and tired, only to be
stretched to clinical limits I never thought
possible.
(Class of 1992)
Working in a busy Brisbane public
emergency department, COVID-19 started
for me a long time before the public.
The end of my 12-hour night shift or
beginning of my 12-hour day shift involved
a huddle with all staff addressed by our
Nurse Unit Manager and Medical Director
about the ‘tsunami’ that was coming.
We were briefed on overseas statistics
and experiences and told about personal
protective equipment (PPE), the correct
use of resources, and the need to be
prepared. I would walk to the carpark, my
mind reeling with information that the
public was not privy to, and call my Mum
and let her know that they had to take
this seriously. After 22 years as a nurse, 14
of them in emergency, I began to feel my
heart race as I walked into work.
I could feel the anxiety develop as I listened
to seasoned doctors from overseas recount
stories from their colleagues in Europe.
These were people so cool under pressure
who feared what was coming our way.
We doubled our presentations to the
department in what felt like overnight, and
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The Hallowian | 2021
I was on triage one day when we saw
over 500 patients. I stood in a carpark
for 12 hours with two other nurses and
processed a constant stream of nervous
people—all scared of the test they
were about to have and the result and
consequences that would follow.
It was not until late in 2020 that I realised
I wasn’t doing so well. The COVID
experience changed who I was, how I
nurse, and how my work environment
looks and feels. I still love what I do and
am so glad the tsunami has not come, but
we will never be the same again.
“
We started wearing
colourful headscarfs
to brighten our days
and reclaim a little bit
of individuality. The
patients enjoyed it and
appreciated our efforts to
bring joy in such a stressful
environment.
“
Registered Nurse
Amber Webb
Registered Nurse – Aged Care
(Class of 2016)
In the extraordinary public health
pandemic in which we find ourselves,
nurses stand as front-line workers in
the care of patients, residents and their
families. I began my nursing career
in 2020 when the pandemic was just
beginning to hit Australia. I worked
extended hours to ensure I could provide
quality care to all residents. As an aged
care nurse, reassuring and supporting
the elderly, especially during COVID-19,
is fundamental for easing anxiety and
uncertainty, especially for those living with
the cruel disease of dementia.
Whilst nursing in general now has a
responsibility in dealing with the impacts
of COVID-19 across all demographics, we
have a very challenging role in protecting
vulnerable elderly residents—a challenge
that extends beyond how we operate
at the aged care facility. In a public
environment, we must be more conscious
about our actions, exposure and locality.
We are also constantly monitoring our
health in concern of a potential outbreak
in the work environment, if we were in
fact, contagious.
“
Cara Ryalls
Slowly our identities were stripped away
and in PPE we all became the ‘Front Line
Workers’ that people wanted to feed and
donate to! We were heroes, but only to
the community. To each other we were
doing what we had to, and in a way, it
was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We
started wearing colourful headscarfs to
brighten our days and reclaim a little bit
of individuality. The patients enjoyed it
and appreciated our efforts to bring joy in
such a stressful environment.
As an aged care
nurse, reassuring
and supporting the
elderly, especially
during COVID-19, is
fundamental for easing
anxiety and uncertainty,
especially for those
living with the cruel
disease of dementia.
Residents became lonely, isolated and
conditions worsened as the pandemic
progressively intensified. Families and
carers were restricted from visiting aged
care homes, masks were worn and personal
protective equipment was taken more
seriously than ever. This situation certainly
influenced the way I felt for the residents
and their families. There was a recognised
trend in aggressive behaviours and
incidents in the home, and an increased
amount of phone calls updating families of
their loved ones’ health.
Being an aged care nurse during the
pandemic has been such an interesting yet
rewarding experience in the care of elderly
people. The way I perceive life and working
alongside part of the vulnerable population
has changed considerably. As nurses, we
need to grapple with this ‘new way of life’
as being the new norm for patient care.
2021 | The Hallowian
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