It can take a third of a lifetime for a nurse to be born, discover their vocation, complete their education, and qualify. Professional experience can take another decade to reach full bloom. The cost of a nurse lost to COVID-19 is immense, in terms of resources. Yet sometimes this is lost in dry statistics. We were therefore deeply concerned, when we stumbled over a press release by National Nurses United.
Backdrop to the Cost of a Nurse Lost to COVID-19
National Nurses United has 150,000 members across the United States. It says it is the largest and most active union, and professional association of registered nurses in U.S. history. The union issued a press release on November 12, 2020 we found alarming. We provide a link their release below, so you can acquaint directly with their claims.
National Nurses United surveyed 15,000 registered nurses. The result suggests hospitals have failed to provide for a surge of COVID-19 during flu season. Even ‘basic infection control and prevention measures are still lacking’, they say. Moreover, ‘nurses face ongoing issues of not getting tested, not being notified in a timely manner when they are exposed’.
80% of Nurses Fear Infecting a Family Member
The Atlantic Health page featured an article on November 13, 2020 with the title ‘No One Is Listening to Us’. It paints a picture of pressure building on nurses while the population outside ‘habituates to the horror of the pandemic’. The cost of a nurse lost to COVID-19 starts accumulating when the nurse realizes the world no longer cares.
We care deeply for our nurses, especially those we shared time with in high or intensive care. We cherish the memory of that caring dependence. National Nurses United says the work load is ‘having a deep impact on the mental health of nurses’. Its survey found 70% of nurses are afraid of getting COVID-19. While 80% fear they will infect a family member.
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Preview Image: COVID Patients in Hospital
