Nurse’s trauma seeing patients die ‘all alone’

BAHAMIAN registered nurse Tahnee Johnson-Whitehead.

As of Wednesday, April 1, 2020

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN registered nurse Tahnee Johnson-Whitehead has been working on the front lines of a West Palm Beach hospital where scores of severely ill COVID-19 patients are fighting for their lives. The 28-year-old told The Tribune yesterday that of all the things she’s seen in her year and a half as an RN, what’s most daunting is seeing people die alone and without the comfort of family or friends.

For the past two weeks, the young wife and mother has been working gruelling 12-hour shifts floating between the hospital’s intensive care unit where the severely ill patients fight for their lives - most times dying - and other units where patients are in a better condition, clinging to the hope that they’ll pull through.

As cases started to climb in her area, she said the hospital converted a tower solely for COVID-19 patients.

“They are dying and they are dying alone,” she said from Florida. “We’re there, that is the medical personnel, but there is no family allowed. We aren’t allowing visitors in our hospital and they are passing away very quickly. It’s just staff there and they are just by themselves.

“It started off slow but now there’s a lot of COVID-19 patients.

“The floor I work on is supposed to be a cardiac unit but they have basically transformed a whole tower of my hospital to just be COVID and so because there aren’t any more cardiac surgeries I have been floating to the COVID units and the COVID ICU.”

International reports have said the number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Florida has accelerated rapidly, nearly doubling in the past four days, with 3,274 new cases, bringing the statewide total to 6,741 as of Tuesday evening.

Palm Beach Country, according to data this week, has 514 total cases and 11 deaths.

Having seen patients struggle to breathe and fight to live, Mrs Whitehead insisted it is foolish for Bahamians not to take the disease seriously. She said cases have seemed to multiply around the world after merely trickling in during the earlier days of the pandemic.

“You can turn on any news channel and see what’s happening around the world. It’s not just elderly people or immunocompromised people. The virus is affecting people who have been well and some in their 30s who are suffering and dying,” Mrs Whitehead said.

“I think especially being from such a small place, people need to heed the warnings. They should continue to be socially distant and stay inside when you don’t need to be outside. This is a real thing and I don’t think Doctors Hospital or PMH can handle an influx of these patients.”

joeblow 4 years ago

She should consider not wearing jewelry at work at this time!

Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years ago

Bingo! Not to mention her showing off all of that personal protective gear that is in such short supply for the loyal and dutiful Bahamian nurses who are expected, under the most trying conditions, to help their fellow Bahamians who become infected with the Red China Virus and require hospitalization. Even right now the US government has greatly relaxed its visa restrictions for foreign medical doctors and foreign nurses as it seeks to poach these people from countries, like the Bahamas, which already have a most serious shortage of such trained medical personnel. She certainly seems to be soft-selling herself as a poster-girl for 'a come join me' campaign.

ThisIsOurs 4 years ago

it certainly is an odd photo to submit

John 4 years ago

Obviously the two responses above are from racist idiots who are also anti-Bahamian. Rather than appreciate and encourage this young woman for her courage and effort and emphasizing with her experience, they choose to scrutinize and criticize her dress and her photos. How petty. What should more concern those idiots is the number of medical personnel that are falling ill and even dying as this virus continues to ravage the US and the world. It has crippled the cruise industry, the airlines, hotels retail stores restaurants and even the manpower of one of the US’s largest aircraft carrier has been crippled as the virus infected a large portion of its crew. Shame on yin’s, but idiots have no shame (or pride)

joeblow 4 years ago

... actually the practical reason for not wearing jewelry is to reduce the potential transmission of the virus! Is that reasoning anti-Bahamian or racist?

John 4 years ago

How do you know if she works in her jewelry or are just wearing them for the photo op

joeblow 4 years ago

... could it have something to do with her wearing them while at work in two different photos!! Well no, your idea that she probably just keeps them in her pockets while working makes more sense!

Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years ago

@John - You just have to keep playing that tired 'ole race card over and over again, don't you?

ThisIsOurs 4 years ago

I was also struck by the attire before I read the story. The first thing I said was scrubs aren't meant to be that tight. but... maybe that was the largest size. It's certainly an odd shot to publicize. I've seen other doctors send photos fir stories detailing arduous shifts in these hospitals. Those doctors looked drained and tired. I'm sure this lady does a great job so the rest of the statement isn't directed at her.

I just had someone tell me this week just hope you don't have to go to the hospital. All the nurses care about is hair and nails and the light turn off at night....They'll call code blue in the morning. I'm going to amend the statement to say that it "might" be true of "some" nurses. We tend to place Mother Teresa and Saint Peter labels on anyone with a nurse or doctor title . But they just people, and they have all kinds. Lots and lots of profilers, ask Dr Sands. off the record.

mandela 4 years ago

I think her message "it is FOOLISH for Bahamians not to take the DISEASE SERIOUSLY. is powerful in that she has seen COVID-19 effects up close, closer than any RN nurse or medical personnel here would want to, COVID-19 KILLS and when you die, you die slowly in quarantine alone, no last words or goodbyes. Bahamas PLZ take this virus SERIOUSLY.

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