Social Media Posts
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, that has exacerbated global communities and environments people live and work in, technology and social media have become platforms of use to share an abundance of information online, which impacts the world offline. The COVID-19 pandemic is the first global health crisis in which both, technology and social media, are being used in an extensive scale to keep news and information flowing, all the while having people stay connected to each other. [2] Healthcare workers, while being on the frontlines of battling COVID-19, have also been vocal in describing their overall experiences that have altered their lives in healthcare settings and environments.
Some of what healthcare workers have been sharing on social media are their work experiences, challenges and complications with healthcare resources being limited, the strenuous working hours affecting their mental and physical well-being, and alleviating the stress, fear, and sadness of families over the illness or loss of their loved ones to COVID-19. Healthcare workers have also been brave enough to share how they are not only the shield of protection for those that come in ill and require treatment, but also for their own fears and concerns of mortality of the disease, and are worried for their personal families and children at households being at maximal risk of being exposed to COVID-19 directly from them. [3]
Dr. Demers-Marcil is an Intensive Care Unit Physician, who is working on the frontlines of COVID-19. He is one of many physicians, around the world, that have treated, and are treating, those that have been infected by the infectious disease. His role, as a healthcare worker, besides treating patients, have also been to inform the families of a loved one that they have passed from COVID-19, which is something he mentioned was challenging and that there is never a nice way of informing them, than stating the news first and foremost.
Kathryn is an Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse, who is also one of the many healthcare workers that are on the frontlines of this pandemic, treating those that are suffering from COVID-19. Part of her job, and that of all healthcare workers, is to wear personal protective equipment when coming in contact with patients that are in emergency units, infected with COVID-19. As a nurse, she shared how working a 12-hour night shift affected her mentally and physically, with tired eyes, dishevelled hair, and marks on her face from wearing personal protective equipment, showcasing a complex reality of how healthcare workers are being challenged by this pandemic.
Source: Twitter
Link: https://twitter.com/itsmissisi/status/1253426642866720768?s=21
Omo is a Interventional Radiology Physician Assistant. As a Nigerian healthcare worker, she was called in to assist a Nigerian COVID-19 patient, who required extubation. However, it is known that patients often feel isolated, specially during the pandemic in healthcare environments, given risk of disease spread. The patient was likely not familiar with English and agitated, however, her being the same nationality eased the stress on them. This shows that healthcare workers and their ethnic representation plays a crucial role in providing care for all.
Source: Facebook
Link: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10219565178254228&set=a.1128306642033
Dr. Akbarnia is an Emergency Medicine Physician. She shared her experience as a healthcare worker on the frontlines of COVID-19, helping a patient that was infected by the disease. She was able to build a bond with the patient, all the while treating him towards a progressive recovery. Furthermore, she also shared the process of extubating the patient, and the challenges that arose where he may have passed, but was able to be resuscitated. The patient became familiar with her being his physician, providing care, and was able to make significant recoveries. Her story, as a frontline physician, is one that resonates with other healthcare workers around the world, showcasing their roles and that without their expertise and abilities to provide care, there would be no adequate health for all, while having more complications arise in the midst of a global pandemic that has seen multiple losses.