Improvised units, laboratory reinforcement: Gers nurses “on the front line” of screening

“I’m still ahead despite the exhaustion,” said the vice president of the board of directors of the nursing order, Julie Ribet. They also suffer a severe psychological burden, with the daily concern of catching Covid or passing it on to their families. “During this second wave, in which the government has adopted the strategy of” test, track, isolate “, liberal nurses are sought from all sides.

They came to Auch until last Friday to reinforce the screening lab staff, twice a week. ARS invites them to intervene in business or in EHPAD. The Regional Health Authority has thus created a pole of “reservists” to which it regularly calls. They also examine their own patients, without abandoning any of their missions. Until the end of the championships, sports clubs also requested them.

“Solidarity”

Florence Herbodeau is one of those nurses who chose to answer “yes” to various requests. For “solidarity”. And often on their days off. Florence Herbodeau undertakes to keep one day off a week. But this is not the case with all of his colleagues. He summarizes: “Many structures ask us for support, but we cannot be everywhere! “Because they were asked to also intervene in EHPAD, in the face of the lack of staff, to help the reorganization and to” reassure the residents. “This time he could not respond favorably.

These health professionals already have long days: twelve to thirteen hours of work per day … Now add these screenings, sometimes at the rate of two hours a day. Each wardrobe has its own technique. Florence Herbodeau’s was organized in drive. An appointment every ten minutes. It is about “not making people wait”, bringing “comfort” to an already stressed patient. It also limits the risk of contamination. The nurse continues: “We have been doing this for two months but it is temporary. We will definitely stop now that we have fewer people. We try everything, at home, in the office, in the car… ”Everyone does it according to their possibilities. It is for this reason that Julie Ribet asks for “a dedicated place” to Auch, which can host these screenings. With mutual assistance: many nurses are in a common discussion group, on the phone. With a representative from each cabinet they come out. “We don’t leave anyone on the side of the road”, insists Florence Herbodeau. Because some companies are too afraid to run these tests and refuse. “Every time, we take a risk,” he explains, understanding. We always feel in danger, some protect themselves. “

“Exhausted”

Today, this staff is “exhausted”. After training in PCR testing, you will need to move on to antigen testing. The question is already there. Florence Herbodeau had to refuse an assignment because the pharmacies still had no supplies. Tests that will take even longer, 45 minutes to take the sample and get the result. But Florence Herbodeau assures him: “We will have to reorganize but we are ready. “
Ready, once again, to respond to the health crisis.

“I never thought I’d get there”

Although, once again, protective gear is scarce and prices are skyrocketing. A situation that reminds her of the first birth … and the “mutual support and help” that later emerged and that had “touched” her a lot.

At 58, Florence Herbodeau is experiencing her second health crisis, following bird flu. But “never, never”, he would have imagined going through a crisis of this magnitude. Bird flu was “nowhere near”. “I never thought I’d get there,” he concludes.