Gandhi nurse returns home after 8 days, welcomed with claps and garland

Hyderabad: B. Sheetal Suhasini, staff nurse at Gandhi Hospital, was taken aback by surprise on Sunday, when her society members felicitated her for her services at the Covid-19 ward.

After completing eight days of duty, she returned to her apartment at Boiguda on Sunday when the residents of Priyanka Apartments, where she stays, felicitated her with a garland and shawl.

“It was a big surprise for me and the felicitation made me proud of what I am doing,” said Sheetal. After eight days of duty, he will stay with her family for three days and return to work.

Sheetal has been working in Gandhi Hospital for the last 12 years. “Along with me, 50 other nurses and 200 contract labourers are working at Gandhi Covid-19 wards.”

Speaking about their work, she said that things have changed completely after the Covid-19 breakout. “For hours, we have to wear the N95 mask which is really suffocating. Due to fear of contracting the virus, we don’t even touch it.”

Sheetal works for six hours if she is assigned morning shifts and 12 hours in night shifts.

Recalling the night when a Covid-19 patient was admitted for the first time to the hospital in March, she said since then, a number of patients came in and we had been constantly working. There is a fear that we might contract the virus as we are moving with them every day. Unlike normal days, we are constantly using sanitizers.”

“Despite all the precautions, there is a chance of touching their face or other body parts at some point of time and then, we start worrying. We were provided with PPEs, sanitizers, masks adequately. Food was also provided to us. We would take breaks in a staggered manner, clean our hands and face thoroughly and then go for lunch break,” she added.

Sheetal says now, the number of Covid-19 patients coming to the hospital has decreased considerably and since the last week of April, many were getting discharged.

She said she was ready to go back to work day after tomorrow (Wednesday, May 6, 2020)