Covid in Rural America

We have not had the crushing volume of Covid patients in our small, rural Critical Access hospital, but the impact still takes me to my knees. Nurses Announcements Archive

Published Dec 23, 2020

MeganMN

1 Article; 89 Posts

Specializes in Emergency Room.

The Rewards

I am a Critical Care Response RN in a small, rural Critical Access hospital. I proudly serve my fellow co-workers and patients by responding to the ED during busy times, for trauma codes, stroke codes, etc. I assist in the ICU with critical patients and try my best to support the primary RN by offering breaks, moral support, acting as a runner for the isolation rooms, and jumping in when we have a Rapid Response or tough IV start. I head to OB for Emergency c-sections, postpartum hemmorhage, or a 'bad' baby. If a staff member calls in sick, I might have a Med/Surg patient assignment, or get the ICU patient settled until the on-call nurse arrives. My day is extremely varied and extremely rich in experience. I have the ability to care for an inpatient in the Emergency Department, complete their admission, and then assist with their care in the ICU or Medical floor. We had a particular patient that I met in the Emergency Department, answered his call light later when he was on the Medical floor, then helped his son put on PPE and visit him in the ICU later in his admission when he eventually transitioned to comfort cares. Because of my unique position, I get the reward of seeing patients all through their stay at our facility.

The Traumatic Experiences and Stories

Most of us that work there also live in the communities that we serve. Our patients might be a neighbor, a distant relative, a member of our church, or some other type of acquaintance-once-removed. The connections are everywhere. When we scroll through the obituary on a slow Saturday in the Emergency Department, we find ourselves mourning the passing of familiar faces and spend time telling, "remember when" stories.

I remember most of the patient deaths that I have been a part of. They get tucked away in my little memory box and every now and again, something triggers a memory, and I think of them. It has never been super traumatic for me and I have learned how to effectively cope over the years. But this pandemic has been different. I have watched as people that lived at home independently, came in to the ED sick and struggling. I have watched them slowly decline in Med/Surg, or in the ICU. I have been involved in family discussions to support end of life decisions. And I have watched them die. I cannot tell you that my experience has been traumatic in the way that it has been for nurses in New York, or El Paso, or even closer to home Minneapolis. What I can tell you, though, is that each one of these people have a story, a family, a community. I cringe when I hear people talk about the Covid deaths as 'old people who were going to die anyway'. We have celebrated a patients birthday with her as she lay in the ICU struggling to breathe, unable to be with her family. I held a patients hand while he caught his first glimpse of his newborn great-grandbaby through the window. Tomorrow I may hold that hand as he dies. I will see the obituary and have my 'remember when' stories, and it won't be just a number on the daily Covid report.

The Optimistic Future

The I do not know how the country will emerge from this Pandemic. I worry about the cost to our freedoms, our financial burden, our mental health. I am optimistic for a future when things might be better again; this Pandemic has brought me to my knees. Never did I think that my life would be at risk just for my choice of profession. Never did I think that I would watch so many people die. Hats off to everyone who is a part of this tragedy. From a nurse in small town rural America, I pray that soon enough we will all be telling our own, Pandemic of 2020 'remember when' tale...and this will all be behind us.