Rebekah: A PN Consumer Working on the Frontlines
My name is Rebekah and I am a Registered Nurse in Michigan working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. I work with adults on an inpatient general medicine unit. I am also a TPN/HPN consumer of 6 years on a 20-hour TPN cycle; I infuse while working on the floor.
Big changes have been implemented at our hospital following a pandemic staffing model, mandating nurses to work longer hours and care for more high acuity patients during this crisis. I would like to share this positive reminder to all those working on the frontlines. Teamwork among health professionals is more essential than ever. Only by binding together as a team will we remain strong and unconquerable. I'm thankful for my supportive nursing colleagues and I'm happy to contribute however I can. Patient assignments are inevitably heavy for staff; but together we can make a difference.
In addition, continual gratitude goes out to my providers for the daily IV therapies that sustain me. Nutrition support is literally my fuel, which makes it possible for me to carry out my passion for bedside nursing. Furthermore, personal experiences as a complex patient allow me to professionally advocate for patients' needs and to help provide education about nutrition support, alongside knowledgeable dietitians and clinicians. Our team efforts share the common goal to promote positive patient outcomes. This pandemic is a valuable reminder of teamwork, which allows us to rise up during challenges and trial innovative solutions. In healthcare, we are stronger and safer, when we work together. Thank you to all health professionals and supportive staff members who continue to protect those most vulnerable as well as to staff providing services to patients remaining safely at home in their communities.
— Rebekah Urbonya
Share Your Stories with Us: ASPEN would like to post stories and photos of clinicians responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope it will inspire and inform others about the vital role nutrition has on patient outcomes. If you have lessons from the field, please
share with ASPEN.