State’s nursing shortage intensifying as complex COVID care wears down caretakers

COVID nurses suffering PTSD

As a registered nurse who has observed and experienced the cyclical nature of nursing shortages, I am concerned about our current trend, and the prediction that South Carolina will be number four in the nation for its lack of RNs.

While these shortages are the result of complex factors for which strategies were developed, we now face a situation where those strategies no longer work.

What is different? COVID-19.

Nurses are caring for more acutely ill patients in greater numbers, delivering extremely complex care with more frequent patient deaths, and nurses are suffering from the same PTSD symptoms as many of our combat veterans.

Registered nurses ARE on the front lines and they are quickly reaching the limits of their endurance.

Some RNs approaching retirement have decided to leave bedside nursing earlier than planned. Some have succumbed to the stress of fighting for patients’ lives only to watch those lives slip away.

Many nurses leave the hospital after a grueling 12-hour shift, sit in their cars and weep. Some have sought mental health counseling in an attempt to cope with having two or three of their patients die in one shift.

Will my colleagues be there should I need care?

Given this crisis, it seems everyone could soon be asking, “Where have all the nurses gone?”

Barb Nash, Beaufort

Sad news, gov

It must have been terribly disappointing to Gov. McMaster to find out this week that South Carolina ranks second in the nation behind Tennessee in the number of children hospitalized with COVID. He has worked SO HARD to make us number one.

Harry F. Smithson, Columbia

Voter education critical

I am a staunch support of newspapers in print. I also support current events and news that can make a difference, positive or negative.

In the week prior to National Voter Registration Day (Sept. 28), I opened my newspaper to a prominent article with pictures about a Charleston designer’s gold bracelet ending up on Jill Biden’s wrist. The Murdaugh family saga continued from the front page on throughout the paper.

Several articles also addressed politics. Nowhere was National Voter Registration Day mentioned.

Tell me about local and national politics, but also how I can participate. Remind everyone of the voter registration cutoff date for local elections.

Family dramas and fashion come and go, but the political process is forever, or for as long as we keep voter registration and education prominent and foremost.

Elizabeth Jones, Columbia

Thanks, Fred

My wife, I and a guest had a wonderful dinner recently at a restaurant on Hiilton Head Island. When I asked the server for the bill, she informed me that a gentleman at the next table had paid the bill. I found him at the bar and, of course, he would not let me reimburse him for the dinner.

He was a visitor, Fred from Virginia. This was a truly amazing experience for us.

I write this letter because in this age of so much discord, it is truly great to see that there are fantastic generous visitors to our state such as Fred.

Thank you, Fred ,and please look us up when you next visit.

Karl Becker, Hilton Head