#1 Beauty and the Beast of COVID 19

Beauty- I do not have to fear that I will lose my job. Salary will continue to flow to pay the bills and expenses, providing financial security. Malls, theme parks, arenas and other commercial establishments are turning into ghost towns. I feel for the personnel who are paid by the hour, worried on how they will take care of their families with this uncertainty. am not stuck at home obsessing about this pandemic crisis which is giving unwelcome results globally.

Beast- Much as I want to simply stay at home for social distancing and safety, it's not an option at this critical time. We are at the frontline, determining among patients who have manifestations of cough and fever; following algorithms and guidelines from the medical director, corporate and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We continue to provide treatment, at bay and in  close contact with several people as we provide direct patient care. This we do, hoping and praying we remain healthy as we wash our hands very frequently, paper cuts occur to us so often.

I choose BEAUTY over the beast of course. Despite and in spite of the "danger" of my job, I consider it as an appanage to be of service and help to others in this trying time. In my college years, it was told to us that "Nursing is not a profession, it is a vocation." We wore a white cap on top of our tightly-bunned hair in our clinical rotations and a preceptor mentioned the cap means Charity over pleasure.

Nurses here in USA are known to be well-paid. Many times over, people will tell me I must be loaded with moolah coz I am an RN( and single) and paid by the hour. True, we are compensated justly, but see the hazards of our profession now. I am honored and humbled to continue the legacy of Florence Nightingale in my own, little ways.

I want to make a shout-out to all my fellow nurses. You are all my heroes!!! Know your worth, ladies and gentlemen.

Profession. Vocation. Compassion.