Photo Credit: Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Have you taken a moment to check on your family and friends? How about checking on the “strongest person that you know?” They need to be checked on as well. We have all been trying to get through this pandemic while still going to school, working, and taking care of home. Stress, anxiety, and depression levels have skyrocketed! Take time out each day for a “mental moment.” Meditate, go for a walk, listen to music, paint, etc. Engaging in these types of positive coping skills can help improve your mental health. If you find yourself participating in negative coping behaviors, please seek help from a mental health professional. There is no shame in doing so!
Well y’all I did it! I got my first Covid-19 vaccine! One more to go.
I will admit that the quick development of the vaccine was the main reason why I did not want to get it. However, pandemic anxiety and my children wanting to return to in person class instruction were my determining factors for getting the vaccine.
I have never been a person to get anxious, but ever since the pandemic started I have experienced the worst anxiety ever in my life! I mean, I was terrified to leave the house and be around other people. I am hoping that two weeks after receiving my second dose when I am considered “fully vaccinated” that this will change. We should not live in fear, but we should also be cautious and careful.
I have not experienced any serious side effects after receiving my first vaccine. I only had soreness at the injection site for a day or two. I will keep you all updated on my second 💉 dose. Have you gotten yours? Let me know your experience below.
Happy New Year! I can’t believe that we are at the end of the first month of 2021 already! How many of you have already broken your resolutions by now LOL? Instead of making a New Year’s resolution this year I decided to start a new venture in my nursing career.
For those of you who do not know my story, I started working with patients at the bedside as a teenager. I worked as a patient transporter and a dietary aide in the hospital. I then became a patient care tech and a home health/hospice aide. I love caring for others and truly believe that nursing is my calling!
As a nurse, I am a true advocate for my patients. I stand up for them when they are not able or afraid to do so. I help them access the healthcare resources that they need when they don’t know how. I am their shoulder to cry on, and their available ear to listen when they are lonely.
Photo Credit: Baptist Physician Partners
I have worked in a wide arena of nursing including correctional facilities, assisted living, inpatient and home hospice, OB/GYN and adult medicine medical offices and most recently tele-health due to the pandemic. Through tele-health visits I was able to touch bases with my elderly, immuno-compromised, or chronic condition patients who were instructed not to come into the office unless absolutely necessary.
I was able to coordinate their care from a distance. Let me tell you, getting my patient’s the resources that they needed to withstand this pandemic felt amazing! I fell in love with care coordination so much that I’ve moved into this as my new nursing position. Being able to follow my patients after they have had a doctor’s appointment, hospital or rehab stay and giving them the tools that they need to prevent being readmitted feels so fulfilling! This is where I need to be. Helping my patients take better care of themselves! I am doing what I was born to do!❤️
Well, it’s finally here, now what? There are currently two COVID-19 vaccines available to us, but will you be getting one? There are people on both sides of the fence. Some people are ecstatic to get the vaccine while others are very skeptical of it. There are currently several conspiracy theories surrounding the vaccine ranging from biblical references to the “mark of the beast” and the government tracking us via microchips in the vaccine.
Photo credit: Harvard Gazette
After speaking with other nurses, physicians, allied health workers, and family members, I have found that there is a major concern about how quickly the vaccine was developed. Recent reports about anaphylactic allergic response and Bell’s Palsy as possible adverse effects of the vaccine have also deterred individuals from wanting to have it administered.
Some people are unsure about which vaccine will be more beneficial and produce fewer side effects. Moderna or Pfizer? Many frontline workers are having conflicted emotions about getting the vaccine altogether. While they want to be brave and show the public that the vaccine is safe and effective, they are also unsure about the short term and long term effects of getting the rapidly developed vaccine.
Photo credit: the conversation.com
Next, there is the medical mistrust amongst minority populations due to past malfeasance in healthcare. Unfortunately, there is a strong history of underserved populations being used as guinea pigs or test subjects without their informed consent. The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment and John’s Hopkins use of Henrietta Lacks cancer cells for research are just a few examples of this. How will the medical community regain their trust enough to ensure that they will get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Ultimately, it is your body and your choice! Just remember that getting the vaccine does not give you immediate immunity. So whether you choose to vaccinate or not, please remember to social distance from others, avoid large crowds, quarantine if exposed to COVID-19, wear a mask in public, and wash your hands. If we work together we can end this pandemic!
