Nurses in Melbourne have encouraged Victorians to stop complaining about face masks as they revealed the extent of their sacrifice while wearing PPEs.
Nurses who work in Melbourne’s healthcare units showed their sacrifices in wearing personal protective equipment while performing their duties for hours.
They said that the discomfort of wearing masks and personal protective equipment during work hours caused them facial bruises and pressure injuries. They added that they can’t even remove it to drink water which led to dehydration.
Mel Pearson, an emergency department nurse, said that it is also hard to take a quick bathroom use while wearing PPEs.
She added that it is disheartening to see people in the community who complain about wearing light facial masks for some time to attend their outdoor chores where in fact, nurses like her and other health practitioners spend most of their days wearing heavier PPEs.
Sam Bates, an ICU nurse manager, said that she was sick of complaints from people who did not want to wear face masks.
She added that people must recognise the challenge that everyone is facing during this pandemic. Wearing face masks just for an hour and half can really help in alleviating the threat of COVID-19.
Nurses in Australia are not alone in sharing their experience in dealing with COVID-19. Different photos of nurses’ bruised faces due from various countries around the world circulated on the internet.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews just said that wearing a face mask in public is mandatory. This is amidst the reports of anti-maskers around Victoria.
In NSW, wearing a face mask is yet to be mandatory. However, Premier Gladys Berejiklian encouraged residents to observe appropriate safety measures especially in public places. The next few weeks would be crucial for the people of Australia in their battle with COVID-19.
