International Nurses Day
Today is not only May 12th 2020, but it is also International Nurses Day. Nurses deserve the utmost respect and recognition for being on the frontlines of this global pandemic. In my opinion, nurses are much more fearless than your average Marvel superheroes. During these unprecedented times, while we are all advised to social distance and stay home, nurses and doctors are the exception. Most healthcare professionals are working all hours of the night into the morning and are putting themselves at risk for others. I decided to interview some Fairfield University student nurses that are working countless hours, while being exposed to the virus, and their opinions on the COVID-19 virus. The brave Fairfield University student nurses that participated in this interview were Mariel Staffier, Grace Rankin, and Katie Knapik. Shoutout to these three amazing girls, keep doing what you are doing :)
“Where are you from?”
Grace Rankin: “Medfield, MA.”
Katie Knapik: “I’m from Westfield, MA. We’re about 20 minutes outside of Springfield.”
Mariel Staffier: “Reading, MA.”
“Where do you work?”
Grace Rankin: “I work at a dementia care and assisted living facility. (legal reasons I can't give the name).”
Katie Knapik: “I work in a rehabilitation unit at Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield.”
Mariel Staffier: “I work for Spaulding Hospital Cambridge.”
“What are your hours on a day working?”
Grace Rankin: “Anywhere from 8 hrs to 16hrs a day. I work all different shifts whether it is 7am-3pm, 3pm-11pm, or 11pm-7am. Sometimes I work a double (a shift back to back).”
Katie Knapik: “My shifts are usually 8 hours, but sometimes longer if I decide to pick up time. On a normal day, I either work from 7:00am-3:30pm or 3:00pm-11:30pm. I’m definitely not cut out for the overnight shifts.”
Mariel Staffier: “I work from 3pm-11:30pm.”
“How many cases of COVID19 are in your place of work?”
Grace Rankin: “At this time, we’ve had 11 total confirmed cases of Covid-19. Of those 11, 3 people have died. We also have 6 other patients under investigation and are in isolation.”
Katie Knapik: “It depends on the day, but usually not too many. We’re a smaller community hospital so we’re equipped to handle these patients, but we haven’t seen a real influx as far as I know. I actually worked on the COVID unit last week and there were four patients who were positive for COVID and another five who were waiting for test results. All five wound up testing negative, which is great.”
Mariel Staffier: “I’m not sure of the exact number in my exact hospital, but we have 4 units dedicated to Covid. The network I work in has about 700 cases throughout all their locations.”
“What have you been doing to help out during this time?”
Grace Rankin: “I work as a CNA on my facilities Covid- wing. I am doing everyday care for the patients, as well as keeping them company. At my facility, it is very hard to keep our patients isolated as they all have pretty severe dementia and do not understand the situation. Since Covid has come to my facility, many workers no longer come in. As a CNA, I am doing the job of our programming department and dining services as well. I’ve been working at this facility for about a year and have fallen in love with all my patients (as they live there year round). I really couldn’t imagine not working during this time; I care for all of them so much and I cannot even comprehend how scared and confused they are of the whole situation.”
Katie Knapik: “I’ve been trying to pick up as many shifts at the hospital as I can. The patients aren’t allowed to have any visitors, but having as many hands on deck to both help get them through the day and to keep them company makes a huge difference in morale. I’ve also been practicing social distancing to limit the spread of COVID.”
Mariel Staffier: “I have been doing my part in social distancing. When I’m at work, I make sure all the patients who aren’t Covid positive aren’t getting exposed.”
“Why do you believe it is important to social distance?”
Grace Rankin: “Social distancing is so important because it is one of only a few defenses we have against Covid. This is a virus, so we don’t have treatments for it, but rather only supportive measures to assist the body in fighting it off. If we don’t do our part to slow the spread of the virus, then we're going to see many more deaths.”
Katie Knapik: “Everyone always talks about how the essential workers, like the nurses and those in food service, are the heroes of this pandemic. However, every single person has such an important role to play in getting us through these unprecedented times. By social distancing, we’re reducing the rate at which the virus can affect our communities. People are less likely to get sick, which lowers the strain on our healthcare system and workers as they try to help those who are sick.”
Mariel Staffier: “Seeing how overwhelmed the hospitals and resources are right now, slowing the spread is so important so that we have the ability to treat everyone that is sick.”
“How have you been practicing social distancing?”
