Question

How has the current COVID-19 pandemic influenced your decision to enter the nursing profession?

Answer 1

Covid 19 pandemic has influenced the decissin making to enter to a nurse profession.

"The nursing profession was founded to protect, promote, and improve health for all ages."

Feedbacks from the 'covid war zone' : News had come up from different parts of the world that nurses were told that they would have limited access to an already low stockpile of protective equipment and were being asked to reuse single-use masks multiple times.Each time the safety regulation changes.The scenario is like "a sheep sent to slaughter" that a front-line nurse, is much agonized  between the  job and family.The ‘use and throw’ policy (more about nurses) was rampant in all big institutions at this time – even as the government calls health workers “corona warriors” and requires the people at large to cheer for us. Permanent appointments were quite rare even as hospitals faced a huge human resources shortage.

Specifically during the pandemic itself, nurses were also beset with long working hours, inadequate supply of PPE, more clerical work and lack of accommodation to quarantine or isolate themselves. Even when PPE is available, using it was not easy because it limits opportunities to wash oneself or use the toilet, leading to physical and mental fatigue. In these circumstances, workers were expected to work for 8-12 hours on paper but often work for longer, and often with high quality and attention. This was agonising.

It was an extremely difficult decision, for a person to take up the job a nurse as the health of everyone's family will always come first into one's mind. In the end,one could not accept that he/she could be responsible for causing one of their family members to become severely ill or possibly die.

Nurses working on the front lines with little protective support have made the gut-wrenching decision to step away from their jobs, saying that they were ill-equipped and unable to fight the disease and that they feared for not only their own safety but also that of their families. The above feedbacks might pull us back from taking up the profession of a nurse.Nurses have a duty to their patients, but they also have a duty to themselves under the nursing code of ethics.

Positive feedbacks:

Being one to dedicate their life to nursing profession one must know that the health sector of majority of the countries are monitoring the working conditions of the health sector carefully. Those working in the hospital administration have a heavy responsibility since they have more overview than the others. When resources (material and personnel) are lacking, innovative collaboration with the surrounding society could pay off. Crash courses in intensive care for medical students and use of plastic material intended for other things remade into protective clothes are examples.Supervisors also have the responsibility to monitor the health of the staff.

Flexible work schedules that are adapted to the ever-changing situation are being provided now. In consequence with that, work cycle changes towards 4-h shifts with 4 h of rest in-between during the most exhausting periods.

Sleep hygiene, which is facilitated by wise shift cycles and good possibilities for undisturbed sleep.Social support to family members as  worries for family members could add to the caregiver’s deterioration in health are being done. Allowing participation in decision making is a good move and there are clear guidelines to all staff now. Everybody is prepared for ethical conflicts, and difficult decisions are made in organized ways.Facilitation of cultural experiences, for instance easy electronic access to films, concerts, and lectures during leisure time are all becoming a part of physical and mental support to all working in the health sector including nurses.

So a backward thought in taking up a job of nurse can now be taken in reverse and one who desires to enter the nurse profession must enter into the profession with courage.