Nurses take up corona challenge with grit
LUCKNOW: As nurse Hena K Gangwar goes round the Covid-19 isolation ward in the KGMU, ensuring that infection control protocols are followed, neighbours take care of her two daughters, four-year-old Amara and oneand-a -half-year-old Tanisha.
“My duty is an extended and tiring one, hence looking after children is a luxury for me nowdays,” said Hena, whose husband works in the psychiatry department. “But at this time we as nurses can do something more than usual for society and I have decided to do it,” she said on telephone. When ever she gets a chance, Hena makes a call home to talk to her kids. Other nurses on Covid-19 duty are facing similar challenges, battling a virus that they had never heard of.
Shashi, who is in KGMU since 2012 said, “It is tough to work under threat of getting infected. Whatever we learned during training is not enough to tackle the situation inside the ward but we keep on learning every day.”
Shashi is in passive quarantine and she is ready to rejoin work once has quarantine is over. “I am posted with the ENT department but this experience is very different. I am not allowed to use anything other than medical equipment. I can’t even call home when inside the ward,” Shahi said on telephone.
Despite all odds, nurses are taking up the challenge and believe this experience will make them strong. “My one-and-halfyear old child rushes to as I reach home but I have to keep him at a distance till I have gone through all infection control process. I had suspects in my ward and I had to follow full protocol. In fact at times I thought I should avoid going home for a few days,” said Anuradha, another nurse in the isolation ward.
“Every day when I leave home I believe I may have to stay back in quarantine after coming in contact with a positive case. I have my duty in labour room and majority cases are emergency,” said Manju Singh, senior nursing officer Jhalkaribai (women) hospital.
“My father-in-law is a heart patient and brother-in-law a kidney patient but I have decided to continue my duty in corona times”, said Iris Charles, staff nurse, Balrampur hospital.
Nurses are also finding ways to strengthen themselves in times of stress. On the International Nurses Day on Tuesday (birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale) nurses observed candle light vigil with social distancing and pledged more dedication.
“Florence Nightingale gave the world the concept of modern nursing and is still an inspiration,” said Ashok Kumar, general secretary, Rajkiya Nurses Sangh, Uttar Pradesh. At KGMU, officebearers of the employees association, including Pradip Gangwar, Priya Yadav, Jitendra Upadhaya and Sandip Chaudhary organised an event to mark the day.