I am a labor and delivery nurse in Idaho, here’s why I support the COVID-19 vaccine
I am a registered nurse in labor and delivery. Do I believe COVID-19 is real? Yes. Do I fear it? No. Do I believe it’s dangerous? Absolutely. It’s dangerous because as of Dec. 16, 2020, 7% of Idaho’s population has been infected with it since we have started tracking the cases. So far, 1,214 people have died. Idaho has among the highest number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the nation.
My entire nursing career has been in the hospital setting. I have worked through influenza seasons that have restricted visitors. I have continued to work through COVID-19 and frequently pick up extra shifts or work 17-hour shifts to help ease the burden of nurses being out sick and us caring for the sick and laboring patients.
But never have I seen a hospital census being burdened by any other disease process like COVID-19. Hospital census has consistently been hovering around 35% of patients suffering from COVID-19 alone or COVID-19 in conjunction of another medical complaint.
Why am I supporting the vaccine?
Because I love and care for my husband, my two young children, my high-risk family members and friends. I do it for the families that I get to help welcome their babies into the world.
I support the vaccine because I want children to return to school, I want families to feel safe gathering with one another, I want friends to travel and enjoy making memories again.
I do it for more than myself. I do it for all of us, especially those who can’t and rely on herd immunity. These are the hopes and dreams for getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
Why am I, as a labor and delivery nurse, so supportive of the COVID-19 vaccine?
Not everyone who comes in our doors gets a picture-perfect delivery. There are times that we discover a critical emergency with the mom and/or baby when we triage them. Because we are so focused on helping everyone who enters our door, we don’t always know their history or current COVID-19 status. We are high-risk for an unknown exposure because we need to address an emergency in a short time and frequently put our own health at risk for the sake of others.
By having the COVID-19 vaccine, it ensures I continue to be healthy for my family, work family, patients and people I come in contact with in public.
This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 1:52 PM.