Suzanne’s story is truly a tale of two cities and two drastically different experiences. A long-time traveler, she began her journey with COVID-19 in a North Carolina hospital that supported her, made her and her colleagues feel safe and protected, and genuinely wanted everyone to be a part of the decision-making safety processes. The nearly two decades of experience in emergency departments across the U.S. didn’t prepare Suzanne for what COVID-19 would ultimately show her when she arrived in New Mexico, her next assignment. Suzanne found hospital staff actively sharing PPE, little to no professional sanitization, and a complete lack of empathy or compassion for the utterly burnt-out staff. The environment resulted in one of the lowest periods of mental health that Suzanne has ever experienced.
Suzanne’s heartbreaking story recounts witnessing patient’s in their last few hours and the toll it takes on family members forced to isolate away from their sick loved ones. She shares the effect it had on her sleep and the self-care tools she relies on to keep herself healthy.
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