HILTON NURSE SPEAKS AT FORBES
Alocal frontline worker made waves recently as a spotlight speaker at the Forbes Africa Leading Women Summit 2021.
Casey Moodley (29), a registered nurse at Life Hilton Private Hospital, was invited to share her experience of working at the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic and her perspective of being involved in the care of Covid-19 patients.
She said Covid-19 was a public health crisis no one could have ever imagined.
“I can’t remember the exact moment I heard the word Covid19, but I do remember believing that it was under control and then having that belief shattered as it began to spiral out of control. We went on to experience a public health crisis no one could have ever imagined. All staff vacations were cancelled. Many of us had to quickly adapt to these situations and provide the same level of dedication and care as we would have under normal circumstances.
“The environment was far from ideal. It put a lot of pressure on what we do. We grossly underestimated the amount of beds needed and didn’t have the necessary space but adapted and used what was available,” she said.
Besides the many unwell patients, they also had to break the bad news to families on the death of their relatives.
“Eventually numbness takes over. Seeing the same process of losing a patient after numerous attempts at resuscitation or holding their hand as their life slips away will do that. It was quite distressing watching the patients and the limited contact they have with their families.
Sometimes their families don’t make it in time and you’re there with them while they slip away. This ends up being a repeated cycle of trauma as you do this over and over,” she said.
Moodley added that apart from nursing Covid-19 patients in a frenzied environment, they had to ensure they wore their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) properly.
“This resulted in a very uncomfortable situation inside our scrubs as the heat built up under the PPE. We often emerged from our suits and masks drenched in sweat.” Yet even despite following strict protocols, she still contracted the virus in July last year. She said “all hope left my body”.
“The sore throat, shortness of breath and loss of my voice was nothing compared with the paranoia and anxiety brought on by the illness.
I was constantly gripped by the fear of my family getting infected, and this persisted for two weeks. At the end of that period I returned to my duties that had become more frantic and even more overwhelming.”
She encouraged those who want to be involved in the profession to put aside their personal struggles when in uniform and do their jobs to the best of their ability.
“I take care of my patients and treat them the way I would like my parents to be treated, going over and beyond duty,” she said, adding that she was incredibly proud of her profession and would persevere in the fight against Covid19. “I will keep going, I will keep fighting and I will keep thriving, because the fight is far from over. Last year was deemed the Year of the Nurse by the World Health Organisation.
I have fulfilled my duties beyond the expectations of the job and been at the frontline of one of the greatest medical challenges mankind has ever faced. In my years of nursing I have never been as proud as I am today to say I am a nurse, a Covid-19 warrior and a woman of Africa.”