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I'm A Healthcare Worker

Healthcare worker working Covid-19

By Peggy WhitakerPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
2

As a healthcare worker you don't always see the rewards in what you do. I don't have a trophy or even get and honorable mention from my superiors but I know the reward comes from a place no one can see. It is inside me the way it makes me feel so wonderful to know that my skills as a nurse assistant helps people to start the healing and to help them to go forward. It only take so little really just to hold a hand, or listen to them and let them know everything is going to be alright. I have worked as a Certified Nurse Assistant for nearly twenty-four years so I have seen the changes through the different patients and staff. The most important part of my job is the relationship that I build when meeting patients. You hope that they are comfortable and are willing to trust me from my approach. It's a vulnerable place for a person to allow you to do something for them and trust you will do it with thoughtfully. Nothing prepared me for the emotional battle I had to encounter as I deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

When I first encounter patients with the Covid-19 it look like a regular cold. Most of my patients were showing systems like a cold. That quickly turn around when I was told by Supervisors in each department that we are to handle our patients a little differently now because this thing I thought was a cold was now some kind of virus I call a monster. I mean this virus acts like a monster it hurt humans. We had to prepare for battle because we now have to not only protect our patients but we also had to gear up to protect ourselves. When I would walk in the rooms to meet my patients I would greet them with a smile. I have to be strong and I have to give them hope and to let them know I'm going to do everything I can. I want them to know I am here with you. I work to make them comfortable and to provide them water and encourage them to eat. Usually you have a room with a few patients at a time. The rooms are now filled with dozens of people at the same time with the same problems. I have to wear all this gear but I would not allow the gear from putting distance between and me ensuring my patients that I here to help and I take time to hold their hand and ask about their family and just talk to them. This disease has made me realize that this disease is coming in and changing our lives. Leaving some us to lose our love ones without time to say goodbye or I love you. The room is filled with people moaning in pain some crying because they don't understand what is happening to them. It is a devastating situation. People can't breath crying out for just to be able to just take a breath. It is devastating. I have to change gear regularly and we are told it may be enough. Then they also let us know there were no guarantees.

Every day when I come in there is news of patients that passed on. Staff members are also becoming ill. It is difficult to get anybody to come in to work with the Covid-19 unit. There are healthcare workers that are afraid and it comes and emotional battle within to decide whether you want to go in or not but it what we sign up for. We are to work with the sick, the elderly no matter what type of illness. I take my job seriously and with each day I go in gear up and ready to meet my patients and to let them know we are in this together. I'm here as long as you need me. The reward is when I come in and they ask is Peggy here. Time to go to work.

Corona

I live my life day to day taking care of people in every way.

Greeting, smiling and holding their hand to get them through this illness that has creep in.

They walk in with help me eyes and my heart reach out to help them from dying.

One cough, a sneeze and they can’t breathe.

On the ventilator immediately.

As I go home and pray for their fate.

How are we all going to survive? How are we to escape?

Covid 19 has gotten a big gape.

I’m a healthcare worker this what god lead me to do.

I’m going to help them until we get through.

This disease that was dumped on us from a bat.

Has killed thousands of people with no hope in sight.

We have to stay strong if we are to win this fight.

A disease that can kill resembling the flu but more much more deadly what can we do?

Coronavirus is its name. It was here once but it came again.

It is more vicious and dangerous to the living.

With hope and love we will beat it and keep on winning.

By Peggy Whitaker

humanity
2

About the Creator

Peggy Whitaker

If you change your mind, you change your destiny. I'm Peggy Whitaker and I write mostly about romance. I recently wrote two books. One titled "Straddling Fences, and Straight Women/Gay World. My children are twins rappers TFT.

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