COVID Update 2020 vs 2021

[Leinurse]

Hi, 

I just wanted to check in with everyone. How has working for covid been this year compared to last year? Do you feel more comfortable now that vaccines are out? How does working through this surge compare to the surge we had earlier this year?

[gere7404, BSN, RN]

This years surge is way worse in my area. 
 

our entire ICU, IMCU and gen med floor are hot zones. Cancelled most surgeries. Haven’t seen many deaths but delta has made a lot of people sick. 30 year old coworker w/o comorbidities needs oxygen now after recovering. 
 

governor called up the national guard, but they are non medical soldiers. Not sure what help they will be.

[MSADN, ADN]

All Covid all the time unit. Some ways not as bad. Many aren't as sick, but the ones that are sick appear to be younger, Many very sad situations. 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

The first round was more heartbreaking and this one is more frustrating. First time around there were no visitors for anyone, the hospital was more empty and patients and families suffered greatly for that. Also, there were more deaths (and more patients, so far we're lucky this round), but they were generally older and sicker people.

This time around we've had young people dying, in their 30s and 40s, that don't appear to be unhealthy at admission. Also, they're mad at us. We've been accused, by people who are critically ill, of inflating the seriousness of their illness and wanting to put people on ventilators so we can get more money. They don't want to do as we suggest (like laying prone to help their oxygen levels), they're upset that we won't feed them while on high flow oxygen or BiPAP, and they're generally unpleasant. Right up until it's about the time to intubate when they become very thankful and want us to do everything we can for them. Of course we do, whether they were pleasant or not, but sometimes it's still not enough. And it's frustrating because it all seems so preventable. A 1% mortality rate doesn't seem like much until you're in that 1%. Watching families lose loved ones needlessly is frustrating and sad.