Nurse Fatigue in Georgia’s Magnolia Midland

Chase Amoroso· A New Perspective on Nurse Fatigue

By: Chase Amoroso, Jocelyn Frazier, Lauren Sabia, and Kaz Thomas

   Bulloch County nurses are part of a worldwide first line of defense against COVID-19, and the ongoing pandemic is steadily draining not only hospital resources but their mental health as well.

East Georgia Regional Medical Center. Thursday, Sep. 30th.
Photo by Lauren Sabia

    Marie Burdett, the chief nursing officer of East Georgia Regional Medical Center, graduated from her nursing program as the youngest in Virginia at age 19. She says that in her entire career she has never witnessed the hospital so busy.

   

     “The aspect of resources, medication resources have been astronomical, unlike anything I’ve seen in my 31 years,” said Burdett. 

    In a study done in 2017 about nursing fatigue, four out of five registered nurses reported fatigue and heavy workloads. Since COVID swept across the country, the amount of fatigue has increased. 

    “Our nurses have been crying, telling us that they’re exhausted,” said Burdett. “The staff are working overtime, 12 to 16 hours a day, five days a week, sometimes five days in a row.”

R.N. Hazel Reyes staying positive through the pandemic.

Photo by Lauren Sabia

    Nurse fatigue affects more than just the essential workers. With staff busy treating COVID  patients and most beds are full, those suffering from common ailments have to endure long waiting periods. 

    Brendan DeArman, a patient with strep throat, went to two medical care providers in an attempt to get treatment. 

    “I started feeling sick and went to AppleCare,” said DeArman. “They didn’t have the ability to see walk-ins so I waited for about 2 days before I went to the emergency room. And then I waited for about 4 hours before I got my strep test results.” 

    In order to combat nurse fatigue and its effects, East Georgia Regional is offering a program called MESH, which stands for Mental, Emotional, Spiritual Health. 

    In  MESH meetings, nurses can discuss their emotions in a group setting, join a prayer circle conducted by volunteer chaplains of different religions from the Bulloch community, and connect to other nurses. A ‘resilience room’ is also offered by the hospital, with yoga mats, massage chairs, and adult coloring books. 

    “We are getting emails that if you're burned out already you can call this number,” said Hazel Reyes an RN at East Georgia Medical Center. “But do you think that it's a guarantee that it will solve the burnout issue?” 

    East Georgia Regional Hospital currently has over 60 nurse position openings. 

    With less than 50 percent of Bulloch County residents vaccinated, the chance of burnout among nurses in this region remains high.

    Click here and enter your zip code to find a vaccine provider in your area.

Signs around the hospital showing support for their hard-working nurses.
Photo by Lauren Sabia