For the Hero’s Soul
During the Pandemic of 2020 Nurses have been called heroes throughout the world. Are nurses heroes? I’ve never thought so. I believe a hero is someone who goes above what they are trained for or expected to do. A hero is someone who does something unexpected and out of the ordinary for their line of work, lifestyle, etc. During the Covid 19 Pandemic nurses are being called upon to do things that they have been trained to do. They are being required to take care of a multitude of very sick people. This is what we have been trained to do.
My opinion of being labeled a hero has changed in the last few weeks as Covid19 continues to ravage the world and pick up speed in certain previously un-touched areas. Nurses are exhausted from working day in and day out on the front-lines of a war against an invisible enemy. Nurses have been trained to take care of the wounded; what we have not been trained for is to do this work without relief. What we have not been trained for is to take care of patients that have been placed two per room in a room designed for one; or placed in areas that have been hastily turned into patient rooms (such as therapy gyms). We have not been prepared for taking care of surgical patients right beside Covid 19 isolation patients. We have not all been prepared to take care of ICU patients that are on medical/surgical units although requiring ICU status. We are doing a job far above our experience and outside of any safe expectations. We are exhausted and yet we keep doing that job. So, yes, nurses are heroes.
Why do we keep doing this work? Why do we not just say “enough” and walk away. We continue to do this work because, for the majority of us, nursing is a calling. We are not just putting widgets together; we are caring for people. We cannot leave them or our co-workers to go without our special care. Nurses are a group of people who will fight harder for their patients than most people will fight for their own rights. Nurses care with their hands and their tools; but most of all nurses care with their hearts.