Real Health Care Workers Share What They’re Hopeful For in the New Year

Written by Natasha Funderburk

They’re our every day heroes. The ones putting themselves on the front lines every single day; selflessly giving every single ounce of strength, bravery, and energy they have to taking care of of their typical patients, their emergency patients, and now… through a pandemic, patients who have Covid-19. I’m talking about the nurses, doctors, CNAs, respiratory therapists, physical, occupational, and speech therapists. The dietary staff, and housekeeping. The secretaries, and techs, and every single person who comes into contact giving more than they take. They deserve every thank you we can give them.

Throughout this last year, we’ve all gotten really good at voicing our opinions on social media. Our complaints, our beliefs. Our frustrations. We’ve becomes professionals at speaking, but not so much at listening. And I want that to change. I posted a question on my own social media wanting to understand something I was curious about. And now I want to share those answers with you.

Real Life Health Care Workers Share Their Hopes for 2021

“The respect we had in March. We want to be safe and we want our patients safe. We are working hard to make that happen.” – Registered Nurse

“I’m hopeful for continued strength in teamwork that has been developed over these last 10 months.”

“I’m optimistic that the positive breakthroughs and transitions in care that have been accomplished in record time this year, such as virtual visits and prescribing leniency, will continue. It has made practicing easier for providers and much easier for patients because so many of the previous barriers (insurance limitations being one) are non-existent.” – Family Nurse Practitioner

“I look forward to things slowing down so we can breathe. I look forward to our patients not having to panic, for families to be able to sit with their loved ones in the hospital, and a simple ‘thank you’ and ‘I understand,’ instead of why did it take so long and why isn’t there more staff. I just look forward to everyone being Iowa kind again.” – Lab Tech

“My hope for 2021 is normalcy! I want to go back to hugging and socializing freely. I don’t want to repeat myself 700 times because nobody understands you through your mask. I don’t want to be exhausted ALL of the time. I want ALL my patients to have visitors and the support of family and friends – in person. I don’t want to Facetime or Zoom with a patient and their family member ever again. I don’t want to watch someone die alone, with just me present and telling their children ‘I’m sorry. It can only be me – not you’ over, and over. I want families to be able to advocate for their loved one bedside, not just me. I want to feel like I help people once again, like I make a difference as an RN. That is what I signed up for.” – Registered Nurse

“I am hopeful that in 2021 we are able to transition to keeping the patient at the center and being mindful of their humanness. Since March, American healthcare has been focused on operations: reduction and elimination of hospital visits, changing staffing models, implementation of new processes; meanwhile, we have patients dying alone in the ICUs as their loved ones cry outside of the window. People receiving devastating diagnoses with no one to hold their hand, and nurses scared to go home in case they are asymptomatic carriers. Even though we need to think about the operations, we also cannot deny we are in the business of taking care of HUMANS. Humans who need physical touch, personal interactions, and to be seen and heard.” – Registered Nurse

“I hope my patients don’t die of loneliness anymore, I hope their families can be by their side, holding their hand, and telling them they love them.” – Registered Nurse

“I wish for my patients to stop dying alone without family visits. 💔 Outside visits and hair cuts for all!” – Speech Language Pathologist

“I hope society starts taking Covid seriously by following the rules despite ones indifferences or opinions for the virus.” – Certified Medical Assistant

“I wish the transition of care from one setting to the next was a lot easier. COVID has added an entire dimension to patients getting appropriate care and feeling safe doing so.” – Registered Nurse

“I want to look forward to going to work again rather than feeling the desperate need to go to work everyday. I am always in awe of the teamwork no matter what the situation but especially the hard ones.” – Registered Nurse

“My hope is that we as nurses can advocate for our profession and our patients in ways that continue to make a difference. Whether that is in public health, acute care, long term or beyond. I also hope that we can bring back the tenants of person-centered care. Because without it, we are only building a more dysfunctional system. Health and wellness belongs to the individual, I as a nurse, am a resource to help them in their journey. But if we don’t have them in the center of their journey – we never truly help them reach their optimal health. I personally hope that I give the right tools to our future peers as they begin their journey in nursing.” – Nurse Educator

“For less mortality and much needed rest for frontline staff.” – Clinical Nurse Specialist

“Strength. Trust. Respect. Hope. Vaccine effectiveness. Optimism. Normalcy. Social gatherings. HUGS…SO MANY HUGS. Relaxation. Traveling for continuing education and fun.” – Occupational Therapist

“I want life to return to normal and for kids to be kids again and not to have to hide behind masks. Kids deserve to be kids and have fun. My hope also is for people to care for one another and love each other and help protect one another.” – Registered Nurse

“With all the talk of co-morbidity as risk factors for decreased patient outcomes, not just with COVID-19 but many other illnesses, that a shift in prevention would happen. The US is very unhealthy as a whole. This has to change for a multitude of reasons. Americans can’t afford to take care of themselves but yet they can’t afford not to!” – Registered Nurse

“I am hopeful for everyone in the United States and here in the Quad Cities to take this virus seriously and not take it lightly. I am hopeful for a transition back to some kind of “normalcy” i am hopeful that healthcare workers will not be ran so hard and stressed to the max.” – Registered Nurse

“I hope that things will go back to somewhat of a normal by next summer.” – Medical Records Coordinator

To see how the pandemic is taking its toll on our kiddos, read their letters to Santa in 2020.