A Chicago based nurse gave up her job as she was not permitted to wear her own mask while attending to Coronavirus patients. She posted an emotional video later that day about her decision to quit the job.
Imaris Vera of Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield claimed that the hospital has a scarcity of masks and personal protective equipment while caring for patients of COVID-19 in ICU. The nurse said she bought her own N95 mask to wear at work. It’s the respirator recommended by the CDC for healthcare specialists because it captures 95% of air particles when worn correctly. But she claims that her manager told her she wasn’t allowed to wear it, even when caring for a COVID-19 patient in an ICU unit that had been transformed into a designated coronavirus unit.
In a video, she further told about the current situation of medical staff. She said that there are 3.8 million registered nurses in the US, the nation’s largest healthcare profession. Besides 5 lakh of these registered nurses work in critical care.
Imaris, 30, currently lives with her sister Sabrina who is suffering from a rare blood disease, which can put her life in danger if she’s infected by COVID-19, leading to Imaris deciding to put her family first and left the hospital. She explained in an emotional Instagram video, uploaded on March 30, that she was trying to keep herself safe and looking out for family members who have pre-existing situations.
On April 1, she conveyed a message via her Instagram, that she hasn’t turned her back on nursing. She wants to work at a healthcare facility where she’ll feel comfortable. Many people are admiring her for putting safety first.