Callie Ruohomaki, LPN at UP Well being System-Bell/Household Medication poses in her scrubs at work. (Picture courtesy UP Well being Methods)
ISHPEMING — The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many modifications in our day by day lives right here within the Higher Peninsula and all around the world. The cautious reopening of the area has helped to ease a number of the social isolation that stay-at-home orders and necessary enterprise closures have introduced. However the brand new regular in lots of instances is a far cry from what day by day life was like pre-coronavirus.
This particularly holds true for the 161,825 nurses who maintain licenses within the state of Michigan, like Callie Ruohomaki, an LPN for Household Medication at UP Well being System-Bell.
Ruohomaki, who has given The Mining Journal an unique look “behind the masks,” stated Bell takes many precautions to make sure the protection of anybody who comes into the hospital or clinic buildings, whether or not or not it’s sufferers or workers.
“Once we enter the ability, our temperatures are checked to ensure we’re wholesome and symptom-free to be at work,” Ruohomaki stated. “Moreover, our facility has common masking — which suggests all workers and sufferers put on masks always in the course of the day. We put on extra private protecting gear reminiscent of N-95 respirators, robes and face shields in affected person care areas after we can be coming into contact with COVID-19 whereas caring for a affected person.”
Because the pandemic began, her private life has modified as nicely, Ruohomaki stated.
“I’ve two younger kids at residence, and one has bronchial asthma. Due to that, after I get residence, my kids can’t run to the door to hug me or greet me. As a substitute, I take away my scrubs within the entryway they usually go straight into the washer, and I instantly take a bathe,” she stated.
And people actions are only the start of her newly adopted after-work routine.
“I then do one to 2 hours of on-line studying with my kids every evening along with teleconference conferences with their lecturers,” Ruohomaki stated. “After dinner is finished and the home is cleaned, I attempt to get a great evening’s sleep so I can do all of it once more the following day. I do know that a lot of my co-workers with younger kids are doing the identical factor proper now. It’s difficult, however we’re all on this collectively.”
Protocols which might be essential to assist preserve everybody secure and cease the unfold of the virus have additionally created challenges at work, she stated.
“One of many troublesome issues for me shouldn’t be with the ability to present the identical stage of high-touch, comforting care that I’m used to. Whether or not it’s giving a high-five to a pediatric affected person that simply acquired their photographs and was courageous, holding the hand of a affected person and reassuring them every little thing goes to be OK, or a comforting hug and shedding a tear with a affected person,” Ruohomaki stated. “An important factor I’ve to supply my sufferers is my means to precise how a lot I care about them.”
Finally, although, COVID-19 has not modified the way in which Ruohomaki does her job.
“I nonetheless come to work and spend my days caring for my sufferers — whether or not through the cellphone or in individual. Although issues may look slightly completely different, my primary precedence remains to be caring for my group,” she stated. “Though our whole world has been turned the wrong way up by the coronavirus, it doesn’t change what well being care staff have been known as to do. We get away from bed each morning to care for you and your loved ones like our personal — and caring for our group is prime precedence.”
A constructive change she notes because the pandemic unfolded has been the way in which the group has come collectively amid the pandemic.
“Neighbors serving to neighbors, provides being delivered to those that can not exit and the appreciation that has been expressed to well being care staff — it has been very humbling,” Ruohomaki stated.