With 11+ years of nursing experience under my belt, The year 2020 started with plenty of good news professionally and personal. The 2020 started with the happiest news of becoming a father of the cutest son in the world. “Nursing is calling” was always resounding in the ears as it was emphasised by mentors all time throughout my professional career. I wouldn’t think in my career that calling will be in this form after a good family time vacation. It was rising to the occasion when I volunteered myself to do duty in COVID-19 Isolation Ward to my Chief of Nursing as it was gracefully accepted her and started my duty as an Acting-Incharge in Isolation Ward.
During my early duty times, though the PPE gears were putting all of us in a tough situation we had a few patients who were asymptomatic and well cooperative which seemed like a cake walk treating the COVID patients. Then of all sudden one patient got sick and elective intubation was planned. It was my morning duty with my ICU colleague as we received the order for intubating him. We both donned the PPE with an hood and made all the equipment’s necessary for intubation. Once the induction started, we had already spent about an hour with the hood, we could barely see anything because of the fogging inside our goggles. I was blindly searching for the side rails lock to unlock due to excessive fogging.
Inspite of all odds we gave our best during the procedure and intubated successfully. All my team members stepped up to the occasion and took care of the patient very well.
The most hardest part in my professional life came during this period by saying no to my staff who was about to finish her duty requested me to go out from the contaminated area a little earlier to clear her bladder. That statement bothered me a whole night and even resulted in a few sleepless nights.
All our marks on the face and pain we have during care due to PPE gears has least impact on us .When our patients appreciate our care and wave their hands to say good bye to us during discharge make us to forget the pain and re-energise to continue the support and care expected by them.
I am always filled with joy and happiness when I see my baby’s smiling face,who is 3 months old now during the WhatsApp video call chats
His smile keeps me energetic and makes me more confident in serving the needy as and when required. This journey is tough but with good team work , we are able to catch up the situation and understand the different needs of the patients.
Hope this situation will turn around to normal soon, and frontline warriors will come out of this battlefield and get some good times with family and friends.
Regards
Vinod Kumaar
Isolation Ward
Fortis Hospital
198891
