Soldiers believe in a cause greater than themselves; they develop a strong sense of camaraderie with fellow soldiers, they place their trust in their leaders, training and equipment, and they embrace discipline. The U.S. is at war again, this time with an invisible enemy, and our Army of healthcare workers, requires all the courage it can muster.
In addition to its global scope, the unpredictability of COVID-19 patients is extremely unsettling. People appear to be well one day, infected the next, clinically stable, and then, “fall of a cliff,” requiring a ventilator or more to keep them alive. Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus causes a myriad of problems including pneumonia, strokes, kidney failure, blood clots, nervous system disorders and now a new entity is emerging in children.
Issues around personal protective equipment also anxiety provoking, causing caregivers to spiral as questions fill their mind: “Do I have the right PPE? Am I putting it on and taking it off correctly or did I contaminate myself? Why are they giving me this flimsy blue mask instead of the orange N95 mask? Will I be provided another mask when this one is no longer functional?”
Caring for severe or critically ill patients with COVID-19 is highly complex and requires a big team of doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, environmental services, and the list goes on. Social and physical distancing in the hospital setting is near impossible, but feelings of personal isolation occur, especially if you spend most of your shift encased in PPE.