Nursing Staffs Were Pushed to the Limit

Out of everyone on the planet, frontline nurses were affected more than anybody during the pandemic. These healthcare professionals were at the forefront of the crisis, working tirelessly to care for patients and combat the spread of the virus. In the face of these challenges, nurses demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience.

One of the main challenges for front line nurses was high levels of stress and burnout. High-pressure working environments, long hours, high patient loads, and the constant threat of infection led to a significant increase in stress levels, with many nurses reporting feelings of anxiety, depression, and exhaustion.

Additionally, nurses working with COVID-19 patients were exposed to the physical risk of exposure to the virus and the mental difficulty of watching their patients battle with the disease. It was traumatizing.

Another challenge was the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). In the early days of the pandemic, there were widespread shortages of PPE, particularly masks and gowns. This put nurses at an increased risk of infection, and many were forced to reuse or make do with inadequate equipment. During the early period of COVID-19, healthcare workers were hospitalized and died at rates that were atypically high for their ages and genders.

Nurses reported feeling isolated and disconnected from their colleagues, as well as from their families and loved one.

With limited visitation access for family members of Covid patients, it often fell to the nurses to use video calling to keep family members up to date on the status of their loved one. The long-term effects of the pandemic will be felt by front line nurses. Many nurses have reported that the experience affected their mental and physical health, and there is concern that the trauma of working during the pandemic may have long-lasting effects.

Despite these challenges, nurses showed amazingly remarkable courage and resilience in the face of the crisis, and their efforts saved countless lives and helped many others get back on their feet faster.