CU Nursing - Fall/Winter 2020 - 21

21

COLLEGE

Coronavirus
brings out the
best in Lee and
her colleagues.

Lee with RN Miranda
Toussaint working together
during the outbreak.

changes, updates in protocols, and
rapidly changing recommendations
were challenging. " It was truly scary.
With little to no effective treatments,
and the CDC constantly changing recommendations, our staff experienced
increased stress and burnout, " said
Lee. " I've never seen such resilient and
strong nurses. They made it work. "
Creating their own support system,
including prayer groups, the staff in
the ED and PACU pulled together. " You
had to be a real strong communicator
or the system would fail. "

REAL AND PRESENT DANGER
The possibility of contracting the
illness was a real and present danger.
Like most front line workers, Lee
knew she'd be lucky not to become
infected. " I knew exactly when I came

down with it. I developed a dry cough
at the tail end of my shift and said
'I think I have it.' " Immediately she
called Occupational Health. " I felt
super guilty that I wasn't there for
the team, " said Lee, who quarantined
at home. After two weeks', she was
allowed back to work. " Every situation
was a little different, but my hospital
was phenomenal and provided housing
and daycare for the staff, " said Lee. In
many cases, staff decided to separate
from their families for two months,
and some chose to send families and
children elsewhere.

BATTLE TESTED AND WEARY
For Lee, the experience of handling
COVID-19 made her battle-tested and
weary. It also provided a unique opportunity to analyze the inner workings

of herself and fellow nurses and what
made them better qualified to face a
pandemic. She presented her capstone
project virtually July 21 to faculty. " It
was fascinating and provided a peek
into what our nurses were and are
dealing with during this pandemic. The
stresses and what makes them able to
cope, " said Jenkins.
Lee officially graduated August 14. " My
research on resilience will provide insight for me as a leader and others for
years to come, " said Lee, who is grateful
to CU Nursing for working with her to
see her degree completed. " I don't think
I could have made a better choice of
program. The faculty were phenomenal,
and I was blown away by the support
especially during COVID. It was the best
decision I could have made. "
CU Nursing - Fall/Winter 2020

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