It has been my dream to be a registered nurse since I was about 9 years old. My sister, Anya, got diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) when she was 4 years old. ITP causes extremely low platelet counts (platelets help your blood to clot so you don't bleed easily), which then would cause Anya to bruise. Picture this, you're coloring and just from holding the crayon, you develop a bruise. Anyway, my sister was sent to Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Valhalla, New York. This hospital is one of the most amazing facilities I have ever stepped foot into. I just remember looking up to the nurses and thinking, "DANG! These people are so cool." The nurses really just provided nothing but the best care and comfort for both my sister and my family.
So yeah that's how I decided I wanted to be a nurse. I am currently in my 3/4 semester of nursing school at SUNY Orange (whoop whoop!). And I will just say this straight up, I don't think anyone was prepared for something like coronavirus to ever happen. No one ever thought that there would be a worldwide pandemic anytime soon and we were definitely were not prepared when it comes to supplies and staffing for something like this either.
Imagine getting an email asking if you would go and work on the front lines testing people for COVID-19 as just a nursing student... that is the reality of being a nursing student right now, they need all hands on deck and will use all the possible help they can get. Students around the nation are being sent into medical practice before obtaining a license. Yeah, it's terrifying. I am scared for myself, my family, my friends and all the healthcare workers out there. But at the same time, seeing how hard our fellow nurses are working is driving me to want to be a nurse even more right now.
I know how hard it is is being a student right now with transitioning to distant learning. But specifically to all my fellow nursing students, med students, or any other student going into healthcare, my heart is with you right now (especially those in their final semester).
I never thought that I would ever say that I miss nursing school. I miss my friends, my instructors, clinical, even skills (LOL). Nursing school has seriously been filled with some of the hardest, yet happiest moments of my life.
Instead of getting that hands-on experience, we are logging into 'Zoom' or 'Google Classroom' every day. Oh, and all the audio files I have to watch have been my new Netflix series. This is a whole new method of learning for us and it's definitely hard to go from such a hands-on school experience to sitting behind a computer watching videos all day.
It has been hard not to slack off and to stay organized especially when you're sitting around at home all day. But we need to keep the motivation up and to continue to work hard to succeed so we can be on the front lines helping out someday. If you are a student who is struggling right now, lean on your friends and instructors for help. There are so many resources right now available to help you get through this! Everyone is in some kind of a ruck so do not be afraid or ashamed to ask for help!
I have found it difficult to balance the amount of woralong with watching audio files, so I have written out on a calendar what days to work on what specifically so that I do not slack off. Trust me I know this is hard and a major change to all of us, but this will pass and we will all get through it.
30 years from now when we are the OG's on the nursing unit we will be able to say to the little nursing students "yeah I remember being a nursing student during the 2020 pandemic!" What a story that will be to tell.
As of right now, all we can do is finish this semester strong and wait. Most importantly pray for all of the healthcare workers who are literally sacrificing their lives to help save others.
As future nurses what can we do to help our right now?-
1. Encourage social distancing and remind everyone to stay home! (If you see someone posting about them going out, call them out! They're putting people at risk and they're going to be part of the reason we are stuck in the quarantine for longer than needed.)
2. Remind and teach others about proper hand hygiene, proper use of gloves and masks.
3. Remind people not to believe everything they see on social media! (There are so many fake "facts" and "remedies" out there so help to educate someone who may be posting or spreading false information)
4. Check on your friends and family. (Let people now that you are there for them and that you are willing to help then in any way you are willing to)
I just want to add that the stress and the amount of work that we are seeing our future colleague's being put through are truly unbelievable. When they said 2020 was the year of the nurse... I don't think this is what they meant..
To all the health care workers to my professors and instructors, you guys are amazing. We know the unfair and unjust treatment you are all experiencing right now and it will never be forgotten. Each and every single one of you is going to go down in history and this story of the '2020 coronavirus pandemic' will have your names in it forever. Without you, there is no light at the end of this. There really are no words to express my gratitude and appreciation for all that you do. Thank you.
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