@cafreeland As a retired former RN in BC., in conversation with an RN I met who is working with Covid patients, she requested counselling through a program with her Vancouver City hospital. Was told she could have an appointment in SIX MONTHS. I know this is not at all providing support. 1/2
You state, "...when the pandemic is behind us." Currently, nurses are being traumatized with particularly the suffering of Covid patients and the high number of deaths NOW. I had fewer than 8 in my 34 yr. career in Critical Care. Some RN's now are having 2 of their ICU 2/3
patients die in one 12 hr. shift and may have to assist other RN's in ICU who lose their patients and have to prepare the bodies for the porter to take to the morgue. To not have immediate support and counselling for these nurses is absolutely not okay. There are going to be 3/4
many who leave a career they previously loved and spent 4 years preparing for a long professional career. Now they are disheartened and traumatized as well as exhausted physically (many are working double shifts, many more days without a day off) and definitely mentally and 4/5
emotionally empty. One nurse on Twitter two weeks ago stated in her ICU there had been 12 deaths! Imagine dealing with this one day and having to return to another day of more Covid deaths. There needs to be immediate provision with each hospital to provide an area in the 5/6