When I say it hurts, it hurts! To think that Nurses are being told to use their sick or vacation time when they have tested positive for COVID. Then there’s the directive to simply come to work if you are not symptomatic. Please know that I understand the urgency. What I do not understand is the lack of empathy.

Experienced Nurses continue to leave the bedside.  Novice Nurses have a strong desire to get that bedside experience. As previous data has shown, baptism by fire is not always the best method. Novice Nurses are afraid and this is where we sometime lose them. 

A novice Nurse recently shared  her orientation experience with me. Three novice Nurses to one preceptor who did not follow infection control practices and left the Nurses to function independently without P&P instructions, is the template for fear. Fear of accidentally harming a patient  and losing one’s license. All three Nurses quit in two weeks. Why?