Corona virus: nurse closes ventilator so patient can calm down

Covid 19 patients who are in critical condition can get their life saved if they get ventilator. With the help of a ventilator, they can be removed from the mouth.

When patients are unable to breathe on their own, ventilator can provide oxygen to the patient's lungs and remove carbon dioxide.

But with the help of a ventilator, it is not possible to save a corona virus patient. This is why medical staff around the world are having to make some difficult decisions. One of these decisions is to close the ventilator if the patient's condition does not improve.

"Turning off the ventilator button is a daunting task," Jeanita Natalla, ICU chief nurse at the Royal Free Hospital in London, told the JTN. Sometimes I feel like I'm responsible for someone's death. '

Born in South India, Natalie has been working as a specialist nurse for the past 16 years at ICU in the National Institutes of Health, the NHS.

"Closing the ventilator is also part of my profession," 42-year-old Natalla told the JTN.

Last wish
On a busy morning in the second week of April, when Natalie arrived on her shift, she had to close the ventilator of a patient treated with Code 19, according to the ICU register.

The patient was a community health nurse and was over 50 years old. Natalla explained to the patient's daughter about the procedure.

"I explained to her that her mother had no pain," Natalia said. They are sleeping comfortably. I asked about their mother's wishes and their religious rituals. '

Beds are placed one after the other in the ICU. There were other patients around this patient who were seriously ill and were unconscious.

"The nurse was there, where eight beds were," said Natalla. All the patients there were in critical condition. I knocked the curtains off and all the alarms went off. '

They felt as if the entire medical team had stopped for a moment. The nurses stopped talking to each other, Natla added. Respecting patients and their facilities is our top priority. '

Natalia then placed a phone near the patient and asked her daughter to speak. Regarding the phone call, Natalla said, "There was only one phone call for me, but for the family of the victim, it is very important and important. They wanted to make a video call but unfortunately no mobile phone is allowed inside the ICU. '

The ventilator button is off
At the insistence of the patient's family, Natalla played a specific music video on the computer. Natalia then closed the button to close the ventilator.

"I was sitting in the armpit and waiting for them to pass," Natalia said.

The medical team decides to provide breathing support and stop treatment. It takes into account the patient's age, health condition, treatment effect and expectation of recovery.

The patient died five minutes after Natla's ventilator button was turned off. "I was watching the flashing light on the monitor," Natalla said. After the heart rate is zero, a flat line appears on the screen. '

To die in isolation
Natalia then removed the medicine tube in the body. The daughter of the strangest patient was constantly talking on the phone. She was also praying on the phone. Placing stones on her heart, Natalla told her that her mother was now out of this world.

Natalie is one of the nurses whose responsibility does not end even after the patient dies.

He told the JTN: 'With one of my colleagues, I gave him a bath on the bed, wrapped him in a white shroud. Put his dead body in a body bag. Made the cross mark on their foreheads before closing the bag. '

Doctors and relatives of the patient spoke face-to-face about discontinuing treatment before the Corona virus. Patients' relatives were allowed into the ICU before life support was discontinued.

But this is not happening in most parts of the world.

Natla sees such patients, even trying to help them recover from the virus, because, according to Natla, 'seeing someone die alone is a very painful process.'

Natalia watches patients struggling to breathe and sees them tremble. And to see all this is a very painful thing.

No beds in the hospital
Due to the increasing number of patients in hospitals, 34 beds have been increased in the intensive care ward. Now there are 60 beds installed and all of them are patient.

There are 175 nurses in the ICU to care for patients 24 hours a day.

"Usually a nurse is placed in a ICU with a patient," said Natalla. But now, on average, there is a nurse for three patients. A nurse is kept for six patients when conditions deteriorate. '

Some of the nurses on her team showed symptoms of the corona virus, after which the nurses were sent into isolation. Training is being given to recruit new nurses in hospitals.

“Before the shift begins, we shake hands and ask each other to take care of us and to be safe,” says Natalla. We keep an eye on each other. We make sure everyone is wearing gloves, masks and protective equipment. '

Natalla says serving the dead has helped them cope with the crisis. One death is occurring every day in the UK's ICU. Is far higher than the global average.

'It's very difficult ... Sometimes you have to hide your fears. I also have nightmares, have trouble sleeping. I'm afraid the virus won't get infected. Everyone is scared. '

Last year, she had been home for several months due to TB. They know how weak their lungs are.

'People tell me you shouldn't work, but it's a global epidemic. I leave and do my job. '

"After the shift I also think that if a patient dies during this time, I try to switch off when I leave the hospital."

After talking to the JTN, Jeanita Natalie has been asked to work from home because her own health is at stake. She has said she will try to help with the house by working on administrative issues.