1 All things new

It was my first day at St Marry's in New York Ciy. It was late Feb, and there was snow on the ground. I just graduated from nursing school as a CNA with plans next semester to continue. The cost of living was already high, then add on the cost of school too, was just too much. So like normal college students, I planned to work my way through.

My day started off with the normal tour of the units. Then going up to HR to sign new hire paper work. Picture taken, badge made with my name and status. I got a special code for being in the Emergency Department. Then it's off to meet and greet with the Assistant Director of Nursing. Then I got a meet and greet in the ER with the charge nurse and other team members. Oh and did I tell you that I got to meet the Director of Nursing? She told me to follow the charge nurse around to learn the ropes sort a speak. So I stuck on Nurse Pauline like glue. I watched her take in a few admissions, and before long I taking over so she could run the floor. I was really enjoying it. Meeting different people, and truly helping them.

The day had been pretty quiet. Nothing really exciting; a scraped kneeI, hard caugh from acute asthma, hard bruise from a fall, broken bone. I was at the nursing station getting ready to take vitals on a walk in, when the emergency doors flew open and a stretcher came running in. There was a paramedic was on top straddling the patient, preforming chest compressions as two more where running the stretcher toward the open bed. "Trama 1," I hear in an authoritve voice, Charge Nurse Pauline call out over the speacker as she pointed to the room.

Still at the nursing station, I watched as Nurse Pauline sat up the IV drip on our new patient. Just as she was about done, Dr. Wayne came sailing into the room sending everyone into motion scurrying like ants. I stood in awh as the organized dance began to unfolded before me. Then as if it was on que, a deep baritone voice rings in the room, "Vitals."

Responding as if on command the male paramedic next to the doctor hands him a clip board ×with writing on it, while almost singing the information for everyone else, "Caucasian. Male. 36. BP 145/92, pulse 135, respiratory 14. Picked up, complaining of migraines and having problems breathing. Crashed in route. Used AED to regain pulse, and began chest compressions. Gave 2cc of Adrenaline. Been admistrating compressions for 2 minutes."

As I was listening, I realized that doesn't make sense, unless he had a compermisized immune system. Then anything could be the cause. Even something small like the flu.

As the paramedic was updating the doctor, the patient was moved from the stretcher to the bed in one dance move and was immediately placed on a ventilator to stabilize his breathing. I watched as the doctor ordered more tests from Nurse Pauline and placed the chart at the end of the bed. Once the test were ordered, things seemed to calm down a little.

My day continued as before, I took more vitals, and helped with triage. I stayed a steady busy, not thinking of the Trama patient that just came in. It wasn't long, only a few hours later, it happened again.

It was like deja vu. Another person on a stretcher being rushed in. Just as before I hear Nurse Pauline directing the new set of paramedics to Trama 4 over the speaker. Dr Wayne came rushing in sending all in the similar dance as before. After examining the new patient, and calling for vitals, his lovely baritone voice ordered tests similar to the patient in Trama 1. Now this wouldn't be new except it's the same symptoms with a small addition, a low grade fever.Then just like before, it got quite.

I was about to go for lunch, when 4 more people with the same symptoms as our Trama patients, walk in. I suddenly got a very bad feeling. I called over Nurse Pauline to double check me....

The first walk in complained of stiffness, hard to breathe, and sensitive to light. So I started vitals. All looked normal except for the low fever. Not thinking anything about it, I sent the patient back to an exam room to see the doctor.

The next walk in was older, and complained of a red rash forming on his body, being more tired than normal, and said that they had a temp that just wouldn't go away. Again I took vitals and sent him to an exam room to wait the doctor. It was now that I started noting it down the similarities.

Noticing the pattern, I brought it up to Nurse Pauline. "Your right, Jackie. I will tell the Doctor. We need to start quarantining them now. Set up Floor 3. It should still be open."

As she spoke, the tv came on...

"An unknown country has become ill, and is shutting down its borders for safety. " I looked back at Nurse Pauline.

"Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor right away. Fatigue, shortness of breath, migraines, rashes, continued low fever, and has traveled out of the country. This is a highly contagious disease. Washing of hands more frequently and wearing face masks are strongly recommended."

I looked over to everyone else, and saw panic flood like a wave through the entire department. As the hours continued, more and more came in with the symptoms. Then suddenly, a code blue sounded. It was the patient in Trama 1.

I watched as they tried to revive the man, but the more they tried, the faster he left. It was official, as of 12:34pm, we had our first death of what we later called Covid19.