I have so many mixed emotions right now. On one hand, I am ok, my family is ok and we are all healthy so far. I am thankful that our state has not been hard hit yet by this pandemic and our hospitals are not overloaded yet. But I am anxious. I sometimes lie in bed at night with racing thoughts. I worry about my husband’s health. I worry about my elderly parents getting sick. I worry about not having enough PPE at work once this pandemic really does hit my hospital hard. I think about all the over-worked, stressed-out healthcare workers in New York and other hard-hit areas and I want to send them my love, my support, and appreciation. 

I am having lots of bonding time with my kids and trying to be a good mom and wife by making healthy meals and creating learning opportunities and family fun experiences. But I have parents, two sisters and a brother all living out of state that we can’t see. We had to cancel our spring break trip to see my parents. Although I am with my husband and kids, I still feel isolated sometimes.

I feel confused at times by conflicting information. And annoyed by the misinformation being propagated around social media. Is the virus transmission airborne or droplet? What type of PPE should we use? Are cloth masks being sewed by well-meaning people safe? What about a surgical mask vs the N95?

What are the appropriate protocols to determine whether patients are going to be tested for COVID-19? Some patients are being admitted to the hospital for a fever and cough but not being tested for COVID-19 because the provider believed they had another diagnosis. But doesn’t the fact that our country is in a state of emergency over this virus warrant ruling it out? Especially since some populations of patients are particularly at risk. 

There are definitely some positive things that have come out of this so far for me. I am enjoying daily walks with my dog and my family. I don’t have to wake up early and drive my kids to two different schools anymore. We are eating in more and eating out less. We have increased our family fun activities of baking, arts & crafts, games, movies, music and dancing. I have had opportunities to connect with people in different ways and to reach out and help the community. There are so many people right now expressing their appreciation for healthcare workers and offering their thanks. It has been heartwarming and boosts the sense of pride I have in being a nurse.

Journaling is a very therapeutic tool to cope with difficult times. Sometimes you just need to get things off your chest. When we are in situations of high stress, our mind tends to run in circles. Journaling can help relieve some of these ruminating spells and allow us to really process our feelings and work through them. 

    Journaling prompts

• How has your life changed? What changes have been the most significant? Most distressing? What positive changes have you seen?

• How do you communicate with others? What are your distress signals? Do you notice any distress signals of others around you? What can you do to improve your communication with others?

• Focus on things you can control. What are things that you really enjoy doing? How can you increase activities that bring you joy? What things are you truly grateful for?

• Make a list of people you can reach out to who might also be feeling lonely or isolated (I’m sure you can think of a few). How can you bring joy to others? Is there a way for you to relieve the distress of others in your community?

• What are you learning about yourself through this crisis? What is your role in your family? Community? Workplace?

• How will this effect how you live and work in the future? Does this change your everyday practices at work or at home? What ways can you think of to be more prepared in the future? What things can you do to contribute to healthcare’s disaster preparedness in the future?

• What are some positive things that have happened in the workplace? How have workplace communications been effected? How can you be a leader in the healthcare profession, your hospital/unit, and your community?

If you are a nurse, doctor, respiratory therapist, technician or anyone else working in a healthcare setting I would love to hear how you are coping. I want to express my gratitude for your commitment, your bravery, and the knowledge and expertise you have to offer. I would love to hear from you, whether you are stressed-out, want to share a story, coping strategy, or offer hope and encouragement to others. Please leave a comment below. God bless.

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Categories: Healthcare, Nursing, Careers

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