As a travel CRNA, Saradar works short-term contracts in different states andtravels the world in between.
Saradar decided to go work in New York once the scope of the states coronavirus outbreak became clear.
(New York State hasmore cases of COVID-19 than any countryexcept the United States.)
Getty / jhorrocks; Designed by Morgan Johnson
Part of Saradars responsibility is to intubate critical patients who are placed on ventilators to help them breathe better.
This kind of specialty skill is currently in high demand.
Many of Saradars peers arealso choosing to take their skills to hard-hit areassuch as New York.
(The below exchange details Saradars personal experience and perspective.
Shes not speaking on behalf of her workplaces.
Her answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.)
SELF: What motivated you to become a nurse?
:My father is a doctor, and my mother and aunts are nurses.
I grew up in the medical world and was always interested in the human body.
Ive worn many hats in my nursing career.
I provide anesthesia for a variety of surgeries in the operating room.
In 2017 I became a travel CRNA.
How did you feel when you realized youd be working directly with COVID-19 patients?
Id just started a new contract at a hospital in Palm Beach County, Florida.
At first it seemed like the virus wouldnt come to us.
I now realize we were in denial.
By early March we started to become anxious ascases hit our county.
Fear was in the air.
We knew eventually wed be exposed andwouldnt have enough PPE.
By late Marchall elective surgeries were canceledand there wasnt much work for anesthesia personnel.
All nurse anesthetists have at least a year of ICU or E.R.
experience, so we understand critical care.
New York also waived typical state nursing licensure requirements.
I also know that regular operating room work isnt going to come for many months.
It was a difficult decision.
I could have stayed at my parents house and laid low, but Id feel useless.
Im fearful I could get sick.
I hope every day that I made the right decision.
What has your role been when caring for patients who are sick with COVID-19?
I respond to calls to intubate patients all over the hospital.
Intubating means that I put a breathing tube into the patients airway.
Its nice to be able to be multifunctional, but its also exhausting to take on so many roles.
How does your job in New York compare to what your work was like before COVID-19?
My job before COVID-19 was ideal.
I love working in the O.R.
I love doing anesthesia.
Its a challenging job but one Ive done for a long time and feel comfortable with.
I had a sweet gig in sunny Florida surrounded by friends.
Now I go into work not knowing what new hell the day will bring.
I feel nervous standing too close to my coworkers.
Its not a great feeling.
How are you coping with all of these changes?
I readtreatment protocolsand about disease progression.
I wanted to have some idea of what to do should I be responsible for treating patients.
The adaptation is a constant process.
It took a few hours to adapt to many new realities on my first shift in New York.
The reality is that my role is completely different and Im going to be uncomfortable.
Im looking at this as an opportunity to broaden my skill set.
However, Im not used to being nervous and scared all the time.
How would hazard pay for health care workers make a difference?
Yourecently tweeted: Doctors and nurses that I used to work with now dead.
I dont know what has to happen to make this virus more real and serious to other Americans.
Im sure this is very difficult to answer, but how are you facing the possibility of your mortality?
Im looking into a will for myself.
Its incredibly scary to think this way.
It keeps me up at night knowing that health care workers are at such high risk.
What do you wish the public understood about the severity of COVID-19?
So many people wrongly see this as a really bad flu with just a cough and fever.
Most infected people do only experience mild respiratory symptoms.
However, the ones I see who are sick enough for the hospital are experiencing multi-organ failure.
We havent yet learned how to prevent this.
Patients [can] go down really fast, and its terrifying to witness.
Many people die alone with COVID-19.
Its brutal and heartbreaking.
What is keeping you hopeful right now?
Havingonline video chatswith family and friends is great for my morale.
The love on social media Im getting from strangers is restoring my faith in humanity.
Local restaurants have been donating food for hospital workers, which is so kind and lifts our spirits.
Seeing so many people show up for work every day and busting their asses impresses me every day.
