Nurses who spent 2020 “head-to-toe in plastic” fighting COVID-19, such as Armstrong Creek’s Laura Broad, received national recognition on Wednesday.
The assistant nurse unit manager started at Barwon Health North’s COVID-19 testing clinic in March just days after her grandmother’s funeral.
Soon after, the pandemic prevented her from visiting her mum, still undergoing treatment for breast cancer diagnosed several years ago, her immunocompromised dad and her grandfather, whose nursing home went into lockdown.
“It was difficult but I was more concerned about mum – I wasn’t able to be there for her,” the 25-year-old said.
“A part of me didn’t want to see them as well because I could never have forgiven myself if I had given COVID to them.”
Laura herself was vulnerable to the disease due to lung damage from surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital in 2011 to correct a spinal condition.
“I had incredible nurses the whole time,” she said.
“That’s exactly why I got into nursing.”
Her vulnerability failed to stop her volunteering for the testing clinic.
“They were having trouble staffing it at first because no one wanted to work out here – I think everybody was sort of afraid,” she said.
But Laura was confident Barwon Health had the necessary precautions and equipment to protect her.
“It didn’t bother me. I’m always happy to try out new things and work in new places.”
Laura had been part of a versatile unit of nurses that filled staffing shortfalls across University Hospital Geelong, but soon became a permanent member of the clinic.
While she admitted wearing hair nets, face shields, gowns, masks and even sometimes gumboots could get tiring, she was “so grateful” for the colleagues she met.
“Working through the pandemic has been so much easier because of the people I work with.”
Gestures of appreciation like a hamper from Fyans Park Kindergarten and gifts from strangers “did not go unnoticed” either, she said.
“It’s been a hard year for all nurses and healthcare workers and any recognition is appreciated.”
Laura, who is beginning post-graduate study next year, welcomed Australian College of Nursing’s nationwide thank you to nurses on Wednesday, aimed at raising funds for 50 $5000 scholarships
“It would be a massive help for people to up-skill and achieve what they want to do in their careers,” she said.
To donate: charidy.com/timefornurses
