Of new professionals coming to the HaD. Andrea

576 1024 Eva A. Sánchez Martos

Today I will introduce you to a young nurse who volunteered to work in our unit against COVID-19.

In those days I was still a nursing student and eager to put into practice all the hours of training and practice I had carried out during the four years of my university degree to achieve a nursing degree. We had the opportunity to meet an intelligent, agile and hardworking woman who at all times was clear about her limits and that made her prudent. I am named for all the qualities that every professional dedicated to treating people should have. The professionals who have been practicing for more years know this very well.

But we ask Andrea:

At the time the state of emergency was declared, did you think you would have the opportunity to care for patients as a nurse?

When the state of alarm began, everything was uncertain about what would happen to the students, as from one day to the next we were taken out of the internship because we ran the risk of being infected and not knowing if we could end the period or what would the university do to solve this problem. There was talk in the media that it was a time when they needed medical staff and they were asking for the help of final year students because they could not afford it and it was the time when the university provided us hospitals to send. our data. What I didn't expect was that she would go so fast and within hours of the hospital call she would already have her first EPIS training and in 48 hours she would start working as a nurse. I would never have imagined it.

What was it like for you to face COVID-19 patients?

The first few days at the hotel were all nervous and very scary, will I do well? Will I make any mistakes and will we be infected? We knew we had a 12-hour shift ahead of us and that we would do things little by little and paying attention to every detail so as not to make mistakes. We all learned from everyone, and we corrected ourselves if necessary, this gives you peace of mind, and that's what happened to me, all the fear I had in the early days became courage to deal with whatever came. ahead.

Were you scared of the possibility of bringing the infection to your family?

Fear was always in my head, always wondering if after our work day we were taking the “chilli” home. I have continued to live at home with my parents and my brother, my parents went out like me every day to work and even though I am in direct contact with people with COVID they could also run the risk of bringing the infection home. Still we took the measurements when we got home after work, leaving the shoes outside (washing them with water and bleach) and going straight to the shower, leaving the clothes with a bag that would then all go in the washing machine.

Did it cost you to learn the special infection protection measures?

Before we started working, the hospital gave us a little EPI training with which I went the first day with an idea of ​​what this whole team would be like. It has not been difficult to learn these measures, as day after day we did it and it was a habit, he was always the partner at the time we had to dress to ensure that we were well equipped and we did not lack any accessories protection.

What made you more respectful, nursing duties or the possibility of becoming infected?

After all, we have done the nursing tasks during the internship periods, yet there are always things to learn every day. As I said before, fear was always present, with the idea that every day when you got home you were taking the "chilli" with you. I went with the idea that my job would be like advanced internships going after a nurse, but it has not been so we have had a brutal autonomy, where we ourselves did all the nursing tasks (always with the support of professionals) and we were not in a second position, if not we were at the same height as our referring nurses.

Which situation, of the ones you saw, would you highlight as very hard?

The truth is that we have not experienced difficult situations, as the profile of patients we had in the hotel were very stable. What I can highlight is the emotional state of the patients, the way they lived the situation they were in, the anxiety they conveyed to us and the attention they asked us to talk even if it was 5 minutes with them, because this also reassured them. I think our work had a good technical part, but what weighed most was the support we gave to the patients, which was very necessary at the time.

Andrea and Dr. Pablo preparing a surprise for a patient.

Do you have special memories of any patients? Which one?

I have the memory of many patients, especially those who have been with us longer. But I will always remember one of them, a patient who lost his wife a few days before he was admitted to the hotel by the same diagnosis, COVID-19. He told us with tears in his eyes, he told us that they had been married for 50 years and that she was the most beautiful woman that had ever existed. When we were about to take the pressure he asked us if we had 5 minutes to show us photos of the two of them, celebrating birthdays, going on trips, etc.… and at that moment it is inevitable not to think about what we have and you want to give him a very strong hug that will support him to let him know that even though we are not his blood family, at that time we were more than ever. His last words before leaving home were: - Can I take a picture? I wish I could always remember my 3 guardian angels. (referring to us, the three nursing students we were with throughout our stay)   

If this situation happens again, would you hesitate to take a step forward or would you come to help in another way?

After living this experience, I would not hesitate. Fear always appears in such extreme situations, but when you have a vocation for your profession you leave it behind and do not hesitate to take a step forward and make important decisions.

I can’t be more grateful to the team of professionals with whom I’ve been able to share all of this, I know without them it wouldn’t have been the same. Fellowship [1] that there was between the team was brutal, both between nursing team and with administration and medical residents. I would like to thank my nurses Eva and Alba for all the support they have given us day after day, as they have been the mainstay for all this to be possible. Thank you so much for everything.

 

Thank you Andrea for your drive and your professionalism that were basic to make possible our goals to take the best possible care of the sick people of the Hotel Medicalizat. You have the qualities to be a great nurse, I hope and wish you to enjoy your profession. In this time, being a nurse is 99,9% vocational and you already have it, don't let anyone make you lose it.

 

 

[1] In correct Catalan “companyonia”. But since it is a colloquial blog we leave the expression chosen by the author.

Eva A. Sánchez Martos

Degree in Nursing from the UAB. I have a Masters in Cardiology and another in Vascular Surgery from the UB. I have trained as a researcher in II.SICarlos III and have led many research projects such as the EMIRTHAD study on therapeutic non-compliance. For thirty years I have been improving as a nurse. Twenty years ago I helped the birth of Home Hospitalization in Parc Taulí.

All entries by: Eva A. Sánchez Martos

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