Grace Rankin: “Since school has been closed, I’ve only been to work and my house. I don’t go grocery shopping or anything because I know I have been in contact with Covid and I don’t want to spread it more.”
Katie Knapik: “Since I’ve been home, I really haven’t left the house besides to go to work. I miss my home and Fairfield friends like crazy, but I’ve been relying on Zooms and FaceTimes with them in the meantime. My parents and I did visit my grandma the other day, and we sat in chairs on her driveway while she sat on her porch. As much as I wanted to give my grandma a hug, it’s not worth potentially getting her sick.”
Mariel Staffier: “I have been staying put at home no matter how much I miss my friends! It’s important to remember how much you can make an impact on those who are vulnerable by doing your part (even if your family is driving you absolutely crazy).”
“How have you been feeling during this time?”
Grace Rankin: “It has been very stressful during this, as I know I am exposing my parents to Covid as well and they are both high risk patients which scares me. It also has become increasingly stressful at work since I am doing the job of many and we aren’t set up to handle something like this. Since we're assisted living and dementia care, we do not have the equipment or PPE to handle the advanced care that is needed. We are trying our best to support our residents, but it is very hard.”
Katie Knapik: “This definitely hasn’t been an easy few weeks. I was abroad, so I’m still trying to move past how upset I am that we couldn’t have our full experience in Ireland. College is supposed to be the best four years of your life, and it feels like we’re all getting the most exciting parts of it taken away from us. However, I’m trying to keep perspective. People across the globe are going through far worse things right now than I am. If the worst thing I’ve had to deal with since this all began is having to miss out on celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day in Ireland, then I’m lucky to have the life that I have.”
Mariel Staffier: “Nervous. I’m not so nervous about actually being in the hospital because I know that we take all the proper precautions possible to try and protect ourselves, I’m more nervous about how long Covid-19 is going to be affecting our lives so much. I also am nervous for all the people I love and care about and hoping that they stay safe and healthy.”
“Any advice for people on how to stay calm during these times?”
Grace Rankin: “Just to remember that there are many people out there working to help those that are affected and trying to keep everyone safe. Make sure to exercise and go on a run (by yourself).”
Katie Knapik: “I keep telling myself that sooner or later, the world is going to go back to relative normalcy. Schools are going to resume, sports seasons are going to start up again, restaurants are going to reopen, and we’ll be able to move past this challenging time. No one knows when exactly that will be, but we’re going to come out of this experience stronger and more prepared for any challenges we may face in the future.”
Mariel Staffier: “I have found it super helpful to have a daily routine. I make sure to not let myself stay in bed all day. Getting fresh air and exercising as much as I can helps me so much to destress. I think overall just trying to maintain some normalcy in your life and remember that this won’t last forever.”
“Do you have any success/ inspirational stories of recoveries from COVID-19 you have experienced firsthand?”
Katie Knapik: “I know several nurses who have been diagnosed with COVID and have had to take time off work to recover. As soon as they’re well again, they come right back to work to pick up where they left off. My coworkers are some of the most resilient and compassionate people in the entire world and I’m so fortunate that I have them as role models.”
Mariel Staffier: “I haven’t seen anyone recover yet, but I have had a number of patients that were suspected cases that tested negative.”
“What has been the craziest thing you have seen in your place of work during this time?”
Grace Rankin: “When Covid first hit our facility, we were also dealing with a norovirus outbreak and were going through protective gowns so quickly that many of us were wearing trash bags over our clothes cause we had more of them.”
Mariel Staffier: “The hospital as a whole is crazy. There is personal protective equipment like masks, goggles, face shields, and gowns outside every room, and N95 masks are treated like they are worth their weight in gold. The environment is really depressing overall. I work on a cardiac vent unit, so most patients are on bed rest and are on a ventilator with a tracheostomy (they can’t talk) and a lot of them have been in the hospital for months or years. It’s sad to see them with none of their normal visitors, especially in a state where they get so little communication already. It must be so hard for them to lack those personal interactions. I can’t imagine how scary it must be for everyone who also doesn’t fully understand what’s going on. One of my patients was writing a letter to a friend and hearing what he had to say about how scared and miserable he was and it broke my heart.”
The Point Magazine sends all love to their readers and hopes that everyone is staying safe and healthy during this time. Send virtual hugs to every nurse you know today. Do your part to stay home and wash your hands!
Love, Allison Isola.