I imagine that nurses throughout the world are constantly being asked “How are things at work these days?”—with the implied question being “How are you holding up with your work situation?” While my colleagues and I in our pediatric hospital have not seen an overwhelming surge of COVID+ patients come through our doors, we have certainly seen some, with an uptick in our COVID+ census as the numbers throughout the country have increased. When I pause at this point in the conversation, the usual response I get is, “Oh, that’s so good to hear. You’re lucky.” And I agree and reflect this back to whoever I’m speaking with. My heart hurts for my fellow nurses in other parts of the nation who have been utterly overwhelmed by COVID and its cruelty. I recognize that I am indescribably lucky. At the same time, though it’s hard to articulate why, even nurses who haven’t been hit by the surges seen in other hospitals bear layers of deep weariness by this point in the pandemic. Patients, families, and colleagues are manifesting whole new levels of stress. COVID+ patients and their family members are stressed, for obvious reasons. Non–COVID+ patients requiring ICU care are anxious about being in the hospital, and they are more alone in their suffering from other equally devastating diagnoses, as visitor restrictions are tighter than ever. Family members of patients are more stressed, and this can manifest towards staff at intensified levels. If there were struggles with depersonalization of care … Continue reading Levels of Weariness Among Nurses