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Imagine starting your day as an operating room nurse.
You know the rhythm well—prepping instruments, reviewing the surgical list, coordinating with the team. It’s familiar, even when it’s demanding. You know how to breathe through the pressure, how to bring order to the urgency. The OR feels like a second home.
Then COVID-19 arrives.
Almost overnight, the structure you relied on collapses. Elective procedures halt. PPE protocols change daily. Anxiety floods the hallways. The operating room is no longer just for precision and routine—it’s repurposed for crisis.
And we are no longer just OR nurses—we become COVID nurses.
Suddenly, we’re learning to care for patients with a virus we barely understand. We’re adapting to new roles, shifting between wards, and standing in the quiet where surgery schedules used to be. Isolation, exhaustion, and fear settle into the walls—but so do grit, kindness, and a deep sense of duty.
This is my story—and the story of countless COVID nurses—about what helped us hold on. The small comforts, the whispered prayers, the shared meals in break rooms, the nods exchanged behind foggy face shields. It’s about the ways we stayed upright when the world bent sideways. And it’s about remembering that even in the darkest chapters, nursing remains one of the most human things we can do..
A New Reality for COVID Nurses
Before the pandemic, the OR felt steady and predictable.
We trusted our training and each other.
When COVID hit, we were reassigned to intensive care units and emergency rooms.
We became COVID NURSES overnight, learning new protocols, new equipment, and trying to keep calm.
I remember the silence in the hallway when we got the news.
We were scared — but deep down, we knew we had to find a way to cope, not just for ourselves, but for every patient counting on us.
Living with Fear Every Day
Fear became part of life.
Fear of catching the virus, fear of bringing it home, fear of making mistakes in new roles.
What helped us as COVID NURSES:
- Being honest about what scared us
- Letting ourselves cry when shifts felt too heavy
- Reminding each other why we chose this path
PPE shortages made it worse.
Sometimes we wore the same mask for days. But still, we kept showing up — because that’s what it meant to be part of this team.
Moments That Stayed with Us
One memory I’ll never forget: a young patient admitted to the COVID ward, completely alone and afraid.
I sat beside her, held her hand, and stayed until she passed.
That moment reminded me why compassion is part of every COVID NURSES coping strategy.
Even when we couldn’t change the outcome, we could make sure patients didn’t feel alone.
Food as Our Shared Coping Strategy
We didn’t have time for breaks or distractions.
But we had food — and that became how we comforted each other.
Someone would bring pastries, another nurse brought chocolate.
We’d stand together for a few minutes, eat, talk, and just breathe.
It wasn’t about the food itself.
It was about those few quiet moments where we felt human, not just COVID NURSES fighting through another shift.
Small Acts of Self‑Care
At first, self‑care felt impossible.
We were exhausted and stretched thin.
But even tiny acts helped me cope:
- Deep breaths before walking into the ward
- A short stretch after long hours
- Stepping outside for one minute of fresh air
These small moments helped me remember I was still me — even in the middle of everything.
The Power of Teamwork
None of us could do this alone.
Our strength as COVID NURSES came from each other.
Emily would leave quick notes on the board:
“Drink water!” or “One day at a time.”
Sometimes it was just a look, a nod, or a quick “You okay?” in the hallway.
Those little things reminded us we weren’t fighting this alone.
Adapting on the Go
Every shift brought something new.
Protocols changed daily, and resources weren’t always there.
As COVID NURSES, we had to get creative:
- Sharing tips in group chats
- Making quick checklists to keep track of updates
- Helping each other stay calm when things felt overwhelming
It wasn’t always perfect.
But we learned that flexibility mattered as much as preparation.
Carrying the Emotional Weight
Each day left its mark: the losses, the wins, and the faces we still remember.
What helped us most as COVID NURSES:
- Sharing a funny story to break the tension
- Checking in with teammates after hard moments
- Reminding each other: “You did your best today.”
Even when it felt like too much, those simple words helped us keep going.
What Being COVID Nurses Taught Us
Looking back, we carry lessons that will stay with us forever:
- Compassion matters most, even when words fail
- Self‑care isn’t selfish — it keeps us strong enough to care for others
- Teamwork makes the hardest days bearable
- Even small acts of kindness mean everything
Being COVID NURSES taught us that true strength isn’t about never feeling afraid — it’s about showing up anyway.
Moving Forward Together
Life feels calmer now.
But the things we learned as COVID NURSES stay with us: resilience, creativity, and quiet courage.
We’ll always remember the fear and exhaustion.
But we’ll also remember the quick smiles, the shared snacks, and the silent promise: “We’ll get through this, together.”
If you’re a nurse reading this: your coping strategy doesn’t need to be perfect.
What matters most is knowing you’re not alone — and that it’s okay to ask for help.
Final Thoughts
Being COVID NURSES changed us.
We went from routine to crisis, from the precision of planned procedures to the chaos of the unknown. Shift after shift, we showed up not knowing what the day would hold—only that someone would need us. We held hands through PPE. We cried in silence behind closed doors.
We whispered encouragement into fear. Our bodies were tired, our hearts worn thin, yet we kept going. Because behind the endless alarms and isolation, we saw each other.
Through heartbreak and exhaustion, we found something powerful: each other.
We became more than colleagues—we became lifelines. We passed tissues, shared snacks, left notes on lockers. We looked out for the quiet ones. We stayed late for each other when someone just couldn’t take one more minute. We made each other laugh when everything felt too heavy to hold.
In the end, it wasn’t about perfect strategies.
It was about small kindnesses.
A cup of warm drink at the break room. A text saying “You okay?” at 3am. That moment someone helped us tie our gown because our hands were shaking. The way we said “I’ve got you” with our eyes when words failed.
That’s what carried us.
Not just protocols or policies—but compassion. Real, stubborn, daily, human care. The kind that doesn’t fade, even when the emergency ends.
HELPFUL RESOURCES
Internal Link: What Does an Operating Room Nurse Do?
External Link: WHO Guidelines for COVID-19
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