Local nurse frightened over shortage of equipment, lack of communication
5:52 PM, Mar 20, 2020
AKRON, Ohio — They are anxious, frightened and unsure how the COVID-19 virus will affect them--and it's not limited to patients. These are nurses.
In this case, nurses working inside Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital are describing the stark reality of life inside the 500-plus bed hospital.
"I became a nurse to help others--not to volunteer for a potential death penalty," said one nurse who describes the reality of treating patients who may have COVID-19.
It's the first day of her 12-hour shift, and a potential victim has just come up from the emergency room.
But she isn't able to don an approved N-95 mask for protection — those are locked up tight.
"They are locked in a manager's office and not being given to us," the nurse said, adding they are forced to rely on simple cotton masks and not the recommended N-95 mask.
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/continuing-coverage/coronavirus/local-coronavirus-news/local-nurse-frightened-over-shortage-of-equipment-lack-of-communication