Dealing with panicking co-workers

Nurses COVID

Published

Hey all,

It's a stressful time for everyone around the world, and for people who have to work in healthcare, it's an added stress because of a lot of reasons- lack of PPE, overload of work, callouts, long hours, fear, etc. At work, some people are calm, or at least appear calm. Others are just freaking out..

It's kind of like the movies, where in an emergency, some stay calm and focused, and some others stand there and freeze, start crying, hyperventilating, start screaming hysterically and other types of panicked reactions. It's fine in the movies, but working with people who panic is not fun....and I don't even work in a hospital. I was going to go that route last year, but decided not to because of the mandatory rotating day/evening shifts and because I was able to negotiate about $8,000 more per year at a nursing home than what the hospital was offering. It was a more out of the way hospital, so pay was lower. Anyway, what I am trying to say is even though at the nursing home I work at, there are some Covid positive residents and employees, lack of PPE, and a crazy amount of work that has been added on, it can't compare to the workload and stress of a hospital. And even where I'm at, some employees are just panicking.

This nurse found out she was going to have to take care of a Covid positive room, and literally started crying and having a panic attack for about 15 minutes, saying she was going to walk out and all that. Another nurse called out less than 1 hr before her shift started because she was going to be on a floor with Covid residents, leaving the other nurses who showed up to have to split up her assignment. I saw an aide scream hysterically across the room to a nurse because she had to take care of a Covid positive resident and the resident was standing near her. The therapists (PT and OT), as well as housekeeping staff back up into the wall everytime a nurse walks by, like they will get infected by the nurse. I want to say get a hold of yourself...

I get there are people who are scared for themselves and for their families, and if they quit, I wouldn't blame them one bit. But calling out whenever you find out you might have to take care of a Covid positive resident is just so irresponsible. So many people are asymptomatic anyway, so I just assume everyone has it.

I'm dealing by not calling out, staying calm, sharing PPE I had already had since work gave people one surgical mask and one N95 to wear forever, trying to stay positive, and assisting other nurses when there workload is harder than mine, trying to dispel misinformation, etc. But having to deal with panicky co-workers is not fun....how to deal with it?

58 minutes ago, Schweet said:

Last time I worked (Hospital), a per diem nurse came to our Covid unit and she suddenly said she had chest pain and was hyperventilating. I assume it was her first time on that type of unit and had a panic attack? Not sure if she went to ED or floated to a different unit. Point being it can be scary going to this type of unit initially or in your case at a SNF.

I was the 1st person on my unit taking care of a Covid + pt and it was some scary stuff the 1st time. Of course at that point it was a fly by the seat of your pants environment. I mean sure, they gave you the teaching on how to don and doff and info about Covid. We had the PPE we needed, etc. When I went in the room for the first time, my heart began racing and I felt like a nursing student all over again. Worries floated in my mind like what if I doff wrong, how contagious is this really, do I have a good seal on my mask?

It was disconcerting when I came back to work with NEW doffing procedures, reusing PPE and my pt had succumbed to the illness a few days later. By this point I thought, I only washed my hands 3 times now the policy is 5. Any nurse can imagine how that feels.?

Fast forward to present day. While I wouldn't say I don't ever worry, it is much less intimidating than that first day. I will say, looking back at my initial reaction to the situation gives me an better understanding of what other nurses may be experiencing. If they are still fairly new to being around Covid + patients then it may be prudent to cut them some slack, for now. If it's been a week or two and they are still frantic as a Sponge Bob is about everything, then see previous GIF posted above for guidance.

-SW ❤

It's been about two weeks, but I will definitely try to keep my patience and cut them some slack. Two of the employees are kind of young, maybe in their 20s. The other isn't young, but seems to have a lot of issues (psychological and physical), so I think this is just the icing on top of the cake. But they are scared and I should try to be more understanding...

