Effects on Nursing Salaries

Atrius Health​, the largest independent physician group in Massachusetts, says patient volume is
down 75% since mid-March.
And that translates to a big drop in income. Atrius, which includes Harvard Vanguard, is taking
two steps it didn’t imagine even a month ago: Some employees will go on a one month furlough,
which may be extended. Those who remain at work — mostly nurses and doctors — will have
some of their pay withheld — on average, 20%. The lowest paid workers, those earning up to
$55,000, will be exempt. Strongwater pledges employee wages will be returned, and 50% of his
own salary will be withheld

Effects on nursing students

Nursing students from texas and california are getting emergency licences to steo in
Many students from baylor said that the school closure is affecting education tremendously

Syndi Lane
Hardest part is the mental battle. Every cough, sniffle, etc that you develop, your mind
immediately goes to COVID. And then in the rooms with COVID patients, your mind is going
150mph. “Am I protected? Is my N95 still working? What did I touch? Are my gloves clean?
Am I going to get sick from this patient?”

Personally my life has changed a lot. I don’t sleep well, I can’t see anyone besides my husband
and daughters, I’ve started seeing a lot of people (friends) who are careless in a negative light.
I’m always worried if I’m bringing it home from work with me.

Changed my outlook? Not really. This whole situation sucks as a whole, but I enjoy being a
nurse and I love the nurses and doctors that I work with which really helps.

Lisa Conroy
what is the hardest part of being a nurse during this time? Because I work in an outpatient
setting, in urgent care, For me anyway, it’s feeling like I’m not doing enough. I work in a site
that sees the viral and respiratory patients, testing people for covid and treating illnesses. But
they are mostly the healthier ones. I wouldn’t mind being in a higher acuity site and being more
helpful.

How has it affected your life personally? My hours have been cut back because of the setting I’m
in. That’s been the biggest adjustment. I would never have thought my hours would be cut as a
healthcare provider in the middle of a pandemic. All but 3 of us (the NP’s and PA’s) were
furloughed completely. So we have the same concerns as everyone else who doesn’t know what
the future holds for them and their job.

Has it changed your outlook on being a nurse? Not at all. I’ve always dealt with infectious
diseases. It’s the day to day stuff that has changed. I just wear a lot more equipment at work
now!

What is your biggest concern for nurses during this time? The guilt that if you get sick and bring
it home to your family and something bad happens it will be your fault. I’m not sure I could cope
if that happened.

Dara Castillo
As a charge nurse what is your responsibility for the COVID floor? What does a daily shift
roughly look like?
We properly staff the ICU units based on patient needs and we usually are free of a patient in the
event an emergency happens. A daily shift starts with organizing the unit from staff to
equipment. As a charge nurse, among other responsibilities, we make sure our staff nurses have
the resources they need to function on a regular shift. We are problem solving nonstop, critically
thinking fast on our feet, making sure we are available to help any nurse in need. We make sure
our nurses feel comfortable with their assignments and reassess as needed. Doctors make their
rounds and we update each patient’s plan of care, making adjustments as needed. We reach out
to ancillary team to make sure everyone is on the same page.

How long is your typical shift? How many days are you working now versus before the
pandemic?
Our shifts are never the typical 7P-7A. Sometimes we stay longer, actually its more like a 13
hour shift. I worked 3 nights out of 7. Now I am picking up extra shifts due to increasing
amount of cases and at other hospitals as well.

Where is your hospital located? (City and state only, I don’t need a name if you’re not
comfortable)
Miami Beach, Florida

How has COVID affected your city? Are a lot of people needing to be hospitalized?
Miami is full of tourists so it has seen a lot of cases of COVID-19, a lot due to traveling. There
are enough people hospitalized for us to open 2 designated units specific to probables and
confirmed positives..

Is your hospital facing and shortages in protective gear, beds or medication like other hospitals?
Are you worried about running out?
Yes we are so short that masks that are meant to be single use are stretched out to be used
throughout my shift. With the ever changing guidelines by the CDC, it is normal for some nurses
to use a surgical mask for 5 days, which is completely against our previous infectious control
guidelines. We fortunately do not have a shortage of beds, at the moment. Medications, however,
are becoming limited, we are constantly switching to alternatives of certain medications that
provide the same desired effect.

What kinds of things are you seeing on a daily basis?

A lot of fear in my nurses faces, worry they may have it because of exposure three shifts in a
row. Nurses not eating because they are stuck in their patient’s room. The ICU COVIDs are all
ventilator-supported, so life changing decisions are made more frequently and rapidly.

How has the pandemic affected you and your fellow nurses and doctors?
It changes EVERYTHING. I used to recover fresh open heart cases, now because all elective
surgeries are cancelled, I am in charge of a unit battling an unforgiving virus, leaving its outcome
in the hand of the very people it’s infecting.

Anything else you’d like to add?

People need to take staying home, proper hand washing/sanitizing, covering their sneezes, etc
very seriously. There’s so many nurses who fear bringing this virus home, that they quarantine
themselves from their own families. It has been tough… emotionally, physically, spiritually.