1,052 – that’s the number of days from when the first patient tested positive for COVID-19 in Arkansas and when I tested positive a few weeks ago. Like many of you, I was ready to sigh a sigh of relief that I had escaped this virus unscathed, but it wasn’t meant to be.
It started with a headache and fatigue for my husband, while I had only a mild sore throat. I remained negative for nearly an entire week, and then it hit hard. Between us, we spent two weeks battling the symptoms and taking care of one another.
All I have to say is thank goodness for vaccines and boosters. Even fully vaccinated and boosted, I have never felt so bad in my life. My entire body was in pain like I’ve never experienced before. Reflecting on how our first patients suffered and how many lost their lives, we were both grateful to be back at full strength in just a couple of weeks.
I talk with my 93-year-old father almost every day. When I told him we had COVID, his initial response was, “Is that still around?” Then he said, “It might have killed me.”
Yes, Dad, it probably would have. This is why I’m so grateful for science, vaccines and a work environment that kept me virus-free for 1,052 days.
Despite all of these days focused on battling a world-wide pandemic, we still saw achievements along the way. Just 394 days ago, we submitted our application to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to become Magnet Designated. This is the highest distinction of Nursing Excellence for hospitals in the United States, and we are now well on our way toward Magnet. Our efforts right now are focused on quality metrics, which are important not only for Magnet, but also our patients. Thank you for your support of these efforts. One of the most exciting moments in our quality journey was January 2023, when the entire hospital managed to have zero CAUTI infections! This just shows we can get to zero events if we all work together. It takes everyone to make sure we are providing a safe environment for our patients. I thank each and every one of you for this hard work!
We have an exciting spring ahead of us. The flowers and trees are already in bloom, and March came in like a lion earlier this week, so hopefully we will end the month on a lamb note as flu season ends. Nurses Week and our annual Professional Nursing Awards ceremony will be here before we know it.
If you haven’t already done so, I urge you to nominate your colleagues for our 2023 Professional Nursing Awards before the March 17 deadline. Click here to learn more.
Thankfully yours,
Trenda