3 Votes
Specializes in Community health.

I don’t have any coworkers panicking, but a couple are way more scared than they need to be. It’s hard, but just remind yourself that contempt or eye-rolling will get you nowhere. Nor, unfortunately, will statistics. People KNOW the stats already. So saying “Almost everyone who gets Covid has a mild case” is irrelevant, because people just can’t process statistics when they are afraid. The only way to make any progress is with a lot of empathy; sympathy; and then leading by example. You do your work calmly and with a smile. When your coworker is flipping out, you say “Yes, I can tell you’re really scared. Here’s some water for you to drink. Now let’s take some deep breaths and then go clean up that patient.”

3 Votes

Yep, Initially this is the usual response. People panic and go into freak out mode.

Charge RN: sally you're taking care of room 319 he's covid+

Sally:

Charge RN: sally? sally? has anyone seen sally?

I'm smiling at the person above who wrote they washed their hands like 3-5 times ha! I was crazy OCD at first.. Don't get me wrong I am still super duper careful but the freak out stage for the nurses where I work has passed. People are much more serious but friendly wearing their regular clothes to work just being prepared for whatever. I remember when this first started and we were wearing our head scarfs and beanies because they wouldn't give us the bonnet hats or anything for our hair and the educators came and told us that our outside hair wear couldn't be worn but as soon as they left the unit (which was about 3 seconds later) we put them back on, now they encourage us wearing anything to protect our hair.. Things change all the time.. I would expect this response from people. You have to allow people to go through their reactions in stages...

3 Votes
Specializes in SCRN.

Need I say, I am disappointed in the society as a whole.

I am sure I already had COVID-19.

What did the people in the Middle Ages do during the plague? They had no TVs, no phones, no social media. Yet they survived.

2 Votes
Specializes in Surgical, Home Infusions, HVU, PCU, Neuro.

I'm with you on the mind set that everyone has it. At least knowing the pt is + takes out the "I wonder if" aspect.

1 Votes
On 4/14/2020 at 7:21 PM, Peditra said:

They did have one of the aides bring a box of Twinkies to give to the staff as appreciation. Not a box of Twinkies for each employee...one box to share for the entire floor....LOL,

What is the rationale behind these sugary snacks as pacifiers...

2 Votes
8 hours ago, RN-to- BSN said:

I am sure I already had COVID-19.

Yep a lot of the nurses (myself included) where I work had something back in Jan-Feb but Covid was the farthest thing from our minds... We won't know until the serology testing is done for all HCW.

1 Votes
Specializes in SCRN.

This HCW does not want the serology testing or tracking or tracing, or special card issued. It is my decision. I just want to be done with the BS.

3 Votes
Specializes in SCRN.
2 hours ago, HiddenAngels said:

Yep a lot of the nurses (myself included) where I work had something back in Jan-Feb but Covid was the farthest thing from our minds... We won't know until the serology testing is done for all HCW.

I had something multiple times, once in Jan-Feb, once after taking care of a patient that was not on any precautions for a week on our unit, then tested positive; another time ( I think it was it) in early April I had a headache for 4 days, no smell or taste, sore throat and cough - after ANOTHER slip-up in testing, patient was positive and not on isolation yet. I did not go to test, it did not really matter for me.

Now they want me to wear PPE to "to protect other people". Okay.

0 Votes
Specializes in Community health.

Earlier, I was of the opinion that “Practically everyone has/had it, we are just asymptomatic.” But after an exposure at work, we all got tested. About 10 nurses, just one positive. *shrug* so I have no idea what the reality is.

1 Votes
Specializes in Intermediate Care.
19 hours ago, HiddenAngels said:

Yep a lot of the nurses (myself included) where I work had something back in Jan-Feb but Covid was the farthest thing from our minds... We won't know until the serology testing is done for all HCW.

This happened to myself and several co-workers on my unit as well as my family in Feb. I want the serology test as well.

2 Votes
On 4/18/2020 at 9:54 PM, HiddenAngels said:

Yep, Initially this is the usual response. People panic and go into freak out mode.

Charge RN: sally you're taking care of room 319 he's covid+

Sally:

Charge RN: sally? sally? has anyone seen sally?

LOL this reminds me of a guy I used to work with. Anytime an emergency happened, whether it was his patient or not, he was suddenly nowhere to be seen until the emergency was over...then ta-da...he's back

0 Votes
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