Revealing real impact of Covid on frontline nurses

Galway nurse Mary Leahy, an unpaid voluntary board member of Heroes Aid charity, got a call last week from a nursing colleague who had contracted Covid-19.

“Her hair has fallen out,” said Mary Leahy, a former Galway City Councillor.

“While she’s recovered from Covid, she has developed a condition called alopecia. She’s hugely traumatised – she’s got over Covid but her body has lost hair because of trauma. It’s probably post-traumatic stress or post-viral syndrome.”

This nurse was not alone. She’s one of hundreds of cape-less healthcare heroes who are struggling through the daily grind of life working on the frontline.

“The pandemic has shone a bright torch on the issue of staff burning out. It’s been a year now of increased anxiety, fear and trauma,” said Ms Leahy.

As well as the fear of catching Covid – and possibly dying from it – healthcare workers, and particularly nurses, are tiring.

They’ve to go into work earlier, to allow time for the ‘palaver’ of putting on PPE (personal protective equipment). Their shifts are longer. And because of staff shortages, due to Covid-19 related absenteeism, nurses aren’t getting adequate leave or downtime; and off-duty staff are being called back in.

“They’re in PPE all day, and it’s hot. A lot of my colleagues would say they bring a spare pair of underwear to change because they’re saturated through with sweat,” said Ms Leahy, of the conditions on Covid wards and ICU.

Read the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now. Or you can download the digital edition by going to www.connachttribune.ie