I'm Out... (Cue Mic Drop)

I work in the state ranked lowest in U.S. vaccination rates. As the delta variant fuels new COVID-19 cases, I find myself asking "Can I go through this again?"

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I'm Out... (Cue Mic Drop)

In my home state of Alabama, only 33% of residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  The state's healthcare workers are feeling a punch to the gut as new coronavirus cases have climbed 574% over a short period of time.  Fueled by the delta variant, the state's hospitalization rate has tripled in a few short weeks.  I echo the words of many in the medical community by saying "I don't know if I can do this again".

Universally Affected

I work in a hospital, but not on a unit that provides direct care to COVID-19 positive patients. Earlier in the pandemic, I felt guilty whenever burn out began to creep in.  I often thought "Shouldn't burn out be reserved for those caring for COVID patients day after day?”  Today, Alabama's new daily case rate mimics the same numbers as 12 months ago.  And, I now realize everyone working in healthcare has been affected both personally and professionally by coronavirus.  What led up to my own professional mic drop moment?

  • Caring for patients with devastating long hauler syndrome
  • Maintaining a high standard of care without adequate staffing, supplies and other resources
  • Working routine overtime because of your own personal responsibility to support your peers
  • Facing the words "there is no one", "you'll have to make do" and "you have no choice" when asking the house supervisor for additional help
  • No pay increase in the past 18 months
  • Hope that disappears when large numbers of new hires resign within the first 4 weeks
  • Frequent floating with high nurse patient ratios
  • Alarming number of rapid response calls and code blues

Nurses are only  part of an exhausted healthcare community.  We are joined by food and environmental services, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, physicians, nursing assistants, patient services... and the list goes on.

Public Pleas

A string of public pleas have been issued throughout the state, imploring the unvaccinated to seek vaccination.  The frustration is almost palpable in each plea.

Governor's Harsh Words

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey had harsh words for the state's unvaccinated, stating "these folks are choosing a horrible lifestyle of self-inflicted pain".  Ivey went on to blame the state's unvaccinated population for the rising coronavirus cases.

Quote

"But it's time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks.  It's the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down”- Governor Kay Ivey

Alabama received billions in relief funds as part of the stimulus package passed the year.  However, the state is not using the federal relief for incentive programs like scholarships and lotteries.  According to the National Governors Association, Alabama is offering a few small incentives: 

  • The Talladega Superspeedway is offering the opportunity to drive 2 laps behind a pace car for being tested and/or vaccinated.
  • The Alabama Department of Public Health is sponsoring a TikTok contest to encourage vaccination before the start of the new school year.  Four winners will be selected and each will receive a $250 Visa gift card.

Doctor's Emotional Plea

Dr. Brytney Cobia, a hospitalist at Grandview Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, posted an emotional plea for vaccination on facebook that has made news across the U.S.  Cobia wrote the post after caring for young healthy patients with very serious COVID infections. She describes patients begging for the vaccine right before they are intubated.  She writes, "I hold their hand and tell them that I'm sorry, but it's too late".  You can read Dr. Cobia's full post here.

Tuskegee Tragedy Lingers

Many Black Alabamians have a deep seeded mistrust of the medical community stemming from the Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male. In 1932, the U.S. Public Health Service recruited hundreds of rural Black men to participate in a syphilis study, but never explained that the study was designed to withhold medical treatment.  Study participants were not injected with syphilis, but those who had it were not treated, even when penicillin was available.  The suffering caused by the unethical study still echoes today, despite federal laws that prohibit this from occurring again.  This tragedy contributes to vaccination hesitancy within the state.

Mounting Personal Toll

I'm not alone in questioning my ability to withstand another COVID-19 surge in my current nursing position.  Healthcare workers are experiencing burn-out in high numbers and reporting significant psychological distress. Many are responding to the stress and trauma by misusing alcohol and other substances.  It's time for professional organizations and the healthcare industry to do more to support workers moving forward. 

What About You?

Are you considering a mic-drop departure from your workplace?  What do you need to reverse your burn-out?

References

In Tuskegee, Painful History Shadows Efforts To Vaccinate African Americans

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J.Adderton

About J.Adderton, BSN, MSN

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J.Adderton has 28 years experience as a BSN, MSN and specializes in Clinical Leadership, Staff Development, Education.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

This spells doom and is the perfect storm. Health care workers have had about as much as they can take. Soon beds and staff will not be available for those needing it most. And what about other patients? Non-covid patients? This is so grossly unfair to them.

I am so angry about this. This.   was.   preventable. 

