How Nurses Protect Themselves from Covid-19

All our lives have been significantly impacted by Covid-19, some drastically and some less so. Whether you are now working remotely, or your kids are learning via Zoom, things have changed this past year, a lot. But one type of professional who is still working at their regular workplace, yet had their lives seriously affected is the nurse in nursing scrubs.

Nurses are and have always been ones to perform a job that involves a caring heart, helping others heal and feel their best. Yet, when Covid-19 hit their level of care and devotion was brought to a whole new level. They literally had to put their lives on the line and expose themselves to the dangerous virus to care for others. These are true heroes.

How do nurses protect themselves from contracting the virus?

Social Distancing

Although social distancing is the number one preventative practice that people should be doing to help slow the spread of the virus, for nurses who are actively involved in patient care, social distancing is not always possible. Of course, whenever possible nurses should keep a distance of at least 6 feet of those around them.

Wash, Wash & Wash Again

Although this is basic, it is so vital that it is worth mentioning. Who doesn’t know how important it is to wash your hand? Well, apparently not everyone since not enough healthcare workers are practicing proper hand washing. According to the CDC healthcare providers wash their hands less half the time than they are supposed to. That is a huge number, and quite significant when we ponder the ramifications. Proper hand hygiene prevents the spread of infection and is quite simple to practice. So why is something so easy, yet vital, ignored so often? High pressure on the job and the exhausting nature of their work may play a role in this issue, but often there aren’t enough easily accessible hand sanitizing dispensers. Washing in a sink with actual soap and water is not always practical, so having sanitizer dispensers in common areas is extremely important.

Avoid Touching Your Face

Although I’m sure nurses are fully masked up and may also be sporting a face shield, which will not only protect them from droplets of the virus, but it will also serve as a reminder to keep hands away from your mouth, noise and eyes, which is equally if not more important. Since these are the primary areas where germs and bacteria enter our body it is imperative that we steer clear of touching these places.

Keep Your Immune System Strong

This one is basic, yet so often forgotten with all the hecticness of life. Getting sufficient sleep and eating properly will ensure that your immune system remains strong, which will help your body fight off any foreign germs and prevent you from getting sick in the first place. It is also important to keep a positive frame of mind, which is not always with all the grim reports on the news. Studies show that stress has a major effect on your immune system, so try to keep your mood upbeat and try to surround yourself with positive people. It may be necessary to quit the news for some time if the negative reports are getting your mood down.

Although you may not always feed like the superhero that you are, remember that you are doing life-saving work that is amazing. Do your best to protect yourself, keep your spirits up and you will not only get through this pandemic, but you will come out stronger and more resilient than ever.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes