The current COVID-19 surge feels different than previous ones and could have long-term implications for the nursing profession, reports Houston Public Media.
Avery Taylor, RN, managing nurse at Houston Methodist's highly infectious disease unit, spoke to the news publication about how the current fourth COVID-19 surge is affecting nurses.
Ms. Taylor began by detailing the environment, noting that previous waves were "chaotic and frantic" but providers had energy because they felt the work was meaningful.
"That's not the feeling this time around," Ms. Taylor told Houston Public Media. "This time around feels like we're walking into a cave of needless suffering."
According to Ms. Taylor, 98 percent of COVID-19 patients currently at Houston Methodist hospitals are unvaccinated. She said the general attitude among nurses is one of frustration, adding, "We want to help people, but we're having to do some mental gymnastics to really dig down and find our compassion right now."
"I'm so frustrated that there are going to be people who suffer and die when they don't have to," Ms. Taylor explained. "I know my nurses are hurting. I know that I'm hurting."
As the hospital opens a second COVID-19 unit and Ms. Taylor has helped hire new nurses, she said she was in denial, thinking, "Surely this is not what we're doing again.”
Ms. Taylor said a lot of her staff have started going to therapy and are reading books together to help the nurses communicate with each other better.
"My biggest concern is like, at what cost?" Ms. Taylor concluded. "And I don't think anybody has answers for that yet. I think only time is going to tell us how many nurses end up leaving the profession."