Nurse: Public need to take this seriously

WARNING Mum-of-3 Louise Evans

A BELFAST nurse has shared the grim reality of working on the ICU as beds fill up with the second wave of seriously-ill Covid-19 patients.

Mum-of-three Louise Evans has been redeployed for a second time from her role as an endoscopy nurse at Belfast City Hospital to help staff in the ICU caring for patients with coronavirus.

The 37-year-old, who lives in Banbridge with husband David, took to Facebook to urge people to follow the restrictions.

Speaking to the Mirror, Louise said she was blown away by the reaction to her post.

She said: ”These patients have so many different drugs going into them to keep them alive.

”For me, walking in as a non-icu nurse, if you have not been in that situation it is really quite overwhelming, you are taken right out of your comfort zone.

SACRIFICE

”It is quite stark, I do not think the public realise how sick these patients are,” she added.

”When I hear people say it is like a cold or flu, no big deal, I just don’t think they understand.

“There is probably someone lying there who thought exactly the same, it’s like the flu, you’ll be grand.”

Louise said one of the most challenging aspects of her role in caring for these patients, was the lack of contact with their family.

”The most difficult bit is for the first time ever in my career, we are looking after patients with absolutely no input from their families,” she said.”

Louise said she understood people had Covid fatigue and were keen for a return to normal but she said there were “bigger fish to fry”.

She added: ”I miss going out for meals and nights out in Belfast with friends but I will sacrifice it for the next year or so if I have to.

”At the end of the day it could be any of our relatives in there. Life will go back to normal one day but only if we change something now.

“I never want anyone to see their family how I see those patients but at the same time I know we need that hard-hitting shock factor to hit home and make people realise.”