NURSING THOSE IN NEED, BACK TO GOOD HEALTH
The second wave of Covid-19 has left those in the healthcare sector reeling under its brutal impact. And the steep rise in cases of home isolation in the Capital is posing a new set of challenges for nurses, from lack of scheduled working hours to the fear of getting infected themselves. Today, on International Nurses Day, Delhi-NCR based home nurses share their tales of struggle.
The fear of contracting the virus looms large among those tending to a patient. “But, the day I joined this profession, I forgot the idea of fear,” says Imran Khan, a home nurse on duty in Faridabad, who admits it does get tiring. “I’ve to manage everything — keeping vitals stable, getting them hospitalised. But, the time is such that I don’t want to say no to helping people,” adds Khan, who has to be away from his family for days while caring for Covid-19 patients.
Home nursing has many takers, especially among the elderly, given the individualised care one receives. “On an average, we get 20-25 calls every day,” reveals FahimudBut,
The fear of getting infected is both emotionally and physically draining. ASHLEY, Delhi-based home nurse
din, a resident of Uttam Nagar who is helping provide nursing services to Delhiites. “People are preferring to isolate at home, especially during this time, since hospitals are not only charging a lot but also have limited staff,” he adds.
Staying in close proximity to Covid-19 patients is risky, but nurses remain undeterred in their resolve to serve humanity. “We do our best to take care of patients, but the risk of infecting our families is ever present!” confesses Ashley, a Delhi-based home nurse.
And many a times, this risk becomes reality, posing gruelling challenges to these nurses. “I was with a patient for an hour, I tested positive and soon after, my husband, too. We’ve fully recovered… but even today, I’m constantly afraid of infecting my family. duty comes first,” says a nurse on the condition of anonymity.
The magnitude of the risk increases manifold when people conceal their Covid-19 status while placing a request for a home nurse. “We have had instances where people didn’t inform that the request was for a Covid-19 patient! They make excuses that the patient only had fever and hence, they don’t have a report. This puts our staff and us at peril,” rues Dr Mukesh Kumar, who runs a nursing bureau in the Capital.