Sep 27, 2021 | Grit
I was hired by HDGH back in October of 2020 in the role of a RPN. COVID-19 was in full force at this time and had been for most of the year. I worked in a Retirement home prior to coming to HDGH. I worked for HDGH when they were on Ouellette as a PSW on the assess and restore unit until they moved to Prince Road. My position there was over as our unit closed, and I decided to return to school to obtain my Nursing diploma. COVID-19 has changed the way I look at my profession, I realize how important we all are in the community. I was asked to go to the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Center to assist with the homeless and the outbreak they were having at the Downtown Mission. I did not hesitate to take on this position. After taking it, I was sitting at home and thinking about what my role would be there, and what it was going to be like. I was really nervous, the fear of the unknown, the fear of mental illness and addiction and not knowing what to expect, and even the fear of contracting COVID-19 while being there, I was going out of my comfort zone and it was scary. I was there working for a month, and at first I was overwhelmed with what I saw. I am a people watcher by nature, and I observe everything I can. I watched all of the different behaviours and the way the homeless reacted to staff and the testing that they had to undergo in order to stay there. There was a lot of yelling and cursing and even some confrontations among the people staying there. I witnessed drug abuse, and even some overdoses, where we all worked together to save the people involved. It was a completely different role than I had ever been a part of and new for my practice as a nurse. I had to do rapid testing daily for staff and clients, and was not welcomed by most of the homeless population - let’s face it, nobody likes a COVID-19 test. I was yelled at, and many refused and swore at me for what I was doing. It was hard, I felt bad having to do this to people every day. It bothered me that I didn’t feel like I was communicating properly with them, that I couldn’t make it easier on them. I tried many different approaches and was growing frustrated with my lack of experience. I watched the way the Downtown Mission staff communicated with them, and was drawn to one staff member in particular. I found myself watching her and the way she communicated so well with people, she had so much empathy and compassion. I approached her and asked her how she did it every day, her reply was that she loved them, she said I feel empathy for them and what they have been through, they are people and they have been through a lot. It was at this point that I realized what I was lacking, and that was the knowledge of their stories, and how they felt. I wasn’t looking at them as people with an illness, like I do when working with people at HDGH. I was lacking in my empathy for them, I had compassion for what they were going through, but I didn’t look beyond what I saw on the outside. These are people, and they are not well and I had a job to do here with them. I tried different approaches and eventually I started to earn their trust; my job there became more enjoyable, people would smile at me and call me by name and I looked forward to seeing them every day. I worked with some amazing people from the community, paramedics, police and city officials. I felt like I made a difference in ways that I never thought I would. I learned so much by being there, about mental illness, drug addiction, and human behaviour. I was no longer afraid of them. I used to see the homeless so differently, always from a distance and with not much compassion. I found myself caring about some people there. I still think of them and hope they are doing well, I pray that their lives get better, and that they heal. I see the need for programs for mental health and addiction in our community. I couldn’t reach everyone but the ones I did had a huge impact on me. I am a different person now, a different Nurse. I look at my practice differently and I look at my friends and family differently as well. I am grateful for what I do and for what I have. Life is short and unpredictable and so precious and we only get one to live and I intend on making every moment count.