My First Covid Patient

Today, I was assigned with a 91-year-old female Covid19 patient. Her name is Lheonhorah Cuhrrahn (intentionally misspelled for confidentiality reasons).

When I got to work this evening, I saw myself being assigned 1-on-1 with the patient in Room 30. This was the second positive Covid19 patient in our facility. She was an ex-covid patient at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, was discharge Covid19 negative after 2 swabs but for some reasons was positive again when she was swabbed on admission her at Kindred.

I did not expected to be assigned again with a Covid19 patient because I had admitted an ex-Covid patient from the adjacent room in Room 31. Then today they assigned me again. We'll see tomorrow if they assigned me. Hopefully not!

Well, basically I have one patient tonight. A total care patient due to her Covid19 status. She is AAO x3, kinda confuse due to her dementia. She is uncooperative, always took off her nasal cannula despite being tachypniec. She was really not participating in her care. But better right now because it seems that she is not having respiratory patients just like other Covid19 patients. Not on ventilator either, thank God!

I will be taking care of her for the whole 12-Hr shift but I will intend to cluster the care to make her more time to rest for her recuperation. She doesn't look contagious but with the notoriety of the virus don't have to be relaxed about it. I know more precautions should be initiated and that I have to be careful when entering the room. I am scared but it is challenging.

She feels lonely inside but I tried my best to ease her loneliness and depression by talking to her as much as possible without getting near her. She's able to follow simple commands and that is all right with me. In the end what is really needed is good communication and understanding so that care can be delivered efficiently and accordingly.

Hopefully, I can sail through the whole shift and that nothing will happen to me. I've been paranoid now but who doesn't? Anyway, whatever happens it will e unto my way of protecting myself. Yeah!