In January, during the height of the last COVID wave, I found myself with a runny nose and 2 recent COVID exposures. Aww man, “I probably have COVID”, I thought to myself. Like everyone at that time, I searched for testing immediately, since I had my 1st trip of my sabbatical planned for the following week. There were no home kits available. Hospital lines were long. There were even fraudulent companies setting up pop tents in Philadelphia for COVID testing. I discovered a community site, thanks to Dr. Ala Stanford’s group, that offered free rapid COVID tests. (If you have not heard about her, please check out her phenomenal work to create equitable healthcare in Philadelphia.)
Upon my arrival at the site, there were at least 30 people in line outside waiting to be tested. As we approached closer to the door, I realized that there was another line inside the building. However, as I entered, I saw an amazing and very organized display of a public health initiative.
We were instructed to fill out a form and have a seat. My phone was at 10% battery life which allowed me to focus my attention entirely on my location. There were 4 tables at the front of the hall where the testing was occurring. Each table represented the nurse’s workspace, with 2 chairs on opposite ends of the table. For each person, the nurse would:
Review the test -> Complete the lab forms -> Clean hands -> Swab the patient -> Change gloves -> Clean hands.
And then repeat. As I continued to observe the nurse, I noticed that she would bend at the hip each time to write out the lab slip and verify the person’s information. I’m sure her back was probably going to hurt by the end of the day.
Immediately, I started thinking about the best ways to optimize how the nurses were performing the tasks at hand. The table needed to be elevated. Someone should be filling out the lab slips for her. However, the nurse diligently provided care to each person which such enthusiasm that I wanted to applaud her. Nurses will work under many conditions that may not be easy in order to help people. That’s one of the best qualities of nurses!
The nurse was testing each person every 3-4 minutes. I moved up a chair. They announce that they ran out of rapid PCRs since the city only provides a certain allotment. Move up a chair. People are upset. This woman is getting angry next to me now that there are no more rapid tests available. Really?! Move up a chair.
And then the nurse takes off her yellow linen protective gown. Everybody watches her see what she’s doing. She’s going to the bathroom. At that moment people were wondering,
“Where is she going?” “How can you go to the bathroom now when it is almost my turn?” “Can she move faster? I have other things to do.”
But nurses are so selfless that we often put others before ourselves. And yet, it is stressful to expose yourself to COVID daily where you could possibly expose family members.
The nurse returns. I move up another chair. A family of four approaches the table, and the nurse ensures there are enough chairs. They have a 4-year-old boy who is crying before he even sits in the chair. The nurse is patient with them and provides instruction on how to hold him for the test. The nurse remains calm even though he is screaming. Wow, I love seeing nurses providing excellent care. It is truly an honorable profession. We are real-life SUPERHEROES!
Nursing qualities
Stan Lee, an American comic book writer who is known for his work with Marvel comics, describes a superhero as
A superhero is a person who does heroic deeds and has the ability to do them in a way that a normal person couldn’t.
–Source
In my opinion, those are the qualities of a nurse. Think about it. Nurses work all hours of the day to take care of the population. If you call your primary care office for an emergency, who do you talk to first, a nurse? When you have been sick at school, who did you see first, a nurse? If you are admitted to a hospital, who takes care of you first, a nurse?
Watching the nurse on that day, reminded me of the most gratifying parts of my career as a nurse. In the Pediatric Intensive Care unit, watching how my nursing skills improved a sick child’s life. Or the moments, when my patients would draw pictures to thank me for the care I provided or the extra time that I spent with them during their appointment. Or the moments when I took care of a family in the Emergency Department, and they asked if I had a business card so I could be their child’s primary care provider. These were the moments that reminded me of why I chose the nursing profession.
What do you say to recognize a nurse?
I finally made it to the testing chair. She completed my information and reviewed how I could obtain my results. I sat there patiently as she explained the same thing to the other person, and then she performed the COVID test. I asked her “What time do you finish today?” She replied, “However long it takes to process all of these tests”, smiling underneath her mask. At that moment, I thanked her for what she was doing. She said you’re welcome.
Throughout the pandemic, when I would tell someone that I was a nurse, they would immediately respond “Thank you for your service”. Thank me for my service?! The first time I heard it I was shocked! I have only heard those words in relation the those who have been in the army, navy, etc. But never in healthcare! However, nurses are superheroes and should be thanked for all that they do. If you know a nurse, thank them today and applaud their efforts to continue to care for others during this challenging time in healthcare!
