RNAO Updates

As I went out today, April 1, 2020, for a twenty minute walk in the evening to clear-up my head, I reflected on this nightmare we are collectively experiencing. Suddenly, I heard a big noise, then another and another!

A cardiac surgeon in Connecticut talks about nurses. “She rises at 5:15 a.m., arrives in the Covid-19 unit by 7:15. Receives the handoff information from the night shift. She washes down, dons the yellow gown, shoe covers, hair cover, the N95 mask, gloves and the eye shield and enters the negative pressure room. Her distraught patient is coughing uncontrollably.

It is Saturday March 28th at 11pm. Saturdays are usually a time of rest, except for those working a shift. Today, however, it’s not the same. As a front-line nurse working in a hospital, you are either in a shift, coming back from one or planning your next one tomorrow. These are not normal shifts since COVID-19 has turned everything on its head. If you are a directors of infection control, manager or executive in a health organization, this in no normal weekend either, packed with preparations and ramping up execution.

Here it is, your daily report for Friday, March 27, the third month of the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada – a global pandemic of historic proportions. To see previous reports visit RNAO updates and resources on COVID-19 for members and other health professionals, where you will also find other useful materials such as great educational graphics and supports.