Member Stories, COVID-19 Pandemic: Pam Anzicek

“Blatant disregard for the health and safety of bedside workers.”

“No one should be expected to do what nurses and doctors are being asked to do. FULL STOP. Anyone who is not following the social distancing rules is causing this. The story below is shared from a colleague, a nurse who teaches nursing.” - Anita Baxter Blough, Lecturer II, Biology UM-Flint

Pam Anzicek from the Flint campus, pictured here with teaching aide Fred.

From Pam Anzicek Lecturer II in Nursing, School of Nursing, The University of Michigan-Flint on Wednesday, April 15th, 2020:

“I had a long conversation with my nursing students today - especially with those working in hospitals. They are working primarily at hospitals in Oakland, Genesee, and Livingston counties and are traumatized. They are making $14-$16 per hour. No hazard pay. 

The conditions in most hospitals seem about the same. They are being made to re-use their N-95 masks for up to 3 weeks. Some staff don't even get N-95 masks when working directly with COVID patients. They are short on supplies like gowns and gloves. They re-use gowns.

They wash their gloves [being unable to replace them] in between patients. In one hospital, when a COVID patient's heart stops, they have a machine do the chest compressions [rather than a person administering them]. The patient doesn't get compressions until the machine arrives. One student reported that four codes (not breathing/no heartbeat) happened in rapid succession. The code teams responded to the first two codes. For the other two? Nothing happened because there weren't enough staff.

I have no words for all of this. Blatant disregard for the health and safety of bedside workers. [Hospital administrators are] Accepting patients that they have no resources to care for. When will the nightmare be over?

Let me school you about expectations when entering the nursing profession.  

We did not sign up to work in an old sweaty "disposable" mask for our entire shift (OR FOR DAYS ON END). 

We did not sign up to work short staffed. 

We did not sign up to get sick from our patients. 

We did not sign up to expose our families to pandemic diseases. 

We did not sign up to die. 

We did not sign up to work in conditions where we have to stack bodies on recliners in spare rooms. 

WE DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS CLUSTER**** 

This is NOT normal nursing care.”

LEO encourages all employees of the University of Michigan to help in minimizing the risks and damages caused by the spread of COVID-19 by following the CDC’s Social Distancing Guidelines and the Governor's Stay-At-Home order.

Here are some ways for you to help those medical professionals on the front lines in Flint:

Hurley Medical Center in Flint has a Covid Response Fund (also accepting in-kind donations)

McClaren Hospital Flint is accepting donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), details HERE

Do you have a story to share publicly about teaching during the pandemic? Please fill out this questionnaire:https://forms.gle/D4tP75CPZ5oXsvLdA

If you have Lecturer work-related questions about teaching during this time please contact virusinquiries@leounion.org