Physicians, nurses and emergency medical technicians are now dealing with the physical, mental and emotional effects from their experiences on the front lines of the pandemic.
They have faced unprecedented circumstances — fighting a virus that is new and unpredictable, witnessing patients battle illness in isolation, and worrying about potentially infecting their own family members.
Many of these healthcare workers told The Washington Post they are feeling lost, alone and unable to sleep following their experiences in recent months.
Here are five quotes from the newspaper's interviews:
1. Brian Smith, paramedic for the Jersey City (N.J.) Medical Center: "I'll start sobbing, and I will have to gather myself because I can't let my kids see me like that. A lot of times, I'll scamper into the bathroom and clean myself up and see what they are doing. PTSD is no joke."
2. Brittani Holsbeke, a nurse at Beaumont Hospital in Farmington Hills, Mich.: "Certain moments trigger something that makes me really sad. I can be at home and be totally fine, and at bedtime, all of a sudden, sobs and anxiety kick in."
3. Christian Plaza, a nurse practitioner in Newburgh, N.Y., who returned to work to consult with patients virtually after becoming infected with COVID-19, said his illness provided "a whole new level of insight" in terms of the anxiety COVID-19 patients experience.
4. Audrey Chun, MD, a physician in the geriatrics department of Mount Sinai Hospital (New York City): "There's been so much profound loss. You have to try to find positives even through that death and sadness. … To celebrate their lives and remember who they were as people."
5. Marc Ayoub, MD, a resident physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst hospital (New York City): "Everything was happening so quickly. Everyone was dying so quickly. We had to go from one death to another and the next. I was imagining it happening to my family and being in a situation like that."
Read the full Post story, including how hospitals are supporting employee morale and wellness, here.