As a nurse, I don’t want long posts on social media talking about how amazing we are during this pandemic. I don’t want a round of applause or touching, heartfelt stories of nurses working in unsafe environments and many times to the point of sickness or, yes, even death.

https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/coronavirus/nurses-among-confirmed-deaths-from-covid-19-around-the-world-20-03-2020/

Nurses among confirmed deaths from Covid-19 around the world

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

I want outrage as the CDC even mentions the use of “homemade masks”. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppe-strategy/face-masks.html

I want anger that people were and are stealing from hospitals as we already dealt with supply shortages.

I want people appalled that in this country our leaders in healthcare ever let it get this far even thought we knew for months this was coming.

So go ahead. Post that picture, share that story about that nurse you know. As for myself and countless others, we’ll be heading into work tomorrow, desperately trying to ration what supplies we have, hoping that people listen and social distance as a much as possible. Because we’re tired, and we’re scared.

(for real though quit stealing from us you assholes)

Turn off the news.

Stop getting caught up in the social media of people who think it’s a hoax. Don’t give in to the ignorant bullshit that people are saying. One percent of the population of the United States, alone, is 3.2 million people. That one percent is worth fighting for.

They’ve stopped calling you a hero but that doesn’t mean you aren’t one. You’re a hero every single day you’ve shown up to work in this pandemic. You’re underpaid and under appreciated and yet there you are, every day, helping your patients fight. YOU are the reason your patients get to go home.

Do something for yourself on your day off. Wholeheartedly just for yourself. Not something your kids will enjoy, not something for your partner or parents or siblings or friends. You do you. Take care of yourself.

You are so important to your patients and your coworkers. Don’t give up. These vaccines are a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re almost there.

You got this.

(**I didn’t make this artwork, if anyone knows where it’s from, please message me so I can give credit)

I was really trying to give 2020 a chance because I had some good stuff happen last week.

Then I got COVID.

2020 can go choke on one.

whatsyouremergency:

Hey guys, what’s the consensus?

Are we still washing our hair after every shift even if we’re taking care of the non-COVID patients?

Cause I have back to back shifts and I’m tired.

This just in: I did it. I showered and didn’t wash my hair. If I get COVID in the next 4-7 days we’ll all know why.

Hey guys, what’s the consensus?

Are we still washing our hair after every shift even if we’re taking care of the non-COVID patients?

Cause I have back to back shifts and I’m tired.

Happy Nurses Week, heroes.

Thank you respiratory therapists.

Thank you EVS.

Thank you nurse’s aides.

Thank you social workers and case managers.

Thank you unit secretaries.

Thank you pharmacists and pharmacy techs.

Thank you transporters.

Thank you X-ray and CT techs.

Thank you security guards.

Thank you for being there with us and for us.

Nobody signs up for emergency medicine because they have a death wish. We are here because we want to help. We don’t fear stressful situations, we thrive in them. In times like these, when there are so many unknowns, we may question why. Why are we risking our lives for this? Why are we showing up every day when everyone else is home?

We are trained for this. We remain calm when everyone else is panicking. We can help.

Be there for your friends who are scared, your family members who are uninformed. Do your own research and understand the changes happening everyday. Protect yourself at work. Wear PPE. Change your clothes at work before you go home. Turn off the news and social media for a while.

It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay if you panic bought toilet paper. You’re human. We are in this together. We’re all scared. But we’re also all superheroes.

Me and my work bestie when we haven’t seen each other in a week.

Me: Attempting to do one non-work related, time sensitive, thing while at work.

Every single one of my patients:

Do you ever take care of a mentally unstable person who happens to be your age and then realize what if you had matched with them on Tinder/Bumble/match/eharmony/farmersonlydotcom?

What if you had swiped right unknowingly? What if that was you sitting next to them while they LOSE THEIR SHIT because the nurse dare ask why they’re in the ER for the leg pain they’ve had for THREE MONTHS?

Thanks, I’ll stay single.

Essentials

Sometimes new nurses ask me what they should have with them when starting in the ER.

So here’s my master list for those of you who may have the same question…

1.A stethescope because someone has to carry them for the doctors.

2.Trauma shears for getting people naked quickly.

3.A pen light for those neuro assesments on stroke patients who are in hallway gurneys

4.A deck of cards for all the down time you’ll have.

Maureen Walsh can go fuck herself.

“To all the women who silently made history.”

Happy International Women’s Day.

Boss: We only have one secretary today, so you all know what that means. If the phone rings..

My snarky ass coworkers without missing a beat: Let it ring.

A visitor tried to get me fired for not giving her family member a blanket before I could even triage them.

Chief Complaint: Blanketemia