Modern Day Heroes
Closer look at how the coronavirus and protective measures have affected NYS nurses and health care professionals in and out of the battlefield.
Photograph of Unity Hospital, an affiliate of Rochester Regional Health
Modern day heroes do not wear capes: They wear protective gear and work in hospitals.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, health care professionals have taken on the call for help. The surging number of cases has pressured front-line workers and put them at a high-risk of contracting the disease that has resulted in over 73,000 deaths, according to the CDC.
“It has affected every nurse’s routine,” said Registered Nurse Jose Perez.
The 26-year-old Rochester Institute of Technology graduate passed his National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) this past winter and has been working as a RN for three months. Originally from Washington Heights, Perez decided to stay upstate, where he landed a job at Rochester Regional Health’s Unity Hospital.
Before becoming a nurse, Perez dedicated most of his time to his fraternity, Lambda Sigma Upsilon (LSU). He has been an active member of the Latino-oriented, Greek lettered organization since spring 2012 as an undergrad.
“As an undergrad, I wanted to spark a change. Joining LSU gave me that opportunity by allowing me to help those in need. I will continue to do so for as long as I can,” said Perez.
The organization’s philanthropy heavily focuses on HIV and AIDS research and awareness. Despite being a graduate, Perez still advocates for these issues and helps those who are struggling, through community service.
Ordinarily, Perez works 36 to 40 hours a week and has maintained the same schedule with greater risks. It's highly uncomfortable for Perez to wear N95 masks for 12 hour shifts. Before coronavirus, Perez emphasized nurses were not required to wear face masks at all times. They have become the new normal.
“N95’s are supposed to be fitted around your face. I used to have a beard. Now I don’t. Otherwise, I'll be at even more risk,” Perez said.
In order to protect nurses and other healthcare professionals from becoming ill, the CDC set standard and transmission-based precautions to be adhered to in hospitals and clinics. Health care professionals who enter the room of patients with known or suspected COVID-19 should use a respirator or facemask, gown, gloves and eye protection.
According to the FDA, N95 respirators are different from surgical face masks because they are designed to provide a tight facial fit and block 95 percent of airborne particles. They are used more commonly by healthcare professionals than the general public. Despite its heightened protection, Perez shared that after a long day, N95s leave marks on your face, nose, cheeks and chin. He also added that its tight fitting makes it hard to open your mouth fully and talk clearly unless you shout.
Aside from tackling the uncomfortableness of personal protective equipment, nurses like Perez also have to deal with the stress of treating patients suspected or infected with the virus.
Rochester belongs to Monroe County, which currently, according to Rochester Regional Health, has 1,735 confirmed cases. Unity hospital has the second most cases. Even though Monroe might not be seen as a coronavirus hot-spot, the STAT News Covid-19 Preparedness Tool predicts that the county would be poorly prepared to handle a surge of cases with a preparedness score of six out of one-hundred.
“The days where I do not come in contact with COVID-19 patients I feel much safer,” said Perez.
He explained that when you are admitted into the hospital with flu or corona like symptoms, you would be placed under enhanced isolation precaution. To his advantage, Rochester Regional Health now offers in-house testing that provides results within 14 hours. If you test positive, you would be placed into an air-pressured room with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. To enter these rooms, health care professionals are supposed to wear a surgical mask with a N95 underneath, a face shield, gown and gloves.
If a patient tests negative, he or she is transported to another room.
John Hopkins nursing ethics expert Cynda Rushton says nurses are “grappling” with questions like “Am I potentially causing harm to my family by coming home from work everyday?” and she is certainly correct.
In order to keep his roommates from becoming sick if he does contract the virus at work, he takes measures that might seem extreme. Every time Perez comes home from work, he strips butt naked at the front door and jumps right into the shower. He washes the clothes the very next day.
“Healthcare workers feel more pressure because they have to practice social isolation more heavily, especially after work. It gets very lonely,” Perez said. As a nurse, Perez not only has a responsibility to treat patients, but to protect himself so that he does not infect others.
Being a healthcare worker has affected him mentally because he can’t hug anyone, give a handshake or any other physical touch at all. Professor Ralf Nickel, director of the Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy in Wiesbaden, Germany says that touch and sense of closeness creates a feeling of comfort and well-being. Touch increases the level of dopamine in the brain, which is associated with feelings of happiness.
Perez has taken this lack of touch personally because he hasn’t been able to hug his mother and father in months. Despite being six hours away, he would occasionally drive down to New York City on his days off to visit and be with his family.
The American Nurses Association is currently offering various mental health help for nurses as they are considered at high risk for mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress.
To keep himself sane and entertained while at home or after a draining shift, he plays Call of Duty or watches netflix on his PlayStation 4. Perez also tries to get as much sleep as possible and video chats with his friends and family through Whatsapp.
“Sometimes as a nurse, you are taught to tough it out, so eventually you learn to deal with it” said Perez.