How Can you Support Nurses & Healthcare Workers During COVID-19?
by Anna Ciesielska
Healthcare workers have always been one of the most hard-working. Nurses and doctors, as we all probably know, spend much more time in the workplace on the contrary to the people from other professions. Their work is connected with constant checking on patients’ condition, performing operations, and much more. What is more, they have to keep training, so they will be able to meet technological development and patients’ needs.
During the spread of SARS CoV-2, health workers are at the front line of the outbreak response. This puts them at high risk of infection, as they have to face pathogen exposure, distress, and sometimes even stigma or fatigue. Hospitals and other medical units were turn upside down. These places had to be reorganised as quickly as possible, since taking care of patients with Coronavirus, needs special tools. Healthcare workers are underpaid, they usually spend twice as much time in work than they typically should, they can not meet their families for an extended period. What can we do to help them in this challenging situation? Before we head to the exact actions you can take, you should keep in mind that the fact you cough or have a higher temperature, it does not make you the one with Coronavirus. It may be a well-known flu, which can be healed without a doctor’s meeting. You can buy tamiflu from Medicine Direct, and thanks to that website, you will not even have to leave your house.
Stay at Home and Do Not Panic
If you found yourself in this comfortable situation, when you do not have to risk your life every day, and your problem is what to do in your free time, that means you are lucky! If you want to help other people, especially these in medical centres, listen to the government’s rules of coping with Coronavirus. Do not leave your home if it is not needed, do not organise family parties and try to have as low contact with other people as possible. When you have to go somewhere, wear a mask and gloves. How does it help? It lowers the possibility of catching and spreading the Coronavirus. Another aspect is to be calm. You probably do not have to be in the place where the only people you meet are the ones infected with the virus. Do not create an atmosphere of terror at your home, and you should not spread false information about situations in the hospitals, reactions of patients, etc. Always be sure that you read articles or watch the news, which is from a trustworthy source.
Support Them, Not Blame
Psychological support can make a massive difference in the battle against COVID-19. Not only for people who are infected but also the healthcare workers. As was said before, they spend several dozen hours in hospitals or clinics without the possibility to see their relatives. They have to face the biggest pressure as they are the ones to take care of, sometimes, ungrateful patients, lack of tools like masks, respirators, gloves, or coveralls. This situation creates distress, which can be dangerous for sensitive ones. Knowing that you care enough to thank them and recognise their sacrifice can be an indescribable boost for them to work! Upload a video or short post with some hashtags like supporthealthcareheroes on social media. If you have children, encourage them to create the drawing and send them to the organisation, which will deliver them to hospitals.
It is also noticeable that, unfortunately, some people decided to sue doctors or nurses. There are a lot of cases when healthcare workers have committed suicide. We all should keep in mind that they are also ordinary people, not robots.
Donate Supplies
Hospitals are facing the biggest crisis. Lack of protective equipment makes working much more dangerous, both for patients and healthcare workers. In some situations, medical units were not able to admit patients because of not enough beds, protective clothes, and even respirators. Nowadays, masks, sanitisers, and gloves are worth their weight in gold. People sell them at enormous prices, which is, by the way, illegal. But there are also wonderful ones who decide to help health workers, patients, and everyone who faces the risk of getting infected with the mask problem. Lots of clothing stores or companies sew masks, and the income of disposal is sent to hospitals to deal with coronavirus outbreak. What a fantastic initiative! There are also rebounds of gloves, masks, hand sanitiser — so if you have a larger amount of them that you will use, think about donating them to hospitals!
Organise Food Delivery
What can be shocking for some people, doctors, nurses, and other hospitals’ workers have to eat! Even if the medical units have a cafeteria, it is closed. Usually, healthcare workers do not have enough time to prepare a meal. There are lots of organisations or even social initiators who deliver food to the hospitals. Some restaurants support hospitals and send them food. You can donate money to such restaurants or help with organising food!
