Just a few short weeks ago, being on the 'frontlines' meant going to war and fighting the enemy.
Nowadays, those on the frontlines are still going to war, but now they're facing an entirely different battle.
Our lives have been turned upside down and inside out. Nearly every aspect of our daily routine has changed, virtually overnight. A microscopic virus, COVID-19, has created a massive domino effect, disrupting the world in which we used to live.
Schools and stores have been forced to shut down for the unforeseeable future. Jobs have been reduced or furloughed. Worst yet, lives have been lost.
COVID-19 has created chaos, commotion, and confusion for every single one of us. As we collectively experience the real-world consequences of a global pandemic, we are faced with uncertainty about the most basic of needs, the health, and the safety of our loved ones.
The
coronavirus outbreak has overwhelmed our country's health care system. Saving lives and battling an invisible enemy is undoubtedly taking a toll on health care workers physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Union Health in Terre Haute has an army of dedicated staff working around the clock, battling the everchanging COVID-19 pandemic. On the frontlines of this global health crisis is where you'll find our nurses. Our 'essential' superheroes in scrubs.
"I work with some of the fiercest, most talented, strongest, fiery, and compassionate nurses that I have always had great respect for. "Then came this pandemic. I can't talk about their strength, talent, and vulnerability without crying, so I will just put it here."
"I have stood beside these nurses and cried with them as we have prayed with families through the windows of the ICU."
~ Ann Brighton, Unit Secretary
For many nurses, the profession is in their blood. Taking care of people is simply what they're destined to do.
"I see them before shift with smiles ready for another day," Brighton said. "Throughout the day, I see them fighting for their patients. I see them using their knowledge to advocate for their patients. I see them feeling defeated. I see them crying and near their breaking point because they have run out of answers for this virus. I have stood beside these nurses (at appropriate distances, of course) and cried with them as we have prayed with families through the windows of the ICU. I'm talking about an extraordinary group of extremely talented, caring people. Do you want to know what I have not seen? I have not seen them give up."
It's no secret that nurses make a difference every single day. It's also not a secret that the role of all first responders has drastically shifted in order to accommodate this virus.
"There is more frequent communication, whether it be phone calls, Face Time, or just holding the phone up to the patient's ear so the family can talk to them," Jennifer Lang, a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, said. It is different when the family is not here, as it is a completely different type of nursing. We are used to being able to comfort patients and families by touch and with COVID - we cannot do that."
"Our jobs are always ever-changing in healthcare," Jake Pirtle, a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, said. "During this pandemic that is now truer than ever. In my opinion, the biggest change is the increased use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Before COVID-19, I had never worn a PAPR (Powered, Air Purifying Respirator), nor had I seen one worn."
Medical professionals are prepared to deal with infectious diseases and respond in all sorts of emergency situations. But with the coronavirus, they face a new challenge. Going to work is critical. Going home is risky. It's all a huge balancing act.
"I'm a little more cautious, withdrawn," Lang said. "I get home and strip down, go straight to the shower and take the hottest shower that I can stand, dinner, and then almost straight to bed. You are mentally and emotionally drained when you get home and it does affect home life."
Xenoph
obia is the fear of the unknown. As the pandemic surges, xenophobia flares. Yes, even for those working the frontlines. Whether you fall into society's "essential" category" or not, it's only natural to fear things we are unable to see or stop. Yet our nurses continue to press on. They continue to suit up and wear that badge of courage, day in and day out.
Why?
"I try my hardest to be there for my patients and their families during this time," Pirtle said." "It is so sad to think they can only talk to their loved ones through text, phone calls, or video messaging. My goal is to be ever-present with my care and to be compassionate."
When the threat is over and the pandemic is gone, our first responders will still be around saving lives. They will still answer each call because it's what they do. They are our healthcare heroes.
The three employees highlighted in this article are just a sampling of frontline heroes at Union Health. There are countless other clinical and support personnel that work day in and day out to provide compassionate care, as we all work together with the hope of defeating COVID-19.