Being a Nursing Student in a Pandemic
As a student nurse the COVID-19 pandemic has changed my whole perspective of nursing and the resilience it takes to be a nurse. Not only has it changed the education I am receiving, but I am learning alongside other nurses what it is like to work through one of the hardest experiences in a nurse’s career. My entire clinical experience so far has been in a pandemic, so this “new normal” for experienced nurses is the only normal I know. It has been interesting hearing first-hand the experiences of nurses in the height of the pandemic, as well as their opinions on constantly changing COVID regulations and precautions. It has been a challenging year, but I am thankful for everything I have learned so far.
Personal Sphere Considerations
For the first two years of nursing school, the only things we knew about being a nurse is what we had seen in our own experiences and what we were told in lectures by our professors. When it came time to be hands on in a clinical setting, our time was cut short due to COVID restrictions and we did not get a true view of what working in a hospital would be like. Saying it has been a challenge would be an understatement. Basic concepts such as “standard” precautions that we learned in class have changed from just gloves, when in contact with patients, to both goggles, gloves, and a mask. I have had to learn to be more compassionate for patients than I ever imagined, because many are not allowed to have visitors and miss their families. Also, I not only have had to learn to communicate with patient family while in the room, but also over the phone. For many of the patients under COVID watch or in COVID units, their family cannot come to the hospital at all, so you must report on their family over the phone. I find this to be a challenge because you cannot see their expressions or emotions, so it is difficult to comfort them. Because of this, I have also found you must advocate more for your patient than ever before. Family will typically be the one to notice if the patient is not getting the little things they need for day-to-day care, and since family is not in the rooms, we as nurse must notice those things. This is difficult as a student because I am still trying to learn how to preform patient care, and now I must learn how to communicate with providers and other nurses as well.
Professional Sphere Considerations
Professionally, conversations around this pandemic have made being a student more challenging because a lot of people disagree with allowing students into the hospitals. They believe allow students to continue to go to clinical is putting us at risk of getting COVID, but I do not agree. As a nursing student, I have just as much of a duty as any other nurse to be caring for patients in the hospitals. For over a year nurses, doctors, and other front-line workers have been putting their health at risk due to this pandemic, and now it is my turn. Also, I am learning so much more from being in the hospitals during this pandemic than I think I would have if I was doing all my clinical virtually. Discussion of the vaccine has also presented a lot of interesting topics to light. Some nurses have received the vaccine and others haven’t which is a topic of conversation at the hospital and in public. As someone who has been vaccinated, I think it puts me in a role to be an example for people who are unsure of what they should do. My clinical floor is a COVID floor and being vaccinated, along with the use of proper PPE, has proven effective in protecting me from COVID so far. Some debates however have also made me question my decision though when it comes to effects on my body down the road. I do not think my view of what it means to be a nurse has changed much due to any conversation. I have always believed it is my job as a nurse to be the voice of the patient when they do not have their own and to make sure that each patient is being treated fairly and compassionately. That has not changed since this pandemic has begun, if anything those beliefs have been strengthened.
Community/Global Sphere Considerations
In the city of Biddeford, this pandemic has made it more difficult for people to keep their jobs which in turn has likely caused many people to lose their homes and end up on the street. To promote well-being of the city, vaccinations will need to be made readily available for everyone and possibly more low wage housing will need to be made. If that is not possible, free clinical opportunities should be provided so those who are not living in the best conditions can get the resources they need to survive until they can find housing. This would be an amazing opportunity for nurses to either volunteer their time or work at to help the community. When more vaccines become available, this will also be another chance for nurse to volunteer their time and give vaccines to those seeking them.
The biggest community health concern I foresee is overcrowding when shelters reopen or if low-income housing is made. This overcrowding increases the risk of disease transmission, which is why the vaccine needs to be made available to everyone sooner rather than later. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I see more people than ever on the street with signs asking for help and these are the people who are likely going to end up in shelters until their can get back on their feet. It will be difficult to help everyone, but the best we can do is try.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this pandemic has affected everyone, nurses and nursing students included. In the end I think it will make me a better nurse because I feel like I am prepared for anything. Having an opportunity to work on a floor with COVID patients had made me feel confident donning and doffing PPE as well as being a person of comfort for patients who have not seen their families in multiple weeks. I am confident that I have the resilience and compassion to be a nurse, even in a global pandemic.
