National Nurses United

contended with on top of just trying to safely care for their patients and protect themselves and their families. Nurses lacking presumptive eligibility for workers' comp benefits had already been recognized by NNU as a major problem nationwide for years. Whereas first responders in other traditionally male-dominated professions, such as firefighting or law enforcement, enjoy automatic "presumptive eligibility" to receive workers' comp for certain illnesses and injuries because it is assumed they are work related, nurses, who treat the exact same population, do not. Nurses often have to fight, appeal, and jump through endless bureaucratic and medical hoops to qualify for workers' comp, if they ever succeed at all. A classic example is the nurse who contracted methicillin- resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) but was denied workers' comp because the hospital claimed she got it from her dog. CNA/NNOC had for years been trying to pass presumptive eligibility legislation in California, but the efforts had been blocked year after year by the insurance and hospital industries, as well as the latent, sexist attitudes of lawmakers. Because the entire country had done such a poor job of containing COVID, NNU was deeply concerned that employers would argue that nurses were contracting the virus via the community, and not at work, when they tested positive. Cases like M.'s just confirmed that fear. Consequently, NNU organizations have been demanding and fighting for presumptive eligibility, at least for COVID-19, in their states and also of their employers. California currently has AB 664 pending, which would grant first responder status to nurses and offer presumptive eligibility for COVID-19. Gov. Newsom also A P R I L | M AY | J U N E 2 0 2 0 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 19 NNU/CNA/NNOC hold national day of action to demand protections for RNs, patients, public MARCH 11 WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic MARCH 11 With COVID, there is no such thing as a typical day or usual day in my emergency department. Preparing for COVID happens before I leave the house. I must be sure to have a change of clothes, an N95 which I bring from home, because I have a few and it is better to bring a fresh one than being forced to reuse the one the hospital supplies. I also grab my running cap which I wear to protect my ears from the straps of the N95. As I get closer to the hospital, I put on my cap and N95. When I get to the parking lot, I take some slow deep breaths to try and calm myself as I face another day. I grab my work shoes from my trunk, where I keep them, so that I don't contaminate my vehicle or home. I put them on and head into the hospital. Inside, I find my assignment, and put on my isolation gown and face shield. Wearing all of this PPE serves as a reminder to be cautious so I don't get sick. But it is so, so cumbersome, and incredibly hot. I move so much slower when it is on, and I get claustrophobic. I just have to take a break every few hours to take off my mask and get some fresh air. The PPE has changed the way I do my job too and that is tough. Nurses are facilitators of healing and we do this through science- based interventions but also through human connection, touching, listening, and understanding. These three are a challenge in this time of COVID-19. The way I interact with my patients has changed because I need to minimize my exposure. My patients too are often so short of breath that I don't want them carrying on a full conversa- tion, so we use "yes" or "no" questions and thumbs up or thumbs down to communicate how they are feeling. Even when I am off shift and finally at home, I worry. At night, I have a hard time sleeping and when I do sleep, I am so restless that I feel more tired when I wake up. The scenes from work replay in my dreams; my patients' eyes looking to me for answers or reassurance, the heart-wrenching conversations with family members, and the constant worries and fears of my fellow nurses. As a member of National Nurses United, I am the chief nurse rep- resentative at my hospital and RNs reach out to me to express their fears, nightmares, and tell me they are suffering from anxiety and panic attacks for the first time in their lives. Some of my coworkers are out sick with COVID-19. They are so scared. They are afraid for themselves, their families, our community. Some are so short of breath I am so scared for them. I maintain my com- posure as we talk, but I break down in tears once I am off the phone. I haven't given my career choice a second thought during this pandemic. With so many people out of work and losing health cov- erage, nurses will be needed even more after this crisis. I imagine that there will be more patients seeking care in emergency depart- ments and I will be there ready to help care for them. In the meantime, I ask everyone to please hold on a little longer and we will all get through this. Maintain social distancing and wear a mask in public. —Consuelo Vargas, RN, John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County Health, Chicago, Illinois Consuelo Vargas, RN

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