Julie Suter ’15 BSN, RN-BC

Clinical Nurse II, Acute Care Resource Team
University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA

April 2, 2020

I am on the acute care resource team and work on all floors at UW. I am currently occasionally caring for COVID-19 postive patients. Right now, things seem to be manageable. We have 22 positive COVID-19 patients at UWMC and probably an equal or greater number or rule outs.  It is certainly a time in history that we will forever remember!

It seems that I’ve picked an interesting time to return from my travels to the state of Washington. Today, if you look around, the streets, buses, and bike trails are empty. There are plenty of routes available at the climbing gym, and touristy spots are free of photo bombers.

Unlike some jobs, mine doesn’t come with a ‘work from home’ option. Today we closed the doors to visitors. Although this decision will be incredibly difficult for patients, it is necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to vulnerable patients such as our oncology and transplant populations.

COVID-19 seems to have brought out the worst in us. We are hoarding supplies, limiting contact with others, and becoming self-centered. What we need to do is focus on taking care of one another. Making sure your elderly neighbors have enough supplies and food, check in on your friend who had a transplant and is on immunosuppressants, your cousin with cystic fibrosis, your mom who is getting her final round of chemo, and your grandmother who seems to get pneumonia like clockwork every year. For most of us, we’ll be fine. But these people will not.