This space is for you to express what needs to be said. ESNO commits to making sure that it is read and heard by policymakers. Please share your experience of nursing and COVID19.
Stories are welcome from anyone connected to nurses involved in COVID19, family members, friends, patients, neighbours or housemates. Write in any format – a tweet, quote, diary entry or a long read. Write in any language. We will sort out spelling or grammar checks and will publish the original text and an English translation. Stay anonymous or use your name and/or photo. We will ask for your name and email address in case we need to verify something or ask for more information about your story. Because after the clapping stops, these testimonies will live on, shining a light on the real impact of the pandemic on nurses.
Send your story under this link
Story 1
“Could not stop crying”.
After thinking, I can do this, I’m able to work this out, I will survive, concinced my team, was strong at home, a good mom untill summer break came along. When my husband asked, but do you realy feel, suddenly I could not stop crying. I weeped the full day, the day after, just because my husband alowed me the time to let it go. The only thing on my mind was during the weeping, to clap endesly for my husband and children.
Nurse from Germany
Story 2
‘Between calm, trust and anger’
We kept calm, showed we were trustful, relaxed, ready and with the doors open. But in reality, we were very concerned about the safety of our daughter started recently working as intensive care nurse. She experienced situations she should not be seen in her age, so many people passing away. But also concerned about her safety and hours, would she bring COVID in our house? We love her so much, appreciate but also feel some anger to hospital management, but we also feel a little anger towards the hospital management, since they have assigned our daughter to this critical ward, especially because she is a young nurse with limited experience. We realise that this is the case we must deal with, and understand, but we cannot look away from our anger.
A dedicated mon and dad from Italy
“Tra calma, fiducia e rabbia”
Abbiamo mantenuto la calma, dimostrato di essere fiduciosi, rilassati, pronti e con le porte aperte. Ma in realtà eravamo molto preoccupati per la sicurezza di nostra figlia che ha iniziato di recente a lavorare come infermiera di terapia intensiva. Ha vissuto situazioni che non avrebbe dovuto vedere alla sua età; così tante persone sono morte. Ma era anche inquieta per la sua sicurezza e gli orari di lavoro estenuanti, potrebbe portare COVID a casa nostra? La amiamo così tanto, la apprezziamo, ma proviamo anche un po’ di rabbia nei confronti della direzione dell’ospedale, già che ha assegnato nostra figlia a questo reparto cosi critico, soprattutto perché é una giovane infermiera con poca esperienza. Ci rendiamo conto che questo è il caso e che dobbiamo affrontare e capire, ma non possiamo distogliere lo sguardo dalla nostra rabbia.
Un papà e una mamma dedicati dall’Italia
Story 3
“Missy” reflextions of loss, courage and hope from nurses during COVID19
This is a collection of very personal and also professional reflections by nurses from different backgrounds, ranks, nationalities and even eras, compiled over two years. They had started their careers in other hospitals including the early days of Alexandra Hospital. Today, many of them still serve in Alexandra Hospital. Entitled “Missy Reflections”, the short essays are reflections which emerge after having undergone experiences. In nursing, the use of reflection is a key tenet of and valuable tool for learning. There can be expressions of positive and negative feelings about an event, and ultimately re-examining the experience in an effort to understand and to plan how he or she would act in a similar situation in the future.
Personal stories of nurses from Alexandra Hospital Singapore during COVID19
The images of the book are very touching, done in gentle and modest watercolor by Dr. Khoo See Meng, AH’s Chairman Medical Board