COVID-19 has brought a year full of many challenges in the medical community. I have been a nurse for over 14 years and I've never experienced anything like this before. In January we started hearing rumors of a new virus and by March it became our new reality. Since we started caring for COVID-19 patients I have personally witnessed more compassion than ever before. I watched the staff gear up ready to care for these patients as the first few positive patients came into MICU, knowing that it could in fact put themselves and even their families at risk. I have watched them self-isolate from loved ones so that their Tennova Team could depend on them to show up to work with a clear mind and ready to fight this virus. This virus has been nothing short of relentless. We have seen some beautiful wins but lost some tough battles. I have watched both staff and patients cry as they are able to leave the hospital and go home to see their loved ones. I have also watched staff weep as they stand by patients as they take their final breath. I have watched the staff sing to the patients, cry over the patients and pray over the patients. Nurses have gone into the rooms to be with the patients when their families are too scared to and watch from the glass, just because they can't bear the thought of the patient dying alone. COVID-19 has been very hard not only physically but emotionally on everyone in MICU, yet every day they come to work, and they fight for these patients. Staff have become so attached and spoken with families so often that they ask for the nurses by name. The staff knows the family members by their voices when they call. There are so many stories I could tell you that shows just how the compassion is so prevalent it almost feels tangible like you could grab ahold of it, but there are a few moments that stick out.
One of our patients stayed in MICU for over 2 weeks. She called the staff her family. She didn't want to go to the floor because she didn't want to leave her ICU family. While she was in MICU she had a birthday. The staff worked with her son (and security) and was able to help coordinate a zoom call with her family as her son stood outside of her window. She cried and said it was one of her best birthdays. One of the nightshift nurses put a note on her door that read "BIRTHDAY GIRL" so that everyone knew to wish her a happy birthday as they walked into the room. They drew balloons and wrote Happy Birthday on the glass door and helped sing happy birthday to her. After being hospitalized for a few weeks she was able to go home, and the staff and the patient cried as she left.
Another story that sticks out is a very recent story. We had a married couple that both tested positive for COVID-19 and became very ill. During their fight in MICU, their son would call and talk to the staff. They began to slowly get to know them and their love story from the family. They even nicknamed them "Allie and Noah" from the notebook. They both fought and lost a long battle with this cruel virus. The staff was heartbroken. They knew they gave it their all yet were unable to save the beautiful couple. They wept with the son when his parents took their last breaths.
MICU staff is special. They have a gift that has been spotlighted during this time. These are only a small portion of the many moments that I have watched over the last few months. The staff knows the patients and their families by name, not room numbers. They know the family's voices when they call. The MICU staff is special because of the compassion they continue to show during one of the most difficult times nursing has seen. The son of the patient that was able to celebrate her birthday in MICU put it this way and I think it helped put it into words......"you guys are our families on the inside, we can't be with them so you step in. Now you are our family too." Maybe that is what makes MICU so special. They are a family. OUR MICU family is made of Unit Clerks, PCTs, MDs, RTs, and RNs (which I believe to be the heartbeat of the unit). They are ALL a vital part of the family. Lastly, I will quote the beautiful words from the son of the couple who passed in MICU. "We wanted to thank you for what you did for our Mom and Dad. We cannot imagine what you go through each day and your dedication is profound. We thank you because we do not have any other words.......Please remember them. We will always remember you."