Hello, my name is Brittany and I am a Canadian trained registered nurse of five years this year. In the year 2019, I continued my nursing passion in the United States (U.S.) through Conexus MedStaff. I work for one of the largest hospitals in the South East of the US.
I am a psychiatrist nurse, caring for those with substance abuse issues and mental health illness, a population that has largely been affected by COVID-19. COVID has brought many things, increased need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), increased the need for social distancing and hand hygiene, but it has also brought an increased need for compassion, empathy, support, and awareness of what it means to prevent illness.
There has been an increase in the infection rate of COVID-19 with fear and stress in the workplace but I am fortunate to work with staff members I can trust, working together as a team, if it means wearing a mask or PPE when it causes discomfort, monitoring patient’s physical, emotional and social needs more closely, or picking up an extra hour to assist with acuity. My team and I have remained strong.
I maintain my strength through daily exercise, adequate rest, proper nourishment of my physical body, and nourishment of my brain through reading, meditation, and communication with loved ones. COVID-19 has changed a lot of things but what doesn’t need to change is the fundamentals of living a simple, healthy, and holistic life.
We are all in this together!