What does it mean to be an essential worker?
According to the Essential Services Act of 2013 the term essential worker means you are a worker that performs work involving the safety of human life or the protection of property, as determined by the head of the agency. It is safe to say that health care workers are in fact essential employees.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/724/text?mod=article_inline
Millions of essential health care workers are under extreme stress due to heightened risk with being infected with coronavirus. An ever more frightening risk if they are working in the emergency room or intensive care units.
Physical, mental, and emotional aspects of life for these individuals has changed forcefully. Kenmore West, and D’Youville graduate Hailey Kenerson shares her story about what she faces in the NYC Intensive Care Units.
The Facebook post resonates with the mass audience. Many supportive comments came from health care workers who relate with Kenerson. Thousands share the story accompanied by an image of her face after wearing a mask for 16 hours.
One thing health care workers can agree on is the need for everyone to collectively work hard to take social distancing precautions. Protesters in New York feel their rights are being taken from them due to state mandates. Kenerson’s response, “You have the constitutional right to protest. However, you do NOT have the right to disregard and put other people’s lives at risk. You just don’t. That’s exactly what you’re protesting for. The right to get your hair cut, nails done, or to sit in a movie theatre during an unspeakably tragic and frightening time for so many. The right to help spread a deadly and extremely infectious disease to both your loved ones and complete strangers”.
New York City is the epicenter for Covid-19. Today there are 282k confirmed cases across the state. The number of deaths is up to 16,599. Health care workers are devastated by how many lives have been lost. “This disease does not discriminate. It just claims lives” said Kenerson.
Personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks and hazmat suits, need to be available in order to keep the health care system from collapsing.
It is essential to keep employees inside of the hospitals as safe as possible so they don’t fall ill to coronavirus. New York state currently has enough PPE however there is a shortage in ventilators and hospital gowns.
“I hope your loved one doesn’t end up in an ICU bed, intubated, ventilated, sedated, paralyzed and fighting for their life. Nobody deserves this. But if they do, I promise I will fight my absolute hardest along side all of my heroic coworkers at the bedside to get them home to you. I hope you aren’t on the receiving end of a devastating phone call” said Kenerson.
The amount of emotional labor these workers endure each day is nothing short of impressive. Despite the task at hand, Kenerson continues to show up. Health care workers continue to work diligently. They are the true heroes.
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