Why Now is the Best Time
The current unemployment rates have jumped exponentially during this time. This graph shows unemployment rates through April 2020, but as of the publishing of this course in the 2nd week in May, an additional 3 million people have filed unemployment claims.
(Source: BLS.gov)
Lay-offs and Furloughs
More specifically, here is information on the healthcare sector. Healthcare workers (ie; nurses, doctors, dentists, etc) are losing their jobs, practices, or are being furloughed for an unspecified amount of time.
Take a listen to this report from NPR interviewing nurses who have been laid off or furloughed during this time. When you went to school to become a nurse did you ever think you'd be in a situation where you'd be laid off or lose hours (ie: money)?
The PPE Shortage Has Put Nurses Lives on the Line
It's not only a scary time to work as a nurse due to financial insecurity, but what about your health?
We have a tremendous PPE shortage that is putting millions of healthcare workers lives at risk on a daily basis. Who would have ever thought that they would be told to reuse PPE because there isn't enough? We are truly living in unprecedented times.
Some fellow nurses have even been reprimanded for wanting to wear masks at their place of employment when the pandemic started. Again, what times are we living in where our safety is not valued while we break our backs caring for others?
Take a look at some of these articles discussing the PPE shortage and the toll it takes on nurses working on the frontlines:
Here's another great listen from NPR about nurses who have gotten sick while on the job caring for COVID-19 + patients because they didn't have adequate PPE.