A Voice of Reason

In a time of uncertainty, healthcare has been transformed into an objective pursuit of reason by social media. Who do we trust, and how are we prepared to accept the changes that come with this territory? Nurses General Nursing Article

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A Voice of Reason

The ever-changing doubt of medical decisions to best suit our healthcare needs

When COVID first began, we thought we had a handle on being able to get over this little setback in healthcare.  The uncertainty felt vaguely like an outbreak of a norovirus that comes and goes after a few bad weeks.  Yet, we were not prepared for the outcome of what became like a domino effect.  I work in a skilled geriatric facility.  We were safe at the beginning.  We felt invincible; we played it safe.  That is, until that one time ...

"I have covid."  The physical therapist, who just had a recent procedure at the nearby hospital, had worked with seven residents.  She started to show symptoms and then she tested positive.  Of course, back then, I don't think we really had rapid tests available immediately, so she had to take a PCR test that seemed to take a week to get results back.  By that time, the virus is running rapidly.  Soon, the seven people she worked with had gathered together for meals, had talked to one another as they passed each other, heading to the activity room.  Soon, we are testing several residents.  We become numb to taking temps and 02 sats every shift.  

My heart dropped every time we had another positive case.  I never realized just how dangerous that first round of COVID was.  When their appetite really wasn't much to begin with, try having your taste and smell completely turned off.  Absolute torture to try to feed someone mushy food with no appetite, with no taste and smell.  The pleasure of eating is really a gift.  I didn't realize it until I had my own COVID positive test.  I went to work as normal, and I went to grab a cup of coffee.  Hmm ... maybe this coffee isn't as strong as it should be?  I take a sip ... it feels like hot water on my tongue.  Immediately, I knew ... I was another victim.

I'd like to say my covid was a wake-up call.  I didn't realize how easy it was to catch it so quickly.  I know I had used my PPE correctly, but what did I do wrong?  Was it because when I was at the desk and charting, I pulled my mask down?  Who have I just exposed?

Social media made it feel like it was just a simple flu that would go away as quickly as it came.  People were talking about the politics of this virus on local news; everyone had their own opinion.  It felt like even my own doctor was being influenced by what social media was posting.  Playing it down as if it was just a mere flu.  COVID honestly was a huge fear of mine.  I didn't want to spread it to my daughter, my husband, or anyone I had contact with.  When we were in the outbreak, we ended up losing half of our census.  They died slowly, each day never knowing who else was going to go downhill.  One sweet lady, I'll name her Jeanne, was on her deathbed.  She had a corner room.  We moved her bed over to the corner, opened her window and her family had to say their goodbyes through a 6-inch opened screened window.  "Nana, we love you."  It was truly heartbreaking to know that her family could not hold her hand, kiss her forehead gently and ease her into her resting place in Heaven.

We have been through COVID for about two and a half years now.  I recently tested positive again, even after being vaccinated and boostered.  I still wore my N-95 mask at home and slept separately, but knowing what I know now versus what we went through then, we have better grips on what to do.  What symptoms are we going to see?  How mild is this case going to be?  My first time getting COVID, I lost my taste and smell for three weeks.  I had no appetite but ate a sausage and egg biscuit because it was different textures and something to chew on.  Once my sense came back, it was altered; like a year of altered food diversion.  Coffee smelled like it was burnt.  Protein meats tasted spoiled.  It was hard.  

I was interested, however, by how social media downplayed some of this as if we were making up our symptoms to give big pharma another boost in revenue.  We have grown as a nation in how we handle this virus, but do we really know how long we will remain fighting this every year with different rules and regulations that seem to change all the time?  

Is there any consistency in healthcare anymore? 

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jaelpn

About jaelpn, LPN

Specializes in Skilled geriatric nursing care. Has 14 years experience.

3 Articles   45 Posts

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Consistency in healthcare isn't necessarily a good thing. Research is constantly being done and evidence is always advancing. There's a reason guidelines are revisited frequently and best practices change.

There should be a better emphasis - especially during a rapidly evolving pandemic - that recommendations and policies WILL change and what applies at one moment might not apply the next. In all honesty consistency could be better considered stagnation. Maybe part of the the problem is that strong personalities on social media are more entertaining to listen to than a press conference and an Instagram post is easier to scroll through than a CDC / WHO fact sheet.

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