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving holiday. I know it has been a rough year dealing with politics and the pandemic, but find time to enjoy your family and give thanks! Please remember to keep the well-being of your elderly and ill family members in mind as you celebrate. Spread love, not germs.
Take the time out today to check on your loved ones. See if everything is alright with them MENTALLY! We often assume that if people look alright physically that they are doing fine. However, there are many people who dress themselves up daily in “pretty packages” and put on fake smiles. In reality, they are hurting and need someone to talk to but they do not know how to initiate the conversation.
If you know anyone who may need mental health assistance, talk with them and offer to go with them to see a professional. There is a stigma in many communities that may prevent some from seeking help and this needs to be eradicated! We are all in this together! #noshameingettinghelp
It has been recently announced that the President of the United States and his administration want to formally withdraw from The World Health Organization (WHO). WHO is the world’s leading health organization and its mission is to “improve people’s lives, reduce the burdens of disease and poverty, and to provide access to responsive health care for all people.”
First of all, aren’t we in the middle of a PANDEMIC? Why would you want to withdraw now? Obviously what we have been doing in the United States to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 is NOT working! Our country also ignored initial warning signs about the virus and it hit us hard. The virus has spread at an alarming rate, people are making a political issue out of wearing a mask, we are running out COVID testing kits, PPE is on the decline again, and there are new symptoms and routes of transmission being discovered every day!
As a nurse or other healthcare professional, how does cutting ties with The World Heath Organization make you feel? Do you feel disrespected because you are a frontline worker and putting your own health at risk? Are you even more nervous because our country will have a lack of guidance from the world’s leading partners in global health responses?
If we do cut ties with the WHO, what does this mean for the US when it comes to the development of a vaccine or finding a cure? Leave your comments below.
May is mental health awareness month and whether it’s from months of being quarantined, front-line working, homeschooling, or working from home, some of us are under a lot of mental strain, anxiety, or psychological distress!
According to the CDC, experiencing symptoms of stress during an infectious disease outbreak is common. If you are experiencing any of the following changes, you may be experiencing psychological distress due to a crisis:
Increased intake of drugs or alcohol
Changes in sleep or eating patterns
Difficulty concentrating
Worsening of chronic or mental health problems
There have also been reports of increases in domestic abuse cases, which along with drugs and alcohol, are ineffective ways of coping.
To effectively cope during this difficult time, several mental health professionals are offering their services to first responders, older adults, parents, and caregivers alike. Please utilize the the resources below if you need assistance:
2020 was dubbed “The year of the nurse and midwife” by the American Nurses Association in honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale. With the rapid onset of Covid-19 this year, the name proves to be appropriate!
National Nurse’s Week May 6-12, 2020
Nurses have worked tirelessly on the front lines in hospitals, doctor’s offices, drive through testing sites, telehealth, and more! I want to give a great big thank you to my fellow nurses. All of your hard work and dedication to your patients is very much appreciated. Your communities and your country are grateful for all that you do!
Nurse Neesy
Many companies are treating nurses this week to special treats and gifts. Make sure that you check out the special offerings in your area. I’ve listed a few below:
Crocs
Crocs is giving away FREE shoes to healthcare workers every day (Monday – Friday) at 12 pm EST.
Starbucks
Starbucks is giving free coffee to front line responders through May 3, according to their website.
Free Kindle Nursing Books
Amazon is offering a number of free Kindle nursing books.
BP Gas
BP gas is offering nurses and frontline responders gas for $.50 a gallon. Go to their website and obtain your single use discount code.
How to use your discount code at the pump:
Press cancel, rewards or loyalty id on the dispenser screen
Enter your discount code
Press Enter
Follow prompts on screen
If you don’t see one of the prompts above on your dispenser screen follow the instructions at your site on how to enter rewards at the pump. Codes can also be entered inside the store by pressing the Loyalty ID key on the PIN pad, entering your discount code and pressing enter. You must enter the discount code and pay before you fuel.
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme will provide all healthcare workers free dozens of Original Glazed® Doughnuts, beginning Monday, March 30 and on every subsequent Monday through National Nurses Week (May 6-12).
Uniform Advantage
Nurses can get up to 50% off during National Nurses Week.
Cinnabon
Nurses can enjoy a free cinnamon roll at participating bakeries during National Nurses Week.
The Nurse Niche 