An emergency department on Christmas Day can often be quiet. But not this year. christmas covid19
An emergency department on Christmas Day can often be quiet, says Kate Wallis, clinical nurse specialist at St Vincent’s hospital in Fitzroy. But not this year.
Life for healthcare workers for the past 20 months has been lived under layers of hot plastic protective equipment, the constant threat of infection and the toll of caring for the critically ill and dying.“We have had a few COVID presentations today who have been quite ill,” Ms Wallis told“We’ve also had just generally unwell patients. I think during the pandemic some patients with chronic conditions haven’t really sought out medical care, so there’s been a few of those as well.
“I actually feel safer at work than I do when I’m out and about in the community at the moment because we’re supplied with all the PPE – which is crazy. I’m just waiting for the day I get the call to say [you’d got COVID-19 because] you’ve been at the pub.” While Christmas food was on the menu for patients, Ms Pham’s team were enjoying potluck Christmas treats - socially distanced and individually portioned.
“Today, we’re fully staffed, which is really nice,” said Ms Wallis at St Vincent’s. “But a lot of shifts now we work with at least six or seven nurses down.”reported on Saturday that hospitals are already having to close crucial ICU beds due to staff shortages exacerbated by staff sent into quarantine and increasing numbers of patients being hospitalised.
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