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Take a leave if you are able.  Do not feel any guilt.  I don't and won’t If I choose to leave.  I have family members who won't get the vaccine.  I will miss them if anything happens but… that’s it. I’ll miss them.  I’m so angry about their refusal that I don't even talk about it anymore. My heart is hardened towards the willingly unvaccinated.  
 

I agree that the non covid patients will suffer. We all will, but you have to take care of yourself.  Take a break if you can. Recharge.  Return when possible. 

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Specializes in Cardiology.

I don't blame you or the other healthcare workers who are saying "nope, not again" because people refuse to get vaccinated due to being anti-vax, political, or misinformation. 

What's funny is you mention no raise for 18 months but if they really need help the money magically appears for agency nurses. 

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
6 hours ago, SmilingBluEyes said:

This spells doom and is the perfect storm. Health care workers have had about as much as they can take. Soon beds and staff will not be available for those needing it most. And what about other patients? Non-covid patients? This is so grossly unfair to them.

I am so angry about this. This.   was.   preventable. 

I'm dealing with anger issues as well.   As you know I live in the hotspot that is  Florida.  Already people with non-covid emergencies are being held up getting help for hours, they can't get rooms when they are admitted and sit in the ER for long periods, and surgeries are being canceled. 

I'm afraid that if elective surgeries are canceled to make room for covid patients, my unit (post op overnight stays) will shut down like it did last year and become covid.  I wouldn't have a choice and would deal with it, but my anger is something I would need to get ahold of.

 

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Specializes in Student.

I agree.  I’m from old Alabama as well.  Where I live most people here think it’s some conspiracy made up and that it doesn’t even exist.  That people aren’t dying from COVID it’s the pneumonia or this or that, that kills them.  It’s embarrassing I feel so bad for them but angry that it puts me and my family at risk because of their blatant stubborn ignorance.   

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Specializes in Clinical Leadership, Staff Development, Education.
10 hours ago, OUxPhys said:

What's funny is you mention no raise for 18 months but if they really need help the money magically appears for agency nurses. 

This is so true!  

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Specializes in BSN, RN, CVRN-BC.

I wish that my 7 year old could get the vax.  This delta variant is hitting a younger crowd than the original strain.  We are probably going to have to shut down the schools and mask up again.  My teenager went from an A student to failing several classes last year and needing counseling.  Going through this again because nearly half the population thinks that using 
"Google" is doing research?  Stupid is as stupid does, and suffering from someone else's stupidity is getting old fast.

 

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I am a school nurse and I definitely believe that the schools will close again. The ironic thing is those who refused the vaccines are the ones that screamed the loudest when the schools closed. 

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
6 hours ago, Mirna Duran said:

I am a school nurse and I definitely believe that the schools will close again. The ironic thing is those who refused the vaccines are the ones that screamed the loudest when the schools closed. 

and they still are. I advised my daughter in law NOT to send her daughter to school as there is no mask mandate and this is Red country where people don't vax. They have a toddler and an infant in the home and certainly can't afford to get them sick either.

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On 8/4/2021 at 11:41 AM, Mirna Duran said:

I am a school nurse and I definitely believe that the schools will close again. The ironic thing is those who refused the vaccines are the ones that screamed the loudest when the schools closed. 

CT here. I look at some other areas of the country, and have a hard time wrapping my head around the refusal to do the basic things that allow us to have healthy, normal lives up here.  My kids' schools were open for in-person learning for all of the 20-21 school year. Yes, there were a few weeks here and there that they went to distance learning, but with a few sensible precautions like universal mask wearing, cohorting, and social distancing (about as much as possible within the confines of the existing spaces), there were no outbreaks. None. Yes, people tested positive, but I don't think any cases were linked to the schools. It was a pretty normal year.

Our vaccination rates are some of the highest in the country, and - surprise - our hospitals are NOT filling up with COVID again.  Delta is definitely making its move, and we're seeing more cases (earlier this Summer, my hospital was a completely COVID-free facility), but it's not taking over the hospital.  Fingers crossed the vaccines hold against Lambda, and other variants to come, too.

My heart goes out to all of you living and working in hotspots.  To see suffering is hard enough.  To see preventable suffering is much worse.

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Specializes in Customer service.

I'm glad everyone in the house is vaccinated except the 3 years old. He'd come to me so I run away from him. He'd knock on my door;  we chit chat through the window. I told him I'm sick. There's no way I want the kid to get ill. I had Covid-19 infections. I live in a Hotspot and am the one who is regularly out in public.

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