Nurses tell how they really feel amid the pandemic through statewide survey
Birmingham, Ala. (WBMA) — The state's nurses are telling us how they really feel amid a pandemic, calling on you to be vigilant while crying out for help.
While there is a light at the tunnel with cases decreasing, our nurses are still in high demand.
"The most trusted profession over the past 19 years, but I can say that nurses are also tired," says Dr. Lindsey Harris, President of Alabama State Nurses Association.
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During this pandemic, nurses have and continue to do things they've never done before, from cleaning and passing out food to being the person holding someone's hand as they take their last breath.
"We want to bring it to light as to how nurses, not only to our general public, but to our lawmakers, to our hospitals, to show how nurses and what nurses are truly feeling now," says Harris.
The Alabama State Nurses Association (ASNA) surveyed thousands of nurses statewide about how they've been feeling during the pandemic.
The results are from just weeks ago, and there are more than 400 pages of emotional comments.... Nurses speaking about their lack of PPE, feeling neglected and unprotected by their employers, no hazard pay, and the list goes on.
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"To know what our nurses are going through each and everyday and not be including in those types of things, it's really disheartening," says Harris.
Members do their best to come up with ways to help, but to date, nurses have not been included in state or federal packages and ASNA grant applications from the state’s 1.9 billion dollar cares act money have all been denied.
Harris says as the pandemic continues, the need for nurses is still great, but there's also a need to make sure the nurses working on the frontlines right now feel appreciated.
"I know lots of hospitals may get letters from kids and different families who have been in the hospitals, but if you see a nurse, thank a nurse," says Harris.
Harris says there are also complaints about how travel nurses can come into hospitals and make three times as much as the nurses working in their home hospitals.
The ASNA is working on drafting a resolution to request thousand dollar tax credits for COVID frontline nurses for the tax year 2021.
