Last May, we asked four local nursing professionals to share their distinctive perspectives on what then already felt traumatic: a worldwide pandemic caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. We now consider COVID an all-too-familiar disease, one that will join the likes of smallpox and polio in the history books of medical villainy.
Now, 12 months later, we have asked the same front-line heroes to update and expand on their perspectives on the continuing fight. Vaccinations are here, entering thousands of arms each day in Memphis. Variants of the virus have arrived, too, adding new layers of complication and anxiety even as reasons for optimism increase. With sympathy for the too-many lives lost and for all those grieving, and with inspiration from COVID-19 survivors and those who have cared for them, we share these views with hope for a healthier tomorrow.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY REGIONAL ONE HEALTH
Charles E. Lapsley Jr., MSN, RN
Director of Nursing — Regional One Health
Born in Miami, Charles Lapsley earned his nursing degree from Florida International University and his master’s from Walden University. A registered nurse for 22 years, he began his career in several hospitals in Florida and joined Regional One after moving to Memphis in 2009. After a stint at Methodist, he assumed his present position in 2014. “Nursing is a profession that is dynamic, innovative, fulfilling, and built on a simple principle of compassion,” he told us last year. What helped him get through the challenges he encountered in 2020? “I am a man of faith,” he said, “and I believe that is the only way doubt and fear can be managed in my world.”
How are you? This past year has been difficult for most everyone, but front-line workers like you have witnessed the effects of COVID-19 on a daily basis. How do you take care of yourself while also taking care of others?
I have been blessed! Over this past year I can truly say that being able to spend more quality time with my family proved to be therapeutic. The connections with my wife (“My Rock”) and boys during their formidable years have strengthened. As a family, we make more of a conscious effort to take a “tech time-out” and spend more time interacting through prayer, long walks, bike rides, and meal planning. And we have been able to remain connected to our church, Anointed Temple of Praise, through a virtual platform allowing us to remain spiritually grounded in our faith.
“On a positive note, the pandemic allowed the most trusted profession to also be viewed in a different light. Nurses and healthcare workers were now superheroes and the world had a newfound respect for what we do every day.”
When we talked one year ago, worst-case scenarios predicted a death toll in this country of 250,000 from COVID-19. Instead, the coronavirus has claimed more than half a million lives. What were your thoughts as the number of cases steadily rose?
During the early months I didn’t know what to think. Without evidence-based practice and the necessary tools to guide the medical profession through this pandemic, it was difficult for anyone to predict the outcome. We all relied heavily on the media and the guidance of the CDC, which proved to be a very fluid process, changing daily as different narratives were introduced. Witnessing the deadly effects of the virus had a major impact on our mental stability and tested our resiliency to no end. In the initial stages we realized the urgency of this pandemic and we quickly stepped our game up, but I do not think anyone anticipated nor were we truly prepared for what we endured in our healthcare system nationwide.
Many people are still skeptical of COVID-19, preferring to think that another disease has caused the loss of a loved one. Have you encountered patients with this attitude, and if so, what do you tell them?
Fortunately, I have not encountered people with this mindset [but] I would utilize the facts to provide them with the truth. COVID-19 affects individuals differently and several patients never fully recover. Those with pre-existing comorbidities that involve congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic renal failure usually have a more difficult time. This may be the reason they think another disease may have been the cause of death. We were able to tackle some of those myths through a live recorded forum focused on race and COVID earlier this year.
With the vaccine rollout, we are hopeful that we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel When do you think we can return to normal life again?
What we consider normal is no longer normal. I said previously we will embark on a new way of life that is different from the past. If your definition of normal translates to not being mandated to wear a mask or limit occupancy in a said location, that has occurred in several states already, but a large percentage of individuals are still wearing masks without regulatory enforcement. This alone speaks volumes to what is now normal. Several members of the community no longer shop in public and utilize delivery and curb pickup options. This is one of many things that are now normal. Ultimately, we will get back to a space where travel restrictions or requirements may lessen along with all things covid-19 related, but I am suspicious that our new normal will continue to keep us on our toes in anticipation that there may be something else out there that we need to protect ourselves from.
What impact do you think the pandemic has had on the nursing profession? Will it discourage people from becoming nurses, or inspire them because they see the leading role that nurses have played?
The nursing profession historically was already dealing with a shortage that the pandemic intensified. All of a sudden nurses were being incentivized with astronomical salaries to leave their home hospitals and travel across the nation to hotspots. This left several hospitals severely understaffed and forced systems to come up with innovative solutions to mitigate the shortages or open up their checkbooks and hand out blank checks to staffing agencies.
Another impact was the heavy psychological trauma nurses were left with. Nurses are in the business of saving lives and unfortunately some nurses experienced multiple deaths that quadrupled what they would normally experience.
On a positive note, the pandemic allowed the most trusted profession to also be viewed in a different light. Nurses and healthcare workers were now superheroes and the world had a newfound respect for what we do every day. Ultimately, I feel inspiration wins over discouragement. I’ve always felt strongly that this profession requires a calling, and if a dollar is your motivation, nursing is not for you. The pandemic highlighted the dangers and the risk that is endured daily in the profession and that your heart and compassion must be the key driver.
We asked this a year ago, and now we ask it again: What lessons have you learned from this pandemic?
My most impactful lesson was that we must live each day to the fullest. This pandemic exposed our false sense of security as it relates to life. We were told that people we know would die as a result of COVID-19 and that came to fruition. Professionally, we learned that collaborating across the organization and the formation of teams were key to problem solving and addressing chaotic situations.
How has the pandemic changed the average “day in the life” of a nurse?
The most heartfelt change for nurses involves resiliency and their ability to cope with stress and burnout. Burnout is when a nurse struggles to cope with caring for patients. Many causative agents exist; however, the most frequent contributor in this case was death, spreading the virus to our loved ones at home, and the fear of the unknown. Nurses have always been strong and we learn to deal with tough situations, but I am most fearful for the newest nurses that have entered the profession during a time of chaos. Most were thrown into the fire without proper knowledge, skills, and equipment yet were still expected to perform and save lives. I want them to know there is hope, there is love, and there is respect in this profession and when the smoke clears the world will revere the courage and tenacity of our profession.
Someday, what will you tell your children or grandchildren about your role in the events of 2020-2021?
I would simply tell them that Grandpa was a healthcare veteran that was involved in the war against COVID-19. I would add my specific role during that time involved leading a service-line of healthcare workers through a crisis that lasted for years. I would also emphasize how this period of time also allowed Grandpa and Grandma the opportunity to slow down and appreciate what God has done and how he kept our family safe from harm during these tumultuous times.
