“Some people would say this, and some people would say that, and the hospital protocols were always changing.”

Micaela Arellano, 24, is a graduate student from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh certified as a nursing assistant and working towards her masters in anesthesiology. She graduated in May 2020 a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic began and was working in the hospital as the pandemic approached. Arellano found that the pandemic created challenges along with passion throughout her field. She speaks with Sierra Radler about her experience as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sierra Radler: What is your occupation?

Micaela Arellano: I am a CNA which stands for a certified nursing assistant and am currently in school to get my masters in anesthesia to become an anesthesiologist assistant.

Q: Have you seen big changes in your time there due to covid and throughout the pandemic?

Yes, when the pandemic started, I was a CNA on a medical surgical floor then began to have too many patients that had to be moved to different floors. We began to not allow visitors and had to keep the doors closed then eventually everyone was required to wear masks and progressed to having to wear eye protection while in a patient’s rooms. Eventually we even had to switch the gowns that were used to a plastic option.

Q: Would you say a majority of the patients were confused when the pandemic hit?

A: Yes, people were confused or upset that they couldn’t visit their loved one in the hospital that didn’t have covid and when we did let visitors in there were no visitors allowed under the age of eighteen which upset people.

Q: Are there any common questions that were repeated by patients?

A: At hospice we would have everyone’s room closed so covid wouldn’t spread and patients would be confused why their door had to be closed all the time or why they couldn’t leave their room.

Q: Has your perspective as a nurse changed? Do you feel a different passion for nursing, or do you feel that it has become exhausting and difficult as we proceed throughout the pandemic?

A: It got exhausting, other coworkers and nurses were burnt out. If there was a call in a covid room people wouldn’t want to go in there because they were sick of putting on all the personal protection like gown to go in and out of the room. Eventually people would step up to go in there but there were also nurses who would say reasons they couldn’t go into the covid rooms which led to you to being stuck having to go into the covid rooms since others couldn’t or wouldn’t.

Q: Since there is a lot of stress and demand for nurses right now and many hospitals are understaffed, are there any specific coping mechanisms that you use as a nurse to handle the stress?

A: I try not to pick up a ton of extra shifts like I used to, but I think I got burnt out there so now I try not to pick up too much, even though they always message you. They were incentivizing us to pick up extra shifts and a lot of people did that or the bonus in the beginning but now a lot of people are saying it’s not enough money for them to go in.

Q: Do you see nursing as a calling or your passion even more so being that you are so young and were thrown into a pandemic?

A: Yea, I think most nurses find it a calling and a passion, a majority of them want to help others and care for others. Especially at hospice people really enjoy taking care of people towards the end if they don’t have family coming to see them when they’re dying at least

Q: What would you say has been the hardest thing to deal with in your field throughout the pandemic?

A: I would just say it’s hard when the rules and guidelines were always changing, it was hard to keep up on that because some people would say this, and some people would say that, and the hospital protocols were always changing. Also, moral and coworkers on the unit just being over things because it’s not really a happy time.

Q: Is there anything that you would you say to someone that is hesitant to get vaccinated or refuses to get vaccinated?

A: I think they should do it, but it is also their call. I did it because the hospital and school required vaccination, but I didn’t see much of a risk because I am young, so it depends on who you are and your circumstances.

Q: What are your goals after graduation?

A: My goal is to get a job as a certified anesthesiologist assistant and just see my best offers and hours and go from there.