The civic-run Nair Hospital celebrated International Nurses Day on Tuesday in a unique way.
A 40-year old staff nurse infected with SARS CoV-2 was discharged from the hospital after battling for life for 19 days in the intensive care unit (ICU). Nurses from the hospital cheered for their colleague while she wiped her tears and promised to come back and serve at the hospital soon.
According to hospital dean Dr. Mohan Joshi, the staff nurse, a resident of Byculla, was admitted on April 23 after she developed symptoms and became extremely breathless. “She had to be immediately admitted to the ICU,” said Dr. Joshi, adding the nurse was in a critical condition and was among the few patients who were put on an expensive drug called tocilizumab that helped improve her condition.
Doctors said the nurse had no underlying ailments but she slipped into a critical stage rapidly. She was put on a non-invasive ventilator as she had developed bilateral pneumonia along with acute respiratory distress syndrome. “Her condition improved gradually and she is now completely fine,” Dr. Joshi said.
Healthcare workers are at high risk of getting the infection as they constantly come in touch with patients. The staff nurse had been on duty while Nair Hospital transitioned from a super speciality hospital to an exclusive COVID-19 facility. “She was not posted in the COVID-19 ward but healthcare workers are always exposed to the risk. There is no better way for us to observe International Nurses Day than sending her home following a complete recovery,” Dr. Joshi noted.
