REGINA -- Saskatchewan nurses have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic for more than 10 months and new stresses brought on by the virus have taken a physical and mental toll on both them and their families.
Aubrey Tollefson has been a nurse for almost six years in Assiniboia. She said doesn’t think anyone was prepared for what the pandemic caused, and how quickly and often protocols would change.
“The stress has been higher than I’ve ever felt professionally,” Tollefson said. “We would get multiple changes to policy within a day because everyone was just trying their best to stay on top of the situation, and that made it hard.”
Tollefson said the demand of constantly putting on PPE often feels like a rush and can challenge the amount of time they spend with a patient. She also has a two year-old son and said it’s hard to maintain work and regular life all at the same time.
“It’s tough when you have a family and a toddler who you come home to, who then demands your attention, but it’s just ya you work in a spin because so many things have gone down in your one shift,” Tollefson said.
Tollefson said the stress of infecting her family or needing to spend time away has been constant. She admitted she’s not great at sharing her feelings, and used to be good and keeping work from causing her stress.
“You’re really between a rock and a hard place. I know I’m not the only health care worker who is also a parent, so that’s definitely been at the top of the stress for me,” Tollefson said.
Tollefson said she found a few ways to cope, like trying her best to stay physically active and talking with coworkers and family.
“Talking to someone that you can trust to work through those feelings with you is really important,” Tollefson said.
The Caring Place offers professional counselling for anyone who seeks it either in person or virtually. It also hosts free depression and anxiety meetings for people to share their stories and what helps them deal with stress. The Executive Director said the organization is seeing a large number of people contacting them with anxiety and depression.
“Depression is the common cold of mental health and we’ve lost too many people to it. One of the most important resources for people is to be part of a supportive community. Communities are formed when stories are shared,” Melony Materi, Executive Director of The Caring Place, said. “People are sharing their stories and the stress is lessened, the pain is lessened somewhat.”
The business follows a sliding scale, meaning fees can vary depending on a client's earnings. The lowest amount a person can pay for services is $40.
