ACCESS Nursing News and Blog

The nursing shortage in the US has reached a record high and taking a heavy toll on the health care industry. One of the fallouts of this shortage is a pervasive sense of burnout and exhaustion among our nation’s nurses.

Vaccinations are essential to protecting not only yourself, but also your patients. As Omicron cases reach an all-time high, it is now more vital than ever for healthcare workers to receive a booster dose as soon as they become eligible.

Nurses are once again being stretched to their limit. The recent surge in COVID-19 cases throughout the US due to the Omicron variant has left hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical care facilities critically understaffed with nurses suffering from burnout and stress.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on the professional and personal lives of nurses throughout the US. Working in the health care industry right now, particularly as a frontline worker, has been called exhausting as nurses are being pushed to their limits. Today’s job definition for a frontline worker is now considered to be one of the most demanding and stressful. An American Nurses Association (ANA) survey asked 22,000 nurses nationwide how they were feeling. The results found 51% felt exhausted, 43% felt overwhelmed, and 28% felt a desire to quit the profession or their current position.

We have officially entered the “flu season.” Medical experts report that they are expecting some confusion in the coming months as cases of the flu emerge at the same time as the number of people, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, who test positive for COVID-19 increases throughout the US.

With cases of the COVID-19 Delta Variant on the rise throughout the US, getting vaccinated is increasingly becoming a requirement to go into a restaurant, an event, even to work. Starting on August 16th, showing your proof of vaccination to gain entry to most indoor events and venues in New York City will be legally mandated.

If you tested positive for COVID-19 in the past few months and have since recovered, but still have lingering symptoms, you may be considered a COVID-19 “Long Hauler.” A COVID Long Hauler is a person of any age who is still experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for several weeks or months. These individuals test negative for the virus, but still feel sick, or not like themselves. Approximately 25-35% of people who had previously contracted the virus, can experience lingering symptoms and other side effects of COVID-19.

Is the pandemic over for you if it’s been two weeks since you received your second vaccine? A Long Island woman recently found out the answer to this question firsthand. One month after receiving both doses of the Moderna vaccine, a Valley Stream, NY resident visited eight unvaccinated friends without wearing a mask -- and then a month later tested positive for the virus.

Graduations and Proms throughout the U.S. were cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A year later, in many parts of the country, the class of 2021 will be able to celebrate these milestones in person, but with strict adherence to all Department of Health guidelines.

While you wait for your turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine, it’s a good idea to become educated about best ways to stay healthy, testing and the different types of vaccines. With New York and other states facing major vaccine shortages, getting tested is still a highly effective way to stop the spread of COVID-19.