I hear the horror stories from my students about how COVID-19 is affecting their care for patients. Is this the smartest action we can take? Are we not as important as the patients we care for? Is our leadership of this country leading to care for us? We are the only people between death or survival of the people affected in this pandemic. I write you not to make you angry, I know the passion you have for saving lives, we would not be a nurse if we did not have that passion. But again, is that the smartest action? Clapping and standing behind our healthcare workers with words is wonderful, but that is not going to save your life.
Sometimes we have to make a stand, have to lead for our own health and wellbeing. We cannot save others without keeping our lives safe and healthy. I personally am sick hearing in the news how all over the country we are short of PPE, why are we less important to protect? Already nurses are dying from COVID-19 because of inadequate PPE. Doesn’t that make you angry? Scared? Doesn’t that make you want to act? It is time of us to lead. I know what I ask flies in the face of everything you feel about being a nurse. However, we need to be a force, stand up and say no, you will not care for patients without PPE. Let us see how quickly our government will respond getting the supplies needed to fight this pandemic. If you cannot see yourself standing up to your facilities administration than write you congresswomen and men & our president and ask everyone you know to do the same.
Our lives are not expendable. We are as important as those we care for. Would you go into war without ammunition? Of course not, and we should not either. I write this because of the love I have for all of you, of the work you do, but you are not superheroes, you are human just like the patient you are caring for, we can get sick and die also.
Don’t be passive, fight like your life depends on it, because it does.
With peace and blessings to all of you,
Kim
The Integrative Nurse 