The retired nurses of Asturias responded immediately to the call of the Principality Health Service and they are waiting to be notified to put on the gown again, a gown that they had worn for more than 40 years and that they hung up only two years ago. But the truth is that they did not hesitate for a minute.
Elena Fernández Ardisana She held different positions at the Hospital de Cabueñes, supervisor of ICU and Emergencies among others, and later at the Natahoyo Health Center. In addition, she was president of the Board of Age of the College of Nursing. Elena, after 46 years in the practice of the profession, did not think twice. “I suppose it is the least we can do. We have been in public service our whole lives and right now society and our colleagues need us”, has pointed in BE Gijón. They did not imagine that they would have to live such a pandemic and they have recalled that “At the end of 2019 we delivered the diplomas to the new generations of nurses and I thought that they had a practically made world ahead of them. I never thought they would have to face this”. Elena Fernández Ardisana points out that “It is about vaccinating the majority of the population in the shortest possible time.”
Cristina Gonzalez Rivera was part of the team that inaugurated the UCI of Cabueñes Hospital, passed through the resuscitation, traumatology services and in the nursing direction he held the supervision of the Teaching, Quality and Material Resources Area. His professional life ended in Primary Care two years ago. After 43 years of work, he has volunteered because “It is necessary to immunize the largest number of people in the shortest possible time”. He points out that a year ago they couldn’t imagine what was coming.. “I was convinced that infectious diseases had already disappeared. For an infectious pandemic we were never trained”, has explained.
Neither of them is afraid of contracting the virus. They have never been afraid in the exercise of the profession. They will be vaccinated and the necessary preventive measures will be taken so that there is no risk. They hope to contribute their experience to try to vaccinate most of the population.
Regarding decision-making in a situation like this, Elena Fernández Ardisana affirms that “It is not easy to make decisions that have serious consequences for other people. I suppose they are doing it the best way they know how. I wish them the best because it will be the best for us too.” Same opinion Cristina González “I think they have done the best they could. The decisions have been very difficult”, has reflected.
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