A Young ICU Nurse in Wuhan Recounts Her Experience

Date of Interview: March 1, 2020 Location: Wuhan City, Hubei Province Since the outbreak in Wuhan, numerous doctors and nurses have been transferred to Hubei. Medical staff are usually called to the front line only hours before departure and have little time to prepare. After arriving in Wuhan, they are physically exhausted while trying to adapt to a new work and living environment. Epoch Times journalist interviewed a medical worker in Wuhan from northwest China. - Nurse: We were the first batch of medical staff going to Hubei from our area. We received a particularly urgent notice. Local authorities received it at around 2 o’clock that day. We were notified one hour later, more than 100 of us, including 80 medical workers. The others are logistics. They were also urgent, with no preparation. I didn't have much to bring with me. I didn't think I needed to bring much. It wasn’t until I got here that I realized that some things are necessary. The day the notice came, I was on night shift at the time, and the hospital announced that I would go to Wuhan the next day. I didn't pack much, just a set of winter clothes. Now about 90 percent of online commodities cannot be delivered to Wuhan, making way for critical medical supplies. Actually, I have some clothing to change, although not very good fitting. Most items are donated by the community. For example, I got a pair of shoes today, but they don't fit me well. I can only make do with them. I can't ask for too much. We’re content as long as we have a change of clothing. Wuhan's weather is getting warmer. In one week people can experience the four seasons. Today is 24 degrees Celsius but tomorrow it may snow. I wasn't used to it when I first came here. I’m used to it now, and in a few weeks it’ll get hot. Some people work longer hours. I’m in ICU, working a 4 hour shift. In restricted areas, in order to save protective clothing, it is impossible to go down (to use the toilet) in only 2 hours. We need to stick it out to the end, so generally we do not change. Then they gave us "relieved pants" (if you want to go to the bathroom or have a stomach ache, you understand. I won’t describe.) We have to overcome it. In ICU, some duties are very simple, but there are many things that bind us, such as protective clothing, and many layers of gloves. Without so many gloves, we can find blood vessels in a few minutes, but when wearing protective clothing, the eyes could be covered with sweat. Yet we’re required to draw blood with one prick. The blood could have been taken in ten minutes, but it may take up to half an hour now. It used to take 30 seconds for us to find a blood vessel. Now it takes five minutes. The hardest part at first was the lack of oxygen. When wearing protective clothing, masks, protective shoes, layers after layers, it’s exhausting. The breathing is particularly uncomfortable. Some of our colleagues take off protective clothing after taking a meal. The lack of oxygen causes gastrointestinal discomfort and vomiting. I have a colleague who could not take off the protective clothing, he could only vomit into the mask. He couldn't use the toilet or take off the protective clothing because the protective clothing was very scarce then. We can't use a toilet and can only hold on till off duty. Every day after treating patients we’re very tired, especially when getting out of the ward. The dehydration is very severe. Our whole body is covered in sweat after nursing patients. (We) drink as much water as possible. Since I have had heart surgery before, I dare not drink too much water, so I wonder how I can exercise when resting. I have to make sure my body is well so that I can help more people. Sometimes chatting with others can also release those feelings. I feel like there is no pressure on the surface, but more or less it will have an impact subconsciously. I was told that medical staff would have holidays by turns. I got a 4-day shift. We can't go back home until the outbreak is over, because we have already replaced the medical staff here. If