Key workers check in

I work at a radiology clinic. We serve urgent care clinics and we have two pediatric clinics close. It’s slow, and we’re taking all the precautions. I’m a basket case. Right now we are working a week on, week off with a skeleton staff. If a drs office sends a patient over they have to be screened first and the doctor has to put a note on the order that they’ve been screened before the patient can come to the clinic.

Accountant. Doing fine with my N95 and gloves for when I have to go in. I was made for social distancing!

I’ve complained more than once about being considered essential. Last Tuesday I left work with the intention of staying home for two weeks. I decided this morning to return to work tomorrow. I have no idea if I’m doing the right thing but my depression is getting worse being home. I’m breaking the news to my adult children today that they need to stay home. My dd has been our shopping a couple of times this past weekend. I think only one person leaving the house is the best plan right now.

My company works as a contractor of sorts to the USPS.  We are considered essential.  I can do 90% of my work at home, but I don't feel comfortable working from home when everyone else has to go in.

I am very seriously considering taking a contract to go work on NYC right now. They are erecting field hospitals and need nurses. It's rough: 15 pts per RN, 14-21 day stretches before you get a day off and 10-12 hour days. But you'll get $10k per week, $76 daily for food, and they're putting you up in a hotel.

Now is the best time in my life to be able to do something like this. I'm kind of bored here right now and this is really tempting. I'm thinking about it.

I dont think we are considred essential but our company has moved us home to work. I still get paid and can pay my bills.

Working from home has requird a lot of kinks to be worked out. It us a different mind set as well. As an extreme introvert im ok w it. The constant checkins throughout the day are more work than the work for me lol Give me the things i need to do and i will do them.

Dh is essential as he works in law enforcement. I’ve been a telecommuter since last year so no changes for me. I guess we would be considered essential as I work for a health insurance carrier and we are really busy right now because of the virus.

Not sure if I'm really "essential"- Instacart shopper- but I think I'm helping out my little community.

Very essential. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Don't worry, your rule-out will at least get you a surgical mask that sits in a paper bag with your name on it all shift when not in use. Lol

I actually just kept mine on all night, what the hell does it matter

But I can tell you one thing, if I have a rule out coughing all over I'll storm the gates of SPD to get an N95 and a face shield. I'm not playing.

I'm not scared, but I'm also not stupid. If we don't protect healthcare workers, there won't be any of us left to protect everyone else.

I just found out today I am considered an essential worker. And here I thought I was doing it for shits and giggles. FTR, I’m an accountant. I’ve spent the last few weeks finishing up an audit and filing more records of employment than I have in my entire career. Really uplifting stuff.

You are essential to everyone who is high risk. 

I started a job about a month ago...at a hospital. I work in the administration office - no contact with patients. I am the assistant to the Chief Nursing Officer and also assist other executives that run the hospital. Wow...is all I can say. They are so organized and so prepared. They are calm and focused but I can see the stress. They have done everything they can....but will it be enough? Meetings all day everyday to prepare as we wait for the surge of patients expected within the next two weeks.

It has been very interesting and certainly not boring. I come home very tired, mostly mentally tired. I feel good to be to able to help. But I think this is going to get really sad as more people are affected and employees start getting sick. Every week things seem more intense.

I’m struggling a bit. I’m also an RN and I work on a medical/telemetry unit at our largest area hospital. We have a dedicated unit for rule outs and positive patients but my unit will have one at any given time due to our negative pressure room. I had a rough day...I was assigned to the one rule out patient on airborne precautions and despite numerous efforts (literally an hour and a half of trying), we don’t have a mask that fits my face properly at this time. My face is too small and even our “universal” respirator leaked. I wasn’t able to work with this patient. I’m being hard on myself because I want to be able to help with these patients (and share the workload with my coworkers) but can’t without proper PPE. I’ve spent much of my evening trying to track down a small mask, one I am even willing to pay for, but so far no luck. It’s best I avoid Facebook for a bit as well...I’m emotionally hurting and find myself crying daily over the state of our world. For every positive post, there are 1,000 negatives and it’s too much right now. My heart is aching for our people. I have a little girl at home and a severely at-risk family member living in my house. I’ve contemplated pitching a tent somewhere or looking into a hotel or Airbnb as anxiety washes over me in waves every day for fear I’ll be exposed or expose my loved ones. It’s pretty agonizing.