Health-care workers are reeling after the province announced on Thursday that a nurse working in an Alberta intensive care unit died.
While details surrounding their death have not been confirmed by family members, nurses are feeling the loss.
Reanne Booker was just recently called in to help staff the ICU ward at the Foothills hospital, after spending most of her career in oncology and palliative care.
She said the drawn-out pandemic is grinding down even the most seasoned nurses.
“I was shocked and really saddened by the news,” said Booker.
“I’ve been around death a lot in the past 20 years of my nursing career, but this is different.
“I think even more distressing is the fact that a lot of the suffering was preventable.”
Alberta Health Services wouldn’t comment further on the nurse’s death but did outline in a statement its plans to support workers affected by the news.
“In addition to supports we have for our staff and physicians, we will be working directly with our Employee and Family Assistance Program provider to bring counsellors to sites through our Crisis Management Services.”
The United Nurses of Alberta declined to comment.
For Booker, she hopes more supports are made available through AHS.
She said that as the pandemic edges towards another fall of high case counts, there could be added strain to an already stressed health-care system.
“I worry that we’ll have a mass exodus of health-care workers.
“I worry that we’ll have intense and profound, complicated grief. It is definitely going to be a challenge.”
Professional Support
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Psychologists Association Of Alberta has been offering front-line health-care workers up to three sessions, pro bono.
Dr. Brent Macdonald said it’s important for people to have both an informal support system of friends and family, as well as professional support when needed.
“There’s a lot of really excellent psychologists out there, who are seeing frontline workers who even just need a session or two just to kind of debrief with that interested stranger,” said Macdonald. “They can develop a sense that they’re connected to someone who can really help them deal with some of the grief, of the loss, of the trauma.”
Macdonald adds that it’s also good to schedule a visit before you think you need it as a preventative measure.
“Spending one hour with a psychologist can make life a lot easier down the road over time, as opposed to saying, ‘I just can’t. I don’t have the time right now,’” said Macdonald.
“It is important that people take advantage of it. It’s available and we’re there if they need it.”
More info can be found on the PAA’s website.